Shirley aviatrice

One of Shirley Temple's best movies is stolen by an absolutely riotous performance by Jane Withers as Temple's bratty nemesis-the mean rich kid who picks on poor,noble motherless Shirley. This is the movie that boasts Temple's anthem- On the Good Ship Lollipop.Worth seeing if you haven't seen a Shirley Temple movie.And this was one of the major hits of the 1930's.

Reasons why this film is worth seeing:

1. Bright Eyes stars Shirley Temple. What an appropriate title. Shirley is too cute for words. If you look at her filmography you will see that she had plenty of roles under her belt by the time she made this film, but this is one of the early films that put her on the map.

2. Shirley's performance was so popular, it put her on the cover of "Time" and won an Academy Award.

3. The canine star of the film is Terry, who later played Toto in The Wizard of Oz.

4. Jane Withers nails her performance of the bratty spoiled kid who terrorizes Shirley and everyone else. Only The Bad Seed has a better juvenile villain.

5. Shirley sings her signature song: "On the Good Ship Lollipop".

Up until recently, I never watched Shirley Temple movies and deliberately avoided them. I assumed the were cloying and I hate child actors. However, I ran into a problem on Netflix--I'd seen just about everything and ALL of the classic films. So, reluctantly, I decided to try a couple. To my surprise, the films are, for the most part, delightful--much of it because Temple was a simply amazing child actress. No matter how much I knew the studio was manipulating the audience, I just couldn't help but adore the child. Despite being almost like the product of some unholy breeding experiment because she was SO perfect, I just couldn't resist her charm.

Of all the Shirley Temple movies I've seen (and by now I've seen most), I would have to say that "Bright Eyes" is the best. It is sweet but it also has a nice balance of nastiness that really helps the film along. Let me explain...while Shirley is wonderful, counter-balancing it with the Smythe family, and especially their bratty child (Jane Withers). I loved Withers in the film--she played the most bratty and nasty little girl--and it took a lot of talent to make her character THIS awful! So, we have two of the greatest child actresses of all-time in one film! The plot is, in some ways, a bit like Cinderella...just a bit. It begins with Shirley and her widowed mother living and working at the home of the rich but horrid Smythe family. Aside from their uncle (played WONDERFULLY by Charles Sellon), the entire brood are worthless people--and they couldn't care less about sweet Shirley or her mother. However, when Shirley's mother is killed, the uncle INSISTS the child be treated like a member of the family and move out of the servants' quarters. The Smythes can't stand her--but they want the uncle's money and they agree. But what about her guardian, Luke (James Dunn)? He adores the child and can't think of living without her. So what will become of all this? See this nice film and see.

A wonderful blend of sentiment and comedy, I can't help but recommend this film. In addition, you'll get to hear Shirley's terrific rendition of "Good Ship Lollipop"--an amazingly toe-tapping tune. With all the wonderful acting (Dunne, Sellon, Withers and Temple especially), this is the Twentieth Century-Fox formula at its very best. Unless you are even more cynical than me, you will find you can't help but love this film.

Little BRIGHT EYES wins the hearts & changes the lives of a lonely aviator and a cranky old coot.

This movie was a very big hit for Shirley Temple, who certainly deserved all the attention: she is adorable. Although the film tends to lag into melodramatics during the final half hour, Shirley brightens everything considerably when she appears. With her undeniable talent & elfin smile, it's easy to see why she became Hollywood's top box office star.

However, the Mighty Mite does have competition. Jane Withers is on hand as the Ultimate Brat, a dreadful child who likes to play with imaginary machine guns and amputate body parts off of dolls. Although she looks alarmingly like OUR GANG's Alfalfa in drag, Withers is wonderful and the perfect antidote for those who may find Miss Temple a tad bit icky sticky. To say that Miss Withers practically plunders the picture from The Moppet is high praise, indeed.

James Dunn appeared in four films with Shirley in 1934; in BRIGHT EYES he has his finest scenes with her. As her dead father's best buddy, Dunn is quite touching in his devotion to the child. Elderly character actor Charles Sellon has some funny scenes as a most obstreperous old blister. His contempt for Miss Withers is a joy to behold.

Jane Darwell was always a welcome addition to any cast; here she plays a lovable Irish cook. Brandon Hurst as her prim English butler husband, Judith Allen as Dunn's love interest, Lois Wilson as Shirley's doomed mother, and Theodore von Eltz & Dorothy Christy as Withers' pestilential parents all add to the movie's enjoyment.

Shirley sings what was to become her signature song - ‘On The Good Ship Lollipop' - and it is a highlight of the film. Many first time viewers, having heard the song all their lives, may be surprised to learn it's about a plane, not a boat - in this case, from American Airlines.

Shirley Blake (Shirley Temple) lost her pilot father in a crash. She likes to hang out at the airport with her godfather Loop Merritt and all of their friends. Her mother Mary is a live-in maid working for the Smythes. Mrs. Smythe disapproves of her flyboy friends and plans to fire her after Christmas. The family hates cranky uncle Ned Smith but Mr. Smythe hopes to get the inheritance. The only person Ned likes is Shirley whom he calls Bright Eyes. Mary is killed by a car and Ned wants to adopt Shirley. This sets up a legal battle for the little girl between the Smythes and Loop.

This has the super cute and spunky Shirley Temple who delivers the song On the Good Ship Lollipop. She's a million watts light bulb. The rest of them are perfectly fine although the other girl Joy is awkwardly bratty. In the end, the battle is between two people who both love Shirley and there is limited drama in the lack of danger. That may be why a dangerous situation had to be manufactured.