I have a real dislike for children appearing in movies—it’s strong! However, there's something about young Shirley Temple that gets right to me. She possesses a certain appeal that genuinely brings a smile to my face. The film itself feels like a combination of "Oliver Twist" and "Annie," featuring Temple as the pleasant “Elizabeth” at Lakeside Orphanage. There, she’s noticed by wealthy man John Boles ("Morgan"), who resolves to adopt her, along with her older sister "Mary" (Rochelle Hudson), a pony, and a duck. Temple's capacity for charm isn't limited to viewers; soon, she wins over his aunt, his butler, the cook, and practically everyone else as she makes friends wherever she goes. It’s an uplifting movie, highlighted by her couple of upbeat songs—"Animal Crackers in my Soup" and "When I Grow Up"—and while the editing occasionally reveals what's coming, for most of it she seems completely comfortable on screen and has a good rapport with Boles; their affectionate physical interactions are something I appreciated for about 75 minutes.

Source on TMDB