Bright Eyes

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Bright Eyes

PG

1934

1h 23m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

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12 Reviews

75%

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5,000+ Ratings

Having lost her father to a plane crash, 5-year-old Shirley (Shirley Temple) and her mother, Mary (Lois Wilson), live with the Smythe family, for whom Mary serves as a domestic. With the exception of Uncle Ned (Charles Sellon), the Smythes don't much care for Shirley, and she greatly prefers spending time with her godfather, pilot James Merritt (James Dunn). When Mary is killed in a car accident, the distraught Shirley becomes the object of a bitter custody battle between James and Ned.

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Shirley really shines.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 23, 2004

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Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy)

Esquire Magazine

Shirley Temple is seen more than in previous pictures, which is a good thing, as people come to see her. James Dunn, the aviator, seems to be the best cinema papa or god-papa she has acquired.

Apr 20, 2020

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

One shudders to think what Bright Eyes would be like if it didn't have Shirley Temple to take the curse off.

Sep 25, 2019

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

The first movie Shirley Temple got top billing.

Rated: B+

Jul 12, 2015

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Heather Boerner

Common Sense Media

This "Good Ship Lollipop" is sweet, but sad, too.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 18, 2010

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Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

One of Shirley Temple's best musicals, laced with sentiment and song.

Rated: 5/5

Jan 10, 2009

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William R. P

Old, stale, dull .................................

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/24/23

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steve d

I think you had to grow up in the 30's to like it.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

Cloying, maudlin, trained to act and respond like a rat in a maze, a little girl puts on a personality someone has taught her will please other people and rake in the dough. Then, leave all thinking at the door. Thinking will ruin your enjoyment of this hyperbolic oh-pity-me act and bring its sentimental saccharine sweetness to a just and rewarding end. You can't blame a 6 year old for this imitation of a plot -- the writers, in their attempts to pull on every heart string imaginable, and some they couldn't quite find, leave us with a mess of a plot, unrealistic situations, and childish belief systems that fit well with the Lollipop theme and sea adventure. Movie is saved only by bratty Jane Withers, who you're pulling for from the very beginning. Now if she could only get rid of her obnoxious parents...

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

The best movie song ever sung: On the Good Ship Lollipop!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

This movie is amazing!!!! I loved it and I hope you do to because it's my all time favorite!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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Audience Member

This is the first Shirley Temple movie that I have actually taken the time to view in its entirety, but I was surprisingly unimpressed. Shirley may be cute at times, but it really wears off quickly to the point where she becomes annoying. (First and only viewing - 3/12/2014)

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

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David Butler

Director

Shirley Temple

Bright Eyes

James Dunn

Loop Merritt

Judith Allen

Adele Martin

Lois Wilson

Mary Blake

Charles Sellon

Uncle Ned Smith

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Synopsis

Having lost her father to a plane crash, 5-year-old Shirley (Shirley Temple) and her mother, Mary (Lois Wilson), live with the Smythe family, for whom Mary serves as a domestic. With the exception of Uncle Ned (Charles Sellon), the Smythes don't much care for Shirley, and she greatly prefers spending time with her godfather, pilot James Merritt (James Dunn). When Mary is killed in a car accident, the distraught Shirley becomes the object of a bitter custody battle between James and Ned.

Director: David Butler
Producer: Sol Wurtzel
Screenwriter: William Conselman
Production Co: Fox Film Corporation
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 17, 2017
Runtime: 1h 23m

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