Querida Brigitte

Jimmy Stewart makes it look so effortless that one would think he wasn't even acting. Which is the mark of a great actor. This was his second outing with Glynis Johns, the first time was in 1951 in the black and white British film, No Highway In The Sky.

In Dear Brigette, Stewart plays a Literature Professor at a College in California that like most of the culture of the day was struggling with the rampant advances of technology threatening to over shadow everyone and everything.

The main focus of the film is on child actor Bill Mumy who later went on to star in Lost In Space. He plays a young boy named "Erasmus", who is a math wizard and who can do complex calculations in his head, seemingly without effort, and not quite knowing how he does it.

While people and forces around him would like to capitalize on his gift, his father played by Stewart struggles to protect his son from them, and allow him to remain a "innocent little boy". A delightful interlude takes place half way through the picture when "Erasmus" receives an invitation to visit Paris, France and Brigette Bardot; whom he has been secrety writing to for some time, hence the pictures title.

In the 1960's this might have passed for wholesome family entertainment. Getting Fabian for a throw-away role was probably a good casting coup, and for comic relief you have Ed Wynn and Billy Mumy's 'Rain Man' routines. He is an IBM in sneakers, from which most of the plot develops. He secretly writes a love letter to Bardot every night and one day he gets a response in the form of an invitation to visit her in France. Billy and dad Jimmy Stewart go to Paris and have a meeting with Miss Bardot. She gives the little boy an autograph, a kiss and a puppy.

Inoffensive little comedy that might give you a laugh or two. I like movies that reference real movie stars in their title, like "Being John Malkovich" and "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" so this makes the hat trick for me.

I remember seeing this in the movie theater when I was a boy; I'm the same age as Bill Mumy and was always interested in his shows.

Like many movies it's important to understand the times in which the movie was produced. This was the age when the computer was moving from a science fiction tool to a daily part of life. Many of the themes in the movie were things that people were wrestling with every day. A decent father trying his best to raise his children right but trapped in his own perceptions of life. A daughter grown up in a completely different age. A young boy who is a mathematical savant in a family of liberal arts specialists. The mother doing her best to uphold the respect her family and children deserve. All held together in a very off beat setting.

All of this makes for a unique comedy that to me has grown with age. No, it's not a knee-slapper. But there are interesting themes being played out that grow as you watch. The ending of a child's innocence. The brutal march of technology. The desire to hold on to traditions deemed vital. And in the final scenes, the knowledge that with all our desire to control the future, luck and pure chance will have it's say.

And Brigitte Bardot's part is.....how do I say it......wonderful? She comes across as interesting and genuine. I think it's a great role.

Don't expect pie-in-the-face-fun. If you can't wrap yourself around the show and the times it's understandable. It's quirky and offbeat and wasn't pre-shown to theaters so they could write the script, the script was written and shot and there it is. But if you have it a chance (or two) you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I stumbled upon "Dear Brigitte" almost by accident, and the names in the credits -- Jimmy Stewart, Glynis Johns, Ed Wynn, etc. -- kept me watching. I was pleasantly surprised by how charming and intelligent this film turned out to be! Stewart plays an English professor whose only son, Erasmus (the adorable Billy Mumy), turns out to be a math whiz. He's also great at predicting horses, and he happens to be in love with Brigitte Bardot (who makes a wonderful cameo appearance). The family lives on a houseboat, and their teenaged daughter dates Fabian. All of this makes for a very enjoyable comedy the whole family can watch together -- it may be a bit outdated (particularly the "high-tech" computer featured in one scene), but that only adds to its charm. This is a lovable, often overlooked movie that's definitely worth viewing with the whole family!

Fun James Stewart film about a professor whose son has a dream to meet superstar Brigette Bardot. The circumstances are pleasing and the film has wonderful moments of laughter and tenderness.