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{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}}
{{short description|1965 film by Henry Koster}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{lead too short|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Dear Brigitte
| image          = Dear Brigitte Poster.jpg
| caption        = 
| director       = [[Henry Koster]]
| producer       = [[Henry Koster]]
| writer         = [[Hal Kanter]]<br>[[Nunnally Johnson]] (uncredited)
| based_on       = {{based on|''Erasmus with Freckles''<br>1963 novel|[[John Haase (author)|John Haase]]}}
| narrator       = Ed Wynn
| starring       = [[James Stewart]]<br/>[[Fabian Forte|Fabian]]<br>[[Glynis Johns]]<br/>[[Cindy Carol]]<br>[[Billy Mumy]]<br/>[[John Williams (actor)|John Williams]]<br>[[Jack Kruschen]]<br>[[Ed Wynn]]
| music          = [[George Duning]]
| cinematography = [[Lucien Ballard]], [[a.s.c.]]
| editing        = [[Marjorie Fowler]], [[a.c.e.]]
| studio         = {{plainlist|
* [[20th Century-Fox]]
* [[A Fred Kohlmar Production]]
}}
| distributor    = 20th Century-Fox
| released       = {{Film date|1965|01|08}}
| runtime        = 100 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = US$2.47 million<ref>Aubrey Solomon, ''Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History'', Scarecrow Press, 1989</ref>
| gross          = US$2.2 million<ref>Anticipated rentals accruing distributors in North America. See "Top Grossers of 1965", ''Variety'', 5 January 1966 p. 36 and Solomon, Aubrey. ''Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series)''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. {{ISBN|978-0-8108-4244-1}}. p. 230. Please note figures are rentals accruing to distributors and not total gross.</ref>
}}

'''''Dear Brigitte''''' is a 1965 American [[DeLuxe Color]] [[CinemaScope]] [[Family film|family]] [[comedy film]] starring [[James Stewart]] and directed by [[Henry Koster]].

==Plot==
Robert Leaf is an American college professor, who won a Pulitzer for poetry and prizes the arts. Both Robert and Vina are dedicated to the arts and prompt their children, Pandora and Erasmus, to develop artistic skills. The Leaf family lives on a houseboat in San Francisco. The Captain sold the Leafs the boat and lives with them; he provides narration.

Professor Leaf, in particular, is dismayed to discover that eight-year-old Erasmus is tone-deaf and colorblind, for he cannot share the family's artistic pursuits. Moreover, Erasmus is a mathematical prodigy. The Professor is wary, wanting him to understand that this is only one part of his life.  Erasmus agrees, but unwittingly calls media attention to himself by correcting figures at a bank. His parents become very determined that he have a normal child's life, and they decide to have him talk to a psychiatrist. Erasmus tells the psychiatrist that math is okay, but he really loves French movie star, [[Brigitte Bardot]], and writes her love letters.

Eighteen-year-old Pandora and her friends pay Erasmus to do their math homework (he uses the money for airmail stamps to send his letters to Brigitte). The Leafs take Erasmus for testing at the university; he agrees to be tested if they will pay him. He answers questions correctly before the computer can calculate, so the officials push for more tests. The Leafs refuse, wanting him to have a normal childhood; besides, Erasmus wants to leave.

Called to the Dean's office, a sheriff informs the Professor that Erasmus has been using his skills to calculate bets for an undercover campus [[betting]] ring run by Ken Taylor, Panny's boyfriend, who was paying him to pick winners. Accused of complicity, the Professor quits his job and storms home. He and Vina question Ken and Panny. When paid, Erasmus shows his parents that he calculates winners by reading daily [[racetrack]] newspaper entries; Panny reveals that he spends his earnings on stamps. Troubled, his parents discuss if Erasmus deciding odds for people is immoral and unethical, concluding that it is indeed wrong.

The Professor applies for unemployment, and is told that he must wait two weeks for a check. Erasmus gives him the money that he's saved up from doing math problems, so that Panny can have a new [[prom]] dress. While buying it, they meet Dr. Peregrine Upjohn, who admires the Professor. That evening, the Professor is delighted to learn from Erasmus's psychiatrist that his son loves Brigitte Bardot, for Erasmus has been unhappy with the attention paid to his math skills and this is such a regular interest.

Upjohn proposes that they found the Leaf Foundation to fund liberal arts scholarships. The Professor and Vina love this idea. During their talk, students march to the houseboat, demanding that the Professor return to work; he accepts and announces the Foundation. Conferring, the Leafs decide that it is not unethical to ask Erasmus if they can use his talent to fundraise for such a good cause.

Brigitte invites Erasmus to visit her in [[France]]. Upjohn suggests that Erasmus go, for it will promote the Foundation. The Professor accompanies him; Upjohn assisting the Leafs with their flight costs with Foundation funds. At Brigitte's house, Erasmus stares at her adoringly, barely speaking, and asks for her autograph. The Professor takes a picture of them together, despite Erasmus looking at Brigitte, not at the camera. She gives him a puppy from her pet poodle, and thinks he's adorable.

On returning, Erasmus calculates different bets to fundraise. While falling asleep one night, he says, "Fromage", leading the adults to think he is picking the long shot, "French Cheese", in the sixth race. At the track the next day, he denies picking her, to everyone's horror. French Cheese wins the race, and the family is ecstatic. The Professor realizes that Upjohn, who held the tickets, has left the stands. Upjohn, who is actually a [[Confidence trick|con artist]] and plans to abscond with the funds, is collecting the winnings. The Professor finds him and grabs the bag of money, declaring that it is for the Foundation. The Dean affirms this statement. The press overhears the exchange and asks for a photo op of the Professor, the Dean and the Foundation's new endowment.

==Cast==
{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
* [[James Stewart]] as Professor Leaf
* [[Fabian (entertainer)|Fabian]] as Kenneth
* [[Glynis Johns]] as Vina
* [[Cindy Carol]] as Pandora
* [[Billy Mumy]] as Erasmus
* [[John Williams (actor)|John Williams]] as Upjohn
* [[Jack Kruschen]] as Dr. Volker
* [[Charles Robinson (actor, born 1932)|Charles Robinson]] as George 
* [[Howard Freeman]] as Dean Sawyer 
* Jane Wald as Terry
* [[Alice Pearce]] as Unemployment Clerk 
* [[Jesse White (actor)|Jesse White]] as Argyle
* Gene O'Donnell as Lt. Rink 
* Orville Sherman as Von Schlogg 
* Maida Severn as School Teacher
* Pitt Herbert as Bank Manager
* Adair Jameson as Saleslady
* Marcel de la Brosse as Taxi Driver
* and [[Ed Wynn]] as The Captain (also the narrator, who frequently breaks the [[fourth wall]])
{{col-break|gap=2em}}
{|class=wikitable
|-
|+Uncredited (in order of appearance)
|-
|[[William Fawcett (actor)|William Fawcett]]||Elderly man who approaches Prof. Leaf on university campus
|-
|[[Joseph Hoover]]||Reporter covering story of Erasmus as mathematical prodigy 
|-
|[[Percy Helton]]||Man at computer lab: "Doctor Leaf may I impose for a moment..."
|-
|[[Dick Lane (announcer)|Dick Lane]] (voice only)||Racetrack announcer heard on radio by Leaf family and Kenneth 
|-
|[[Susanne Cramer]]||Upjohn's blonde companion at prom dress store
|-
|[[James Brolin]]||University student at head of demonstration supporting Professor Leaf 
|-
|[[William Henry (actor)|William Henry]]||Racetrack cashier who takes bets from Argyle 
|-
|[[Ted Mapes]]||Mister Rudy, mailman who delivers Brigitte Bardot's letter to Erasmus
|-
|[[Brigitte Bardot]]||Herself
|-
|[[Harry Fleer]]||Man at racetrack: "Treasury Department Bureau of Internal Revenue"
|}
{{col-end}}

==Production==
The novel was published in 1963.<ref>{{cite news|title=Books of The Times: Man Flees Toward Troubles He Creates|author=CHARLES POORE|work=New York Times |date=30 May 1963|page=10}}</ref> There was some talk that [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]] would option the film rights and cast [[Bing Crosby]] in the lead role.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bobby Darin Casting New Shadow|author=Dorothy Kilgallen|work=The Washington Post and Times-Herald |date=15 July 1963|page=A22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bing Anxious to Return to Pictures|author=Finnigan, Joseph|work=Chicago Tribune |date=28 July 1963|page=e11}}</ref> However, rights were bought by [[20th Century-Fox]], which assigned the project to Nunnally Johnson, Henry Koster and James Stewart, the team that made ''[[Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation]]'' and ''[[Take Her, She's Mine]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Looking at Hollywood: Genius, 8, Complicates Stewart's Next Film|author=Hopper, Hedda|work=Chicago Tribune |date=26 Oct 1963|page=9}}</ref>

Johnson later said he "hadn't wanted to do" the film. "I didn't think there was enough material in it, but I really allowed myself to be persuaded to do it. Jimmie [''sic''] would sign if I would write it, and Koster would get a job if Jimmie [''sic''] would sign. It all got around that, one depending on another. There was no material in there that justified a picture."<ref>Johnson p 135</ref>

Although Nunnally Johnson wrote early drafts of the film, Hal Kanter was brought in to work on it, and he gets sole screen credit. Kanter says that it was Henry Koster's idea to introduce a captain, played by Ed Wynn, to act as a [[Greek chorus]].<ref>{{cite news|title='I Typed for Bardot on Towel'--Kanter: Gag Writer Reveals Secret; They Change Haase's Titles|author=Scheuer, Philip K|work=Los Angeles Times |date=15 Sep 1964|page=C9}}</ref>

Johnson said that Koster got this idea from the film, ''[[Tom Jones (1963 film)|Tom Jones]]''. Johnson did not like the device because he felt it did not suit the picture, and told Koster to get another writer to do it. He told Koster, "You'd better get a good gag man who does those one-line things. I don't do that, and I couldn't do it."<ref>Johnson p 135</ref> Koster hired Kanter, so Johnson asked to take his name off the film. Johnson says that when he saw Stewart, "he told me he didn't know I'd taken my name off of it. He was unhappy  about the picture too, but there was nothing to do by then."<ref>Johnson p 135</ref>

It was one of the first movies made at the recently re-opened 20th Century-Fox studios.<ref>{{cite news|title=FOX STUDIOS BUZZ WITH FILMMAKING: Richard Zanuck Forecasts Busiest May In 10 Years|author=MURRAY SCHUMACH Special to The New York Times|work=New York Times |date=1 May 1964|page=43}}</ref>

Billy Mumy was cast on the recommendation of James Stewart's wife, [[Gloria Hatrick McLean|Gloria Stewart]], who taught a Sunday School class that Mumy attended.<ref>{{cite news|title=10-Year-Old Wiser Than the Playboys: Red-Haired Child Actor Socks Film Salary Into Properties|author=Hopper, Hedda|work=Los Angeles Times |date=25 Aug 1964|page=D8}}</ref>

Johnson later said, "Henry was an old-fashioned fellow, and If it hadn't have been for the fact that Jimmie [''sic''] Stewart was the leading man in the pictures, he would have expired much earlier than he did. I'm afraid he's through now, you know. But I've seen him, and there's nothing sadder than these old directors who disappear and don't get jobs. In the old days, a fellow  wrote a script, they hired a director. Now,  quite often,  unless they can get somebody like Willie Wyler or Billy Wilder or somebody like that, the writer directs it. This  all goes to prove, to me anyway, that the old-time directors, were a real collection of frauds."<ref>Johnson p 173</ref>
 
The film was the sixth straight acting role for Fabian since he quit singing.<ref>{{cite news|title=Goes Straight|work=Los Angeles Times |date=17 Nov 1964|page=C9}}</ref> He had previously appeared in ''Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation''.<ref name="vagg">{{cite magazine|magazine=Diabolique|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=The Cinema of Fabian|date=26 August 2019|url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-cinema-of-fabian/}}</ref> He had never been to the races before being cast, so he researched his role by going to the races and developing a betting system.<ref>{{cite news|title=HOLLYWOOD CALENDAR: Film That Loves 'Em and Leaves 'Em|author=Scott, John L|work=Los Angeles Times |date=13 Dec 1964|page=O9}}</ref>

There was some doubt that Bardot would appear in the film, but she relented and her scenes were shot in three days in Paris.<ref>{{cite news|title=Entertainment: Busy Ethel Merman Signed for Picture Won't Interfere With Her Honeymoon, Actress Says|author=Hopper, Hedda|work=Los Angeles Times |date=1 June 1964|page=C20}}</ref>

==Reception==
According to Fox records, the film needed to earn $4,500,000 in rentals to break even, but made $2,920,000, meaning it made a loss.<ref>{{cite book|page=[https://archive.org/details/foxthatgotawayt00silv/page/324 324]|title=The Fox that got away : the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox|url=https://archive.org/details/foxthatgotawayt00silv|url-access=registration|last=Silverman|first=Stephen M|year=1988|publisher=L. Stuart|isbn=9780818404856}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of American films of 1965]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Notes==
*{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/recollectionsofn00john|title=Recollections of Nunnally Johnson oral history transcript|last=Johnson|first= Nunnally|publisher=University of California Oral History Program|year=1969}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title | id=0059094 | title=Dear Brigitte}}
* {{Amg movie|12846|Dear Brigitte}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=72598}}
* {{AFI film|id=22292|title=Dear Brigitte}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|id=dear_brigitte|title=Dear Brigitte}}

{{Henry Koster}}
{{Brigitte Bardot}}

[[Category:1965 films]]
[[Category:1965 comedy films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:American comedy films]]
[[Category:Brigitte Bardot]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Brigitte Bardot]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by George Duning]]
[[Category:Films about con artists]]
[[Category:Films based on American novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by Henry Koster]]
[[Category:Films set in Paris]]
[[Category:Films set in San Francisco]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Nunnally Johnson]]
[[Category:CinemaScope films]]
[[Category:1960s American films]]
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