Movie Type: Domestic Comedy, Family-Oriented Comedy
Themes: Eccentric Families
Main Cast: James Stewart, Fabian, Glynis Johns, Cindy Carol, Bill Mumy
Release Year: 1965
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
Plot
This family comedy stars James Stewart as Dr. Robert Leaf, a college professor who dislikes science and tries to instill in his children a love of art and music. So Robert and his wife Vina (Glynis Johns) are dismayed to discover that their eight-year-old son Erasmus (Billy Mumy) is tone-deaf and color-blind; what's worse, he has a genius-level talent for mathematics. Robert isn't sure what to do about Erasmus, but while his older sister Pandora (Cindy Carol) puts his skills to work by getting him to do her homework, his older friend Kenneth (Fabian) has a better idea. Kenneth and Erasmus come up with a foolproof plan for picking the winners in horse racing -- so foolproof that it draws the attention of two con men, Upjohn (John Williams) and Argyle (Jesse White), who want to use Erasmus's skills to clean up at the track. Robert at first refuses, and then relents only when they agree to use a cut of the proceeds to endow a humanities scholarship, though Robert is about the only one surprised when the men prove not to be good to their word. Meanwhile, Erasmus is head over heels in love with French screen siren Brigitte Bardot -- so much so that he's been writing her love letters. In return, the lucky boy has received an invitation to come meet her, and Robert and Erasmus use some of their racetrack winnings to fly to Paris and take her up on her offer. Nunnally Johnson, who received no credit, contributed to the screenplay; Miss Bardot, of course, plays herself (who else could?). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Brigitte Bardot - Herself; John Williams - Peregine Upjohn; Jack Kruschen - Dr. Volker; Charles Knox Robinson III - George; Howard Freeman - Dean Sawyer; Jane Wald - Terry; Alice Pearce - Unemployment Office Clerk; Jesse White - Argyle; Ed Wynn - The Captain; James Brolin - Student; Clive Clerk - Student; Susanne Cramer - Blonde Doll; Jack Daly - Ticket Seller; Marcel dela Brosse - Taxi Driver; William Henry - Cashier; Pitt Herbert - Bank Manager; Dick Lane - Sports Announcer; Louis Lane; Ted Mapes - Postman; Gene O'Donnell - Lieutenant Rink; Maida Severn - Schoolteacher; John Stevens - Student; Orville Sherman - Von Schlogg; Robert Fitzpatrick - Student; Bob Biheller; Gloria Clark - Prof. Bums; Harry Fleer - T-Man
Credit
Malcolm Brown - Art Director, Jack Martin Smith - Art Director, Moss Mabry - Costume Designer, Fred R. Simpson - First Assistant Director, Henry Koster - Director, Marjorie Fowler - Editor, George Duning - Composer (Music Score), Ben Nye, Sr. - Makeup, Lucien Ballard - Cinematographer, Fred Kohlmar - Producer, Henry Koster - Producer, Walter Scott - Set Designer, Steven Potter - Set Designer, L.B. Abbott - Special Effects, Emil Kosa, Jr. - Special Effects, Alfred Bruzlin - Sound/Sound Designer, Elmer Raguse - Sound/Sound Designer, Hal Kanter - Screenwriter, John Haase - Book Author
Dear Brigitte is a 1965family-comedy starring James Stewart and directed by Henry Koster. Stewart stars as a college professor of a genius son, the precocious Erasmus (Bill Mumy). After using his skills for gambling at the horse track, Erasmus becomes infatuated with model and actress Brigitte Bardot (who plays herself in the film). Through his love letters, Erasmus is invited to France, and Stewart follows along.
