Bright Eyes (1934)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

David Butler

Writers:

William M. Conselman (screenplay)
David Butler (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 December 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Musical

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Aviator | Custody Battle | Godfather | Maid

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wade Boteler	...	Detective (uncredited)
Robert Burgess	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Crilly Butler	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Russ Clark	...	Aviator (uncredited)
Fred Crawford	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Robert Dalton	...	Aviator (uncredited)
David Field	...	Aviator (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Aviator in Raincoat (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Bob, Pilot (uncredited)
Earle Foxe	...	Bond Man (uncredited)
Sam Hayes	...	Sam Hayes - Radio News Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)
Rodney Hildebrand	...	Driver of Death Car (uncredited)
Sunny Ingraham	...	Airplane Passenger (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Ned's Attorney (uncredited)
Gardner James	...	Glendale Airport Radio Operator (uncredited)
Sam Labrador	...	Tony - Airport Houseboy (uncredited)
Phil Marshall	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
John McGuire	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Harry McKee	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Paul McVey	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Frank Moran	...	Truck Driver (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Extra as Lawyer (uncredited)
Thomas Murray	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Dave O'Brien	...	Bill - Aviator (uncredited)
Steve Pendleton	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Peter Potter	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Ad Schaumer	...	Driver (uncredited)
Paul Schwegler	...	Aviator and Mechanic (uncredited)
Harry Strang	...	Policeman at Accident (uncredited)
Terry	...	Rags - Loop's Dog (uncredited)

Directed by
David Butler

Writing credits
William M. Conselman		(screenplay)
David Butler		(story) and
Edwin J. Burke		(story) (as Edwin Burke)
Henry Johnson		uncredited (contributor to special sequences)

Produced by
Sol M. Wurtzel	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard A. Whiting		(music by)
David Buttolph		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(photography) (as Arthur Miller)

Art Direction by
Duncan Cramer
Albert Hogsett

Costume Design by
Royer		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ad Schaumer	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
S.C. Chapman	....	sound

Stunts
Opal Ernie	....	stunts (uncredited)
Duke Green	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bruce Randall	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Sidney Clare	....	lyricist
Samuel Kaylin	....	musical director

Other crew
Bob Blair	....	aeronautics advisor
Sammy Lee	....	numbers staged by
Marilyn Granas	....	stand-in: Shirley Temple (uncredited)
Carl Spitz	....	dog owner and trainer: "Terry" (uncredited)
Garland Weaver	....	stand-in: James Dunn (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Fox Film Corporation (1934) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Teakwood Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (????) (worldwide) (all media) (re-release) (as 20th Century Fox)

Runtime:

85 min (FMC Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #427) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Australia:G | USA:PG (re-release)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

While filming the scene in which James Dunn and Shirley Temple bail out of an airplane during a storm, someone entered the sound stage through an air-tight door. The wind and rain machines vacuumed toward this opening, sucking Dunn and Temple's parachute with it. The two were dragged across the floor and crashed into collapsed chairs.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: At the end of 'On The Good Ship Lollipop' on the plane, the men join in on the singing. The blonde man directly behind Shirley is mouthing off-note, as if he forgot the words.

Quotes:

Shirley Blake: My daddy could fly better than anyone in the whole world, couldn't he?
James 'Loop' Merritt: That's right, better than anyone in the whole world. You know, your daddy and I were pals ever since we were about as big as you are. That's why I'm your godfather.
Shirley Blake: And then one day he cracked up and went away to Heaven, didn't he?
James 'Loop' Merritt: That's right.
Shirley Blake: I'll bet when I'm a pilot, I won't crack up.
James 'Loop' Merritt: When you're ready to be a pilot, we'll get you a big non-crackable ship. That reminds me, I found a scrapbook the other day with some pictures of your daddy and me in it. Would you like to see?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Road to Rhode Island (#2.13)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

The Man on the Flying Trapeze

She will play on your heart strings.

Hollywood's smallest, biggest star Shirley Temple plays an orphan caught up in a custody battle. She worships a daredevil pilot(James Dunn)and through the course of the movie gets the chance to sing and make immortal "On the Good Ship Lollipop". Also in the steadfast cast are: Jane Darwell, Judith Allen, Charles Sellon and probably the show stealer Jane Withers. Withers is the perfect rich brat to be mean to the poor little orphan(Temple). One of the better projects of the busy little "curly top".