Dear Brigitte

The Leafs live aboard a houseboat in San Francisco, with the Captain providing narration about their unusual home. Professor Leaf champions the arts and has won prizes in poetry, guiding Pandora and Erasmus toward artistic development. The family’s life centers on culture and creative pursuits rather than conventional success.

The Professor discovers Erasmus is tone deaf and colorblind, making it hard for him to share the family’s artistic pursuits. Yet Erasmus is a mathematical prodigy, creating a tension between his gifts and his parents’ expectations. The revelation strains the family as they try to plot a normal childhood for him.

Erasmus unintentionally draws media attention by correcting figures at a bank, revealing his talent for numbers. His parents decide they should seek professional help, arranging for Erasmus to talk to a psychiatrist. The bank episode becomes a turning point that accelerates the family’s search for balance.

In therapy, Erasmus explains that math is only part of life and reveals a deep obsession with Brigitte Bardot, writing her love letters. The psychiatrist notes this may be a healthier emotional outlet and suggests maintaining a broader range of interests. Bardot becomes a recurring thread that humanizes Erasmus beyond numbers.

Eighteen-year-old Pandora and her friends hire Erasmus to do their math homework, a service he accepts. He uses the earnings to buy airmail stamps to send his Bardot letters, weaving together his gifts for numbers and his infatuation with the French star. This arrangement shows Erasmus juggling money, math, and affection.

The Leafs take Erasmus for testing at the university, and he agrees to be tested if they pay him. He answers questions correctly before the computer can calculate, underscoring his extraordinary speed and intuition. Officials push for more testing, but the Leafs refuse, wanting him to have a normal childhood and independence.

In the Dean's office, a sheriff informs the Professor that Erasmus has been used to calculate bets for an undercover campus betting ring run by Ken Taylor, Panny's boyfriend. Accused of complicity, the Professor quits his job and confronts Ken and Panny. Erasmus demonstrates that he can read daily racetrack entries, while Panny reveals the earnings were spent on stamps; the family resolves that the scheme is ethically wrong.

The Professor applies for unemployment and is told to wait two weeks for a check. Erasmus uses the money he has saved to help Pandora buy a prom dress, showing a focus on family needs. They meet Dr. Peregrine Upjohn, an admirer of the Professor who hints at bigger opportunities ahead.

Upjohn proposes founding the Leaf Foundation to fund liberal arts scholarships, a plan that excites the Professor and Vina. As students march to the houseboat demanding the Professor return to work, the Professor relents and announces the Foundation. The family agrees to explore using Erasmus's talents to raise funds for a worthy cause.

Upjohn suggests that Erasmus visit Brigitte Bardot in France, a move that could promote the Foundation. The Professor accompanies him, and Upjohn helps cover the flight costs using Foundation funds. The trip blends mentorship, spectacle, and philanthropy as a new plan forms.

In Bardot's French home, Erasmus adores the film star, speaks only sparingly, and asks for her autograph. Bardot gifts him a puppy and seems charmed by the boy, while the Professor quietly documents the moment with a photograph. The encounter deepens Erasmus's celebrity status and complex relationship with art and affection.

Back home, Erasmus calculates bets to raise funds for the Foundation and, in a sleep-tossed moment, mutters a word suggesting a long-shot in the sixth race. The next day at the track, French Cheese wins despite Erasmus denying having picked it, and the family erupts in celebration. The win validates the Foundation’s fundraising plan in their eyes.

Upjohn tries to abscond with the winnings, revealing his con artist intent. The Professor confronts him and retrieves the bag of money, insisting the funds belong to the Foundation. The Dean supports this, and the press seizes the moment for a photo op with the Professor, the Dean, and the Foundation’s endowment.