Shirley Temple portrays young Sara, clearly cherished by her military father. When he’s deployed overseas during the Boer War, she finds herself at an exclusive boarding school overseen by the strict Miss Minchin. Things proceed well initially, but then word arrives that her father has died in Mafeking, leaving her without funds and forced into a position akin to a servant. Refusing to accept his death, the girl and Becky, another worker at the house, find ways to amuse themselves, gaining new acquaintances among those injured by the war—including a poignant appearance from Morton Lowry, who is suffering from what we now understand as shell shock—and challenging the patience of her new caretaker while also attempting to locate her father. It shares some similarities with "Cinderella" and "Annie," but Temple shines throughout, moving through the story effortlessly with an appealing and captivating presence. The romantic storyline involving Richard Greene and Anita Louise feels a little unnecessary, though the rest of the cast provides solid support, including Miles Mander as the grumpy Lord Wickham, Arthur Treacher, and Cesar Romero in the role of the old lord’s amiable butler. It's entertaining—we anticipate how it will conclude, but that hardly matters; it’s an innocent and pleasant diversion created just before difficult times arrived for many.

Source on TMDB