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It's a bit of a slow start, but Dear Brigitte is a very cute movie. James Stewart plays a stereotypical absentminded professor who randomly lives with his family in a ship that's ashore. It's a shameless copy of Mary Poppins, with Ed Wynn as the giggling, bumbling narrator with no character development, and Glynis Johns as the never-wavering matriarch who stands by her husband.

The family comedy can be separated into three sections. In the first third, everyone in the family plays a classical instrument. They're all very talented, except for the youngest son Bill Mumy. He doesn't fit in, and Jimmy worries. In the second third, Bill discovers his hidden talent: mathematics. It's a slap in the face to his father, who is an poetry professor instead. But since Bill is able to do complex math in his head, he quickly becomes a sensation. The final third addresses the title of the movie. Bill has a crush on Brigitte Bardot, and he writes her fan letters. But you won't find any spoilers here. To find out how all three sub-plots end up, you'll have to watch this pseudo-Disney family flick. James Stewart is very sweet with his children, but the opening silliness is a little unnecessary. Fast-forward if you need to, because the last third is very cute.

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.

Fairly good comedy featuring an ultra smart little boy who is used by swindlers for their own gain despite the over protectiveness of his father. Meanwhile, the boy is scheming to meet the famous French actress while his sister is anguishing over boys and proms. Typical 60's comedy.

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.

I've always have had a soft spot for family comedies, when they are charming, witty, and engaging, and this fits the bill. Its a harmless, lovely entertainment. Jimmy Stewart is is good, warm mode as a father who finds that his son (an endearing Bill Mumy) is a math genius who can solve the hardest of equations in just seconds and also has the knack for figuring out horse races as well. True he's also colorblind and tonedeaf, but not even geniuses can have everything. Glynis Johns has a bit of a smaller part as Stewart's wife but she is as welcome as ever and knows exactly how to play a scene.

The film receives its name from all the lett ers the boy sends to Brigitte Bardot, upon whom he has a case of a very youthful crush. Ms. Bardot actually appears toward the end, and her cameo is one of the high points of the film. This film might not be appreciated by cynics, nor by those wanting the height of sophistication, but as an example of cinematic comfort food, it is utterly enchanting.