Captain January (1936 film)

Captain January is a 1936 American musical comedydrama film directed by David Butler. The screenplay by Sam Hellman, Gladys Lehman, and Harry Tugend is based on the story The Lighthouse at Cape Tempest by Laura E. Richards. The film stars Shirley Temple, Guy Kibbee, and Sara Haden in a story about a foundling pursued by a truant officer. The screenplay is based on the 1890 childrens book Captain January by Laura E. Richards.

Helen Star Mason Shirley Temple is a foundling rescued from the sea as a baby by Captain January Guy Kibbee, a lighthouse keeper. The two live in the lighthouse at Cape Tempest. Agatha Morgan Sara Haden, a truant officer in the area, demands that Star be enrolled in school and removed from the care of Captain January, who never legally adopted her. The possibility of being separated is devastating for both January and Star. Meanwhile, January loses his job at the lighthouse when the lamp is replaced with an automatic one. Things look desperate for Star and January. Nazro Slim Summerville, Januarys friend, tries to help and traces Stars relatives to Boston. He contacts them and they arrive at Cape Tempest to claim her. To Stars surprise and delight, her wealthy aunt and uncle buy her a yacht and hire January as helmsman, Nazro and Roberts Buddy Ebsen as crew, and Mrs. Croft Jane Darwell as cook.The studios first script ended with the death of Captain January following a massive heart attack when Star departs with her relatives. Zanuck found this ending unacceptable. In the revised script, January does not die but becomes the helmsman of the yacht given Star by her wealthy relatives. A talking parrot was introduced in the revised script but cut by Zanuck. The film went into production in late October 1935 and was ready for postproduction work in December. ........

Source: Wikipedia