Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) is actually a lot of fun if you like tap dancing

Is this movie worth your time today? Yes, if you want something that feels like a warm blanket or if you just really like old-school tap dancing.

If you find child actors annoying, you should probably stay far away from this one. Shirley Temple is at her most 'Shirley' here, which means a lot of dimples and very precise hair.

The story is pretty simple. Barbara is a rich girl whose dad is always busy selling soap or something.

Her nurse gets hit by a car—which happens so fast I actually had to rewind it—and suddenly Barbara is alone in the city. She doesn't seem scared at all, which is kind of weird but whatever.

She meets these two performers, Jimmy and Jerry. Alice Faye and Jack Haley are great in these roles.

Jack Haley has this nervous energy that is way different from his Tin Man role. He and Alice Faye have this natural rhythm that makes the movie feel alive whenever they are on screen.

The whole middle of the movie is basically them trying to get famous on the radio. Back then, radio was the biggest thing in the world, like a 1930s version of TikTok.

They do this act called 'Dolly and her Two Uncles.' It’s silly, but the music is actually pretty catchy.

"Eat your spinach, baby!"

There is a whole song about spinach. It is probably the most 1930s thing I have ever seen.

I noticed that Shirley's curls never, ever move. Even when she is dancing like a maniac, thier perfectly in place.

The tap dancing is the real reason to watch this. Shirley moves her feet so fast it doesn't even look real.

It reminds me a bit of the kid-focused energy in The Hollywood Kid, but with a much bigger budget. You can tell the studio threw alot of money at this.

One thing that felt off was the subplot with the dad’s business rivals. It felt like it belonged in a boring legal drama and I kept waiting for it to go back to the singing.

Also, it took seven writers to write this movie. How? It's a movie about a kid who gets lost and sings.

The ending happens so fast it almost feels like they ran out of film. One minute she's lost, the next minute everyone is happy and singing again.

Random thoughts from my notes:

• The dad's house is way too big. It looks like a museum, not a home.
• Alice Faye has a voice like velvet. I could listen to her talk all day.
• There is a scene with a bunch of toys that is clearly just an advertisement.

The 'Military Man' dance number at the end is probably the highlight. It’s loud and high-energy and Shirley looks like she’s having the time of her life.

It’s not a masterpiece or anything. It's just a 1930s musical that knows exactly what it is trying to do.

If you can get past the sugary sweetness, it's a solid way to spend eighty minutes. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. 📽️