Based on the 1891 book by Laura E. Richards, this was one of Baby Peggy's Peerless films that caught the eye of Universal. Originally a top star (along with Brownie the Wonder Dog) at Century, a small studio on Sunset Boulevard, Universal signed her but she didn't make that many films for them before she was dropped owing to a pay dispute initiated by her father. It's a pity because she was so cute and this film, in my opinion, is far superior to the 1936 Shirley Temple version. This "Captain January" is more simple and sweet than the singing, dancing, little Miss Fixit one of 1936.
Baby Peggy plays little Capt'n January who tends the lighthouse with her Capt'n Daddy, Jeremiah Judkins (Hobart Bosworth) and her love for the old sea captain is the one thing that sustains him. It is just a darling film about the love these two share, set around a sleepy fishing village. They catch lobsters and sell them and all the pennies they make go in a money box towards Jeremiah's dream of sailing the seven seas with his little Cap.
There are rumblings in the town by the local do-gooders that light house life is not suitable for January but she gets her schooling from the Bible, Shakespeare and the Dictionary. The story she never tires of hearing though is how the old Captain found her in a ship wreck - he even shows her the beautiful locket with her mother's picture.
Jeremiah finds old age is catching up with him and one night he fails to light the lamp - if not for January, instead of just running aground, the cruising yacht could have been dashed to pieces by the unseen rocks. When the couple come to the light house, just to assure the Captain that no harm has been done (it's Irene Rich, who always plays the nicest ladies), the woman is struck by the little girl.....could she possibly be her little niece, who was supposedly drowned five years before....hmmm I wonder??
Baby Peggy always seemed to be surrounded by excellent craftsmen who really helped her appeal and this film is no exception, with Hobart Bosworth pulling out all stops as the crusty Captain and Irene Rich as usual understated and restrained.
Baby Peggy plays little Capt'n January who tends the lighthouse with her Capt'n Daddy, Jeremiah Judkins (Hobart Bosworth) and her love for the old sea captain is the one thing that sustains him. It is just a darling film about the love these two share, set around a sleepy fishing village. They catch lobsters and sell them and all the pennies they make go in a money box towards Jeremiah's dream of sailing the seven seas with his little Cap.
There are rumblings in the town by the local do-gooders that light house life is not suitable for January but she gets her schooling from the Bible, Shakespeare and the Dictionary. The story she never tires of hearing though is how the old Captain found her in a ship wreck - he even shows her the beautiful locket with her mother's picture.
Jeremiah finds old age is catching up with him and one night he fails to light the lamp - if not for January, instead of just running aground, the cruising yacht could have been dashed to pieces by the unseen rocks. When the couple come to the light house, just to assure the Captain that no harm has been done (it's Irene Rich, who always plays the nicest ladies), the woman is struck by the little girl.....could she possibly be her little niece, who was supposedly drowned five years before....hmmm I wonder??
Baby Peggy always seemed to be surrounded by excellent craftsmen who really helped her appeal and this film is no exception, with Hobart Bosworth pulling out all stops as the crusty Captain and Irene Rich as usual understated and restrained.