The film was directed by Henry Koster from a script by Hal Kanter, based on John Haase's 1963 novel, Erasmus With Freckles , which was the original working title. However, Bardot's name was thought to be better box office, despite the fact that she her contract demanded that her name not be listed in the credits or used for publicity. According to writer Dick Klein, this resistance didn't extend to her co-workers. Klein reported that Bardot's relationship with her co-stars "was great. And apparently the feeling was mutual. She liked working with American techniques and American crews." Bardot had originally demanded that Henry Koster use her own personal cameraman for her brief cameo, but was persuaded to let Hollywood veteran Lucian Ballard try for a day. When she saw the rushes, she was so delighted with how she photographed that she immediately tried to sign Ballard to shoot her next film.
Dear Brigitte was shot on location in Sausalito, California, Paris, France, and at the Fox lot in Los Angeles, where journalist Lawrence J. Quirk had lunch with the cast and crew. He later wrote that "Stewart was warm, amusing, quizzical, kidding with Fabian, and keeping young Billy Mumy in stitches with his wisecracks. I ventured to ask Mumy his eight-year-old's impression of Bardot, and his four-letter rejoined was 'keen!'"
When the film was released in January, 1965, Variety called the film "an entertaining comedy with something for everyone [...] James Stewart is perfect."
SOURCES:
The Internet Movie Database
Kleiner, Dick "Show Beat: Guess Who is 'Dear Brigitte'?" Park City Daily News 23 Sept 64
Quirk, Lawrence J. James Stewart: Behind the Scenes of a Wonderful Life
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/72598/Dear-Brigitte/
Thomas, Tony A Wonderful Life: The Films and Career of James Stewart
Variety "Dear Brigitte" 31 Dec 64
By Lorraine LoBianco
