Big Brown Eyes (1936)

   "But like a fine pair of binoculars in the hands of a child, the story moves constantly in and out of focus."

With Joan Bennett.

Big Brown Eyes - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"As for Big brown Eyes, the most brutal thing I can say is that it is a typical production. Which, callously translated, means that if the Head Men would let the Director. Inherently it has all the elements of the exceptional motion picture earn his salary by doing his job
without their interference, this mild entertainment would have been electrifying. But like a fine pair of binoculars in the hands of a child, the story moves constantly in and out of focus.

It seems incredible, to me, and I say it with the utmost sincerity, that ostensibly mature minds can consistently force inane and irrelevant attempts at humor into the life blood of a smoothly-running story. There are a couple of sequences in Big Brown Eyes that literally groan under the imbecilic dose of moronic piffle which block the filmic flow and destroy the dramatic validity.No wonder they say the things they do about Hollywood... The one faint disappointment was the work of Cary Grant, who seemed slightly ill at ease as the two-fisted detective. Grant has turned in one capable performance after another. In this, he just somehow didn't click. Perhaps it is that his innate good breeding subconsciously rebels against the role of a good-natured plebian. But don't misunderstand. His portrayal offered no point for criticism; it simply had, with the exception of one scene, nothing to recommend it. But watch for his brief little impersonation of a girl friend on the make, a clever bit of pantomime.

Director Raoul Walsh did his best with what freedom was given him: and his best is plenty good. But the production as a whole just doesn't make the grade as a compactly, well woven unit. It has everything but that one subtle, all-important quality; cohesive forward movement. If you are interested in cinematic study, see it, or go if you arent unduly particular, and want an innocuous evenings entertainment" 

- Paul Jacobs, Hollywood Spectator

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 22 - Big Brown Eyes (Lobby Card Style)

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