''Bright Eyes'' is a 1934 American

comedy drama film Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

directed by David Butler. The screenplay by William Conselman is based on a story by David Butler and

Edwin J. Burke Edwin J. Burke (August 30, 1889 – September 26, 1944) was an American screenwriter who was most known for writing some of Shirley Temple's earlier films. He won an Academy Award at the 5th Academy Awards in the category of Best Adapted Screen ...

Plot

Five-year-old Shirley Blake (

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

) and her widowed mother, Mary ( Lois Wilson), a maid, live in the home of her employers, the rich and mean-spirited Smythe family, Anita (

Dorothy Christy Dorothy Christy (born Dorothea J. Seltzer, later Dorothy Rucker; May 26, 1906 – May 21, 1977) was an American actress. She was sometimes billed as Dorothy Christie. Early years Christy was born Dorothea J. Seltzer on May 26, 1906, in Readin ...

), J. Wellington (

Theodore von Eltz Theodore von Eltz (November 5, 1893 – October 6, 1964) was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March. Von Eltz was a Yale University professor's son. After 12 ...

), their spoiled seven-year-old daughter, Joy (

Jane Withers Jane Withers (April 12, 1926 – August 7, 2021) was an American actress and children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films ranking in the top ten list for ...

) and cantankerous wheelchair-using Uncle Ned (

Charles Sellon Charles A. Sellon (August 24, 1870 – June 26, 1937) was an American stage and film actor. Sellon appeared in more than 100 films and stage acts between 1901 and 1935. He played the blind Mr. Muckle in W. C. Fields' comedy ''It's a Gift'' ...

). After Christmas morning, Shirley hitches a ride to the airport to visit her late father's pilot friends. The aviators bring her aboard an airplane and taxi her around the runways while she serenades them with a rendition of ''

On the Good Ship Lollipop "On the Good Ship Lollipop" is a song composed by Richard A. Whiting with lyrics by Sidney Clare. It was the signature song of child actress Shirley Temple. Temple first sang it in the 1934 film, '' Bright Eyes''. In the song, the "Good Ship ...

''. Mary is killed in a traffic accident. Loop ( James Dunn), one of the pilots and Shirley's godfather, takes Shirley up in an airplane. He says that she is in Heaven and that her mother is now there. When the Smythes learn of Mary's death, they plan to send Shirley to an

orphanage An orphanage is a Residential education, residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the Childcare, care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parent ...

. However, Uncle Ned, who has grown fond of "Bright Eyes", insists that Shirley stay with them. To raise money for attorney fees, Loop reluctantly accepts a lucrative contract to deliver an item by plane, cross-country to New York during a dangerous storm. Unbeknown to him, little Shirley sneaked away from the Smythes' home, found his airplane at the airport, and stowed away inside. When their plane loses control in the storm in the wilderness, they parachute to the ground together and are eventually rescued. The impasse over custody is resolved when Loop, his former fiancée Adele (

Judith Allen Judith Allen (born Marie Elliott, February 8, 1911 – October 5, 1996) was an American actress. Early years Allen was born Marie Elliot in New York City, and she grew up in Belmont, Massachusetts. She attended Leland Powers School in Bos ...

), Uncle Ned, and Shirley all decide to live together. The Smythes leave the courthouse miserably, except Joy at first; when she rudely comments that at least they don't have to be nice to Uncle Ned anymore, her mother slaps her hard across the face.

Cast

as Shirley Blake, a five-year-old girl who is Mary Blake's daughter * James Dunn as James "Loop" Merritt, a bachelor pilot and Shirley's godfather * Lois Wilson as Mary Blake, Shirley's widowed mother who works as a maid for the Smythe family *

as Adele Martin, a socialite and Loop's estranged fiancée *

as Uncle Ned Smith, the Smythes' cranky patriarch who has a tenderness for Shirley * Theodor von Eltz as J. Wellington Smythe, a haughty nouveau-riche *

as Anita Smythe, J. Wellington Smythe's equally arrogant wife *

as Joy Smythe, J. Wellington & Anita's spoiled and obnoxious seven-year-old daughter *

Brandon Hurst Brandon Hurst (30 November 1866 – 15 July 1947) was an English stage and film actor. Early life Born in London, England, Hurst studied philology in his youth and began performing in theater in the 1880s. Before he began acting professionall ...

as Higgins, the Smythes' butler *

Jane Darwell Jane Darwell (born Patti Woodard; October 15, 1879 – August 13, 1967) was an American actress of stage, film, and television. With appearances in more than 100 major movies spanning half a century, Darwell is perhaps best remembered for her p ...

as Elizabeth Higgins, the Smythes' cook * Walter Johnson as Thomas, the Smythes' chauffeur * George Irving as Judge Thompson *

Terry Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albrit ...

as Rags, Loop's dog

Production

Shirley Temple in Bright Eyes with James Dunn 2 (cropped)

American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...

and the

Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer based in Southern California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas; it then operated as ...

, recognizing the potential of the film in advertising air travel, cooperated in the production and distribution. They provided a DC-2, designated "A-74", aircraft for the exterior shots while a true to scale mock up was provided for the interior scenes. A 12-passenger

Curtiss T-32 Condor II The Curtiss T-32 Condor II was a 1930s American biplane airliner and bomber aircraft built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. It was used by the United States Army Air Corps as an executive transport. Development The Condor II was a 19 ...

transport biplane, designated "Condor 151", in early American Airlines (and Air Mail) livery also features in prominent scenes. In the famous ''Good Ship Lollipop'' scene, members of the University of Southern California football team served as extras. In the second flying scene where Temple's character sneaks aboard the plane and they were forced to bail out of it, both Temple and Dunn were strapped into a harness hoisted up into the studio rafters. They were supposed to drift down with the aid of a wind machine. In the first take, someone inadvertently opened an airproof door just as they landed, creating a vacuum that sucked out the parachute and dragged them both across the studio floor. Marilyn Granas served as a stand-in for Temple as she had for her previous movies. She would later be replaced by Mary Lou Isleib who would remain as Temple's stand-in for the rest of her tenure at 20th Century Fox.

Release

Awards and honors

Temple received a miniature Oscar on February 27, 1935, for her contributions to film entertainment in 1934, chiefly for ''

Little Miss Marker ''Little Miss Marker'' (also known as ''The Girl in Pawn'') is an American Pre-Code 1934 comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Hall. It was written by William R. Lipman, Sam Hellman, and Gladys Lehman after a 1932 short story of the same name ...

'' and ''Bright Eyes''. She was the first child actor to receive an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. The film is recognized by

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...

in these lists: * 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs: ** "

" – #69

Soundtrack

* "

" (1934) (uncredited) ** Music by Richard A. Whiting ** Lyrics by

Sidney Clare Sidney Clare (August 15, 1892 – August 29, 1972) was an American comedian, dancer and composer. His best-known songs include "On the Good Ship Lollipop" (introduced by Shirley Temple), " You're My Thrill" (recorded by Billie Holiday), and "Ple ...

* "

Silent Night "Silent Night" (german: "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", links=no, italic=no) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an ...

" (1818) (uncredited) ** Music by Franz Gruber ** Lyrics by

Joseph Mohr Josephus Franciscus Mohr, sometimes spelled Josef (11 December 1792 – 4 December 1848) was an Austrian Roman Catholic priest and writer, who wrote the words to the Christmas carol "Silent Night." Early life and education Mohr was born in S ...

* " The Man on the Flying Trapeze" (1867) (uncredited) ** Music by Gaston Lyle ** Lyrics by George Leybourne ** Sung a cappella by

* "

Jingle Bells "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and most commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857. It has been claimed th ...

" (1857) (uncredited) ** Music by James Pierpont

References

;Notes ;Footnotes ;Works cited * * * ;Bibliography * The author expounds upon father figures in Temple films. * In the essay, "Cuteness and Commodity Aesthetics: Tom Thumb and Shirley Temple", author Lori Merish examines the cult of cuteness in America. * The author presents an examination of social class in ''Bright Eyes''.

External links

* * * * * {{David Butler 1934 films 1930s musical comedy-drama films American Christmas comedy-drama films American aviation films American black-and-white films Films about orphans Films directed by David Butler Fox Film films Films produced by Sol M. Wurtzel American musical comedy-drama films 1930s Christmas comedy-drama films 1934 comedy films 1934 drama films Films scored by Samuel Kaylin 1930s English-language films 1930s American films