Film Review of Bright Eyes: Shirley Temple in 1934 Comedy Drama With James Dunn

Bright prospects go hand-in-hand with Bright Eyes by writer William Conselman; producer Sol M. Wurtzel; ideator Edwin J. Burke; and ideator/director David Butler. Arthur C. Miller; and Samuel Kaylin and Richard A. Whiting handle cinematography and music. Filming showcases Glendale and Pasadena, California.

The comedy drama lasts 83 minutes. Its distributor was Fox Film. Its NYC-premiere and USA-release dates were December 20 and 28, 1934.

The movie begins with five-year-old Shirley Blake (Shirley Temple) celebrating Christmas in a taxiing plane. She grieves her father’s death in an airplane crash. But she loves:

• Dolls Loopy and Mary Lou:
• Godfather/pilot James “Loop” Merritt’s (James Dunn);
• Loop’s Cairn Terrier Rags (Terry, 1933-1945).

She sings “On the Good Ship Lollipop.”

Shirley anticipates her mother’s (Lois Wilson) arrival. Mary is busy:

• Being scolded for aviators and mechanics calling and visiting;

• Finishing Shirley’s cake;

• Getting Christmas money from wheelchair-bound “sewer king” Ned Smith (Charles Sellon).

Ned keeps Mary employed since he:

• Dislikes son J. Wellington (Theodore von Eltz), daughter-in-law Anita (Dorothy Christy), and granddaughter Joy (Jane Withers) Smythe.

• Likes Shirley “Bright Eyes”.

A motorist (Rodney Hildebrand) runs into Mary when she runs to the Glendale Airport.

NYC resident Adele Martin (Judith Allen) disembarks to visit Cousin Anita. She lets ex-fiancée Loop know about Mary’s death. In the airplane, Loop reassures Shirley that her parents and his parents are now in heaven.

The Smythes owe their luxurious lifestyle to Ned. Ned retains the family name’s original spelling. His son and daughter-in-law show their pretentiousness by “gentrifying” their surname.

Loop abhors Joy calling Shirley charity. He faces two challenges:

• He earns just enough money to support himself;

• Ned intends to adopt Shirley.

He reassures Shirley that a magic ring connects them in times of need or trouble. He shares his scrapbook pictures of his ex-girlfriends and of Shirley’s father.

Joy and Shirley give their dolls buggy rides. Joy grabs a kitchen knife because:

• She is the doctor;

• Shirley is the nurse;

• Shirley’s doll needs to be “operated” on.

Shirley runs to the airport. She sneaks into the baggage area before Loop flies a package to NYC for $1,000.

Shirley hears a radio news release describing Loop as a suspected kidnapper. She joins Loop in the cockpit. They parachute to a cliff while gas lines break.

The movie ends with:

• Loop battling Ned for Shirley’s custody;

• Judge Thompson (George Irving) dismissing Loop’s (Paul McVey) and Ned’s (Selmer Jackson) attorneys;

• Adele and Loop expecting to marry;

• Ned opting to live with Adele, Loop and Shirley;

• Anita slapping Joy when they lose “cash cow” Ned.

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Shirley Temple. Bright Eyes
Shirley Temple wore a red leather flight jacket for the opening and later runaway scenes of Bright Eyes.: ClassicFlix @ClassicFlix, via Twitter Feb. 11, 2014, @ https://twitter.com/ClassicFlix/status/433292139213385728

Damien Chemillé. "Shirley Temple - On The Good Ship Lollipop.avi." YouTube, March 30, 2010, @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLLSqpYyPD8

Mike Licht (Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/12472408815/