Dear Brigitte

Dear Brigitte
Directed by	Henry Koster
Produced by	Fred Kohlmar Henry Koster
Written by	Hal Kanter Nunnally Johnson (uncredited)
Based on	Erasmus With Freckles (1963 novel) by John Haase
Starring	James Stewart Fabian Glynis Johns Cindy Carol Bill Mumy Brigitte Bardot Ed Wynn
Narrated by	Ed Wynn
Music by	George Duning
Cinematography	Lucien Ballard
Edited by	Marjorie Fowler
Production company	20th Century Fox
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release dates	January 8, 1965
Running time	100 min
Country	US
Language	English
Budget	US$2.47 million
Box office	US$2.2 million

Dear Brigitte is a 1965 American DeLuxe Color family–comedy in CinemaScope starring James Stewart and directed by Henry Koster.

Plot

Robert Leaf (James Stewart) is an American college professor whose precocious son Erasmus (Bill Mumy) is a mathematical prodigy. After using his skills for gambling at the racetrack, it is discovered that Erasmus is infatuated with model and actress Brigitte Bardot. He writes love letters to her, and she invites him to visit her in France. Prof. Leaf accompanies him on the journey. Prof. Leaf later uses his son's talent to raise funds for liberal arts scholarships. He is assisted by Peregrine Upjohn (John Williams), who is secretly a con artist who plans to abscond with the funds.

Cast

• James Stewart as Prof. Robert Leaf
• Fabian as Kenneth
• Glynis Johns as Vina Leaf
• Cindy Carol as Pandora Leaf
• Bill Mumy as Erasmus Leaf
• Ed Wynn as The Captain (also the narrator)
• Brigitte Bardot as herself
• John Williams as Peregrine Upjohn
• Jack Kruschen as Dr. Volker
• Charles Robinson as George
• Howard Freeman as Dean Sawyer
• Jane Wald as Terry, George's Wife
• Alice Pearce as Unemployment Office Clerk
• Jesse White as Cliff Argyle the Bookie
• Gene O'Donnell as Police Lt. Rink
• Orville Sherman as Von Schlogg
• Maida Severn as Miss Eva, Ras' Teacher

Production

The novel was published in 1963. There was some talk that Disney would option the film rights and cast Bing Crosby in the lead role. However rights were bought by 20th Century Fox who assigned the project to Nunnally Johnson, Henry Koster and James Stewart, the team that made Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation and Take Her, She's Mine. It was one of the first movies made at the recently re-opened 20th Century Fox studios.

Billy Mumy was cast on the recommendation of James Stewart's wife, Gloria Stewart, who taught a Sunday School class that Mumy attended.

Although Nunnally Johnson wrote early drafts of the film, Hal Kanter was brought in to work on it and he gets sole screen credit. Kanter says it was Henry Koster's idea to introduce a captain, played by Ed Wynn, to act as a Greek chorus.

The film was the sixth straight acting role for Fabian since he quit singing. He had never been to the races before being cast so researched his role by going to the races and developing a betting system.

There was some doubt Bardot would appear in the film but she relented and her scenes were shot in three days in Paris.

See also

• List of American films of 1965

External links

• Dear Brigitte at IMDb
• Dear Brigitte at AllMovie
• Dear Brigitte at the TCM Movie Database
• Dear Brigitte at the American Film Institute Catalog
• Dear Brigitte at Rotten Tomatoes