Bright Eyes (1934)

An orphaned girl is taken in by a snobbish family at the insistence of their rich, crotchety uncle, even as her devoted aviator godfather fights for custody.

Director:

David Butler

Writers:

William M. Conselman (screen play) (as William Conselman), David Butler (story)

Stars:

Shirley Temple, James Dunn, Jane Darwell

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Shirley Temple	...	Shirley Blake
James Dunn	...	Loop Merritt
Jane Darwell	...	Mrs. Higgins
Judith Allen	...	Adele Martin
Lois Wilson	...	Mary Blake
Charles Sellon	...	Uncle Ned Smith
Walter Johnson	...	Thomas
Jane Withers	...	Joy Smythe
Theodore von Eltz	...	J. Wellington Smythe (as Theodor von Eltz)
Dorothy Christy	...	Anita Smythe
Brandon Hurst	...	Higgins
George Irving	...	Judge Thompson

Storyline

When a maid is accidentally hit by a car and killed, her young orphaned daughter is forced to live with the snooty couple she used to work for. A custody battle soon ensues between an aviator who adores the little girl and the couple's crotchety Uncle Ned.

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Plot Keywords:

girl in a notably short outfit | girl in very short dress or skirt | girl in mary jane shoes | 1930s | dead mother | 

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Taglines:

She's the sweetheart of the airdrome...guardian angel of the fliers who rate their lives more lightly than her love! (Print Ad- The Lodi News, ((Lodi, Calif.)) 7 January 1935)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 December 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shirley aviatrice

Filming Locations:

Glendale Grand Central Air Terminal - Grandview Avenue, Glendale, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The airport at the beginning was Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, long since abandoned.

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Goofs

During the song "On the Good Ship Lollipop" while the plane is taxiing you can see the edge of the screen where they are projecting the outside. This is most obvious when she sings the line "...and there you are..." just after "Cracker Jack Bands fill the air" the first time.

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Quotes

James 'Loop' Merritt: You can take her now, but only on the understanding that once I get a place for her, Shirley comes with me. I love that baby.
Adele Martin: I understand how you feel. Loop, regardless of what you think of me, I think you're the finest man I've ever known.

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Alternate Versions

In 2005 a second colorized version was prepared by Legend Films, replacing the old version previously syndicated to television and released on VHS.

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Connections

Referenced in All in the Family: Archie and Edith Alone (1972)

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Soundtracks

Silent Night, Holy Night
(1818) (uncredited)
Music by Franz Xaver Gruber
Lyrics by Joseph Mohr
English lyrics Anonymous
In the score on Christmas Eve and sung in English by an offscreen chorus

User Reviews

A Little but Bright Film!

Shirley Temple is at it again, stealing everyone's heart. Her mother works for some snooty people in this film called Bright Eyes. The only one in the household who likes her is the old man, Grandfather, who nicknamed her Bright Eyes, hence the name of the film. His daughter and son-in-law are only nice to him for his money and really want nothing to do with him and nothing to do with Shirley. They reluctantly hired her mother as a maid. James Dunn plays a flier and is friends with Shirley and her mother, due to the fact he was good friends with Shirley's father before he died in a plane accident. James Dunn, a frequent costar in Shirley's movies, visits them a lot, and the uppity lady of the house doesn't like such riffraff in the house and told her maid that if these flier people don't stop visiting, she'll have to find work elsewhere. But everything takes a dramatic turn just before Shirley's birthday party. If you're looking for the film where Shirley sings "On the Good Ship Lollipop," then you've found it. In fact, it's a highlight in an otherwise routine Shirley Temple film. Not that it's a bad film; it's just not terribly original or different than most Shirley Temple movies. But Ms. Temple's sweet smile and the supporting cast of characters played by capable actors help buoy this film into an enjoyable little film for about 75 minutes.