RJV Reviews

Far Out Space Nuts (1975–1976)

From an Adult Perspective, What Episodes I've Seen Aren't So Bad

[1 February 2005]

Growing up in the 1970s, I remember watching FAR OUT SPACE NUTS, first on CBS in the 1975-76 season and then in reruns on New York City-based syndicated station WPIX later in the decade. Since I was a child, my critical faculties were not fully developed. Since reaching maturity, I've only seen three episodes- "Tower of Tagot," "Secrets of the Hexagon," and "Birds of a Feather." My impression from these episodes is that the television show was hardly remarkable, but it had its amusing moments. In my opinion, FAR OUT SPACE NUTS holds up better than other Saturday morning children's programs like SCOOBY DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? and JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS.

Two assets are the stars. It's true that Bob Denver is basically reprising his famous "Gilligan" characterization as the bumbling Junior, but this personality perfectly suits him. He conveys the same sweet naiveté he did as Gilligan, thoroughly endearing himself to audiences despite his klutziness. As Denver's domineering partner Barney, Chuck McCann amusingly registers annoyance at Junior's bumbling. But like Denver, McCann's character lacks malice. Indeed, Barney loves Junior like a brother, giving Denver and McCann's partnership an underlying warmth.

The show's premise is that NASA janitors Barney and Junior accidentally launch themselves into space and they struggle to get back to earth every episode. The production values are astonishingly cheap, looking like the show was filmed in someone's backyard. From what I've seen, I feel the writers (including McCann) missed an opportunity to satirize the show's low budget. The characters could have addressed the television audience like those in ROCKY AND HIS FRIENDS, reminding them that FAR OUT SPACE NUTS was just a TV show. The humor presented on the show is uneven, ranging from clever to infantile. Usually, however, Denver and McCann put the jokes over with their droll expressions and lively delivery. It's a pity they split up after this show.

Supporting performances are generally good. It seems to me that at least some of them acted with tongue in cheek, fully aware of the show's utter silliness. In particular, Robert Quarry playing a villain on "Tower of Tagot" came across as deliberately campy. In my opinion, this approach enhanced this episode.

For me, the greatest appeal of FAR OUT SPACE NUTS is its nostalgic value. The program's good-natured innocence and inoffensiveness not only convey the joys of childhood when one enjoyed this entertainment without any concerns of the world's problems, but also the golden age of comedy in the 1930s and 1940s where nothing off-color or cynical was suggested- just clean, slapstick comedy. I'm no prude, but I feel that today's entertainment is generally over-saturated with smut and mean-spiritedness. FAR OUT SPACE NUTS is no masterpiece but it comes across as wholesome escapist entertainment for the family.

Little Swee'pea (1936)

Swee'Pea's Animated Debut

[8/10 · 19 January 2005]

Like cartoon producer Max Fleischer's star character Popeye the Sailor, Swee'Pea first appeared in E.C. Segar's comic strip THIMBLE THEATRE. In the baby's animated debut, LITTLE SWEE'PEA, he is an effective foil for Popeye. Here, the sailor takes the baby to the zoo. However, Swee'pea escapes from his carriage and wanders along the cages of various large and dangerous animals. The bulk of the cartoon concerns Popeye's efforts to rescue Swee'pea from these beasts while trying to avoid being mauled himself.

As in most of the Max Fleischer Popeye cartoons I have seen, LITTLE SWEE'PEA has a lot of clever and enjoyable gags. One particularly inventive sequence has Popeye searching for Swee'pea in a hippo's cage only to find the baby right inside the hippo when the beast opens its mouth. One wonders why this particular zoo lacks any staff to prevent babies like Swee'pea from entering these cages. Then again, if anybody was around to stop Swee'pea we'd be denied the joy of seeing Popeye struggle with the animals, wouldn't we? For this cartoon, the Fleischer staff used live-action backgrounds. The results are impressive, creation a 3-D illusion. I've never seen the colorized version of LITTLE SWEE'PEA, nor do I desire to. From what I hear, the people who recolored this black-and-white cartoon obliterated these attractive backgrounds.

And there's always the joy of listening to Jack Mercer as Popeye. He provides an ideal voice characterization, a deep gravelly voice that nevertheless conveys a jovial warmth, revealing the sailor's golden heart beneath his rough exterior. One also gets to hear Mercer's muttered ad-libs, although in my opinion there aren't enough in this particular cartoon.

LITTLE SWEE'PEA, like most of the Max Fleischer Popeye cartoons I've seen, remains fresh and funny after over sixty years. Like all fine cartoons, this is essential family entertainment, testifying to the greatness of both the Max Fleischer studio and Jack Mercer.

Marty (1968–1969)

Judging From One Episode, It Seems to be a Buried Treasure!

[17 January 2005]

Having been born and raised in the United States, I have only seen one episode of IT'S MARTY at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York City. From watching this one episode, I feel it's a shame that Marty Feldman's show is currently unavailable to the American public. (I understand segments from it were shown on American network television in the early 1970's).

The one episode I've seen seems to precede Monty Python with its iconoclastic and surrealistic humor. In fact, individual members of the Python troupe wrote for this show. One delightfully bizarre sketch features Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor as flies discussing their relationship with humans. Another zany sketch is entirely silent- Feldman plays a tramp who joyously romps on a playground only to be arrested by a child in a policeman's hat because he is too mature to frolic there! This particular bit displays Feldman's pantomimic gifts. Indeed the whole episode is sufficient evidence that he was a marvelous comedian. Proving that there's much more to him than his grotesquely protruding eyes, Feldman conveys a droll nuttiness that is both humorous and endearing. With a wryly expressive mouth, a disheveled tuft of hair, and a twee English voice, Feldman suggests a human pixie who is quite at home in these zany sketches. But Feldman may have seemed too strange to American audiences accustomed to conventional comedians like Red Skelton and Jackie Gleason. This may explain why until he appeared in Mel Brooks's YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, Marty did not make much of an impression in the United States.

With America's DVD explosion unearthing previously unavailable British programs like the original BBC version of PENNIES FROM HEAVEN and BOTTOM, shouldn't the BBC provide Americans with all the episodes of IT'S MARTY? Of course, Feldman has been gone for a long time, but he left behind some significant work that most Americans haven't seen. Marty Feldman was such a notable talent. From watching one episode of his show, it seems to me that IT'S MARTY was an even better showcase for him than YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.

Saps at Sea (1940)

On a Sweet, Simple Note, the Boys End their Association with Hal Roach

[8/10 · 23 December 2004]

SAPS AT SEA is evidently a pun on a Gary Cooper film, SOULS AT SEA. The title aptly describes the starring team, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. who go on an ocean voyage to soothe Ollie's nerves only to run into escaped killer Nick Grainger. As played by Rychard Cramer, this criminal is both amusing and chilling, making him a fine foil for the Boys' comedic characters. Despite his powerful presence, Cramer never upstages the Boys, a tribute to Stan and Ollie's beguiling charisma. That is as it should be, since the Boys are supposed to be the protagonists in this film.

Such is the charm of Laurel and Hardy's personas that they elevate average material. For SAPS AT SEA has its slow spots. For instance, as a previous commentator has noted, a bit where a doctor (the delightfully flustered James Finlayson) tries a balloon called "lung tester" on Ollie, lacks punch. The scenario is very episodic, with the first part, taking place in the Boys' apartment, almost completely unrelated to the second part where they go off to sea. But on the whole, the film is highly pleasant entertainment with a sufficiently brief running time so that it doesn't wear out it's welcome.

There's a certain poignancy viewing the final collaboration between Laurel and Hardy and producer Hal Roach. I haven't seen all of Laurel and Hardy's post-1940 films but those that I have seen don't measure up to even the weakest Hal Roach products. In these later movies, Laurel and Hardy seem to be in an alien environment, deprived of such colorful supporting players like Finlayson and Charlie Hall and Marvin Hately and LeRoy Shield's sprightly musical scores. They also aren't the well-meaning and optimistic bumblers we know and love but in the later films, are either exasperating blockheads or pathetic misfits.

It is a pity that many Hal Roach Laurel and Hardy films are now generally unavailable to the public. Even in a minor entry like SAPS AT SEA, one can see that Laurel and Hardy were great comedians. This was because Hal Roach, for the most part, allowed Stan Laurel, the guiding force behind the team, complete artistic freedom. Once Laurel lost his autonomy at other studios, the team lost much of its uniqueness.

The Heckler (1940)

A Generally Rollicking Change of Pace for Charley Chase

[9/10 · 12 December 2004]

In most of the Charley Chase shorts I have seen, Chase delightfully played a likable everyman who innocently stumbled into trouble. In THE HECKLER Chase abandons his usual persona to play an obnoxious loudmouth. Although he projects his usual winning vulnerability when his character gets into a jam, Chase's character is devoid of any redeeming qualities. But due to his cheerfully enthusiastic performance, Chase's character is a riot.

The scenario, in which Chase's heckling affects baseball games' outcomes and some shady characters hire him for their own advantage, is slight. This doesn't matter since THE HECKLER is a short subject. What makes the short work are the gags, adroitly presented through Del Lord's direction. One cannot help but laugh at all the things Chase's character does to inconvenience his fellow spectators at the ball game- using someone's entire tobacco and matches to smoke a pipe, tearing a bandage off a man to fix his leaky cushion, distracting everyone from the game in order to obtain a loudly demanded hot dog, among other offenses. The gags are not only enhanced by Chase's performances but by those of the supporting players as well. Particularly amusing are Vernon Dent and Monty Collins as two unlucky fellows who are forced to sit next to Chase.

The short slackens a bit at around mid point but it rebounds for an energetic climax. It ends on quite an offbeat note. The old cliché 'It has to been seen to be believed' perfectly applies to this finish.

As enjoyable as THE HECKLER is, one feels a tinge of sadness viewing it. This was one of Chase's last films before his early death. Although his performance is lively, he looks older than his forty-six years. One can wonder what Chase might have accomplished if he had lived longer. That he actually was able to do such wonderful work like THE HECKLER during his brief lifetime testifies to his greatness. Chase was a comedic genius who shouldn't be forgotten.

Slappily Married (1946)

Exemplifying Curly Joe's Pre-Stooge Career

[7/10 · 10 December 2004]

For a long time before Joe DeRita joined the Three Stooges and adopted the moniker "Curly Joe," he worked solo. Between 1946 and 1948, while the Three Stooges made shorts at Columbia, Joe had his own comedy series at the same studio. SLAPPILY MARRIED was the first one.

It's fascinating to see DeRita in this short. Still a fairly young man in his thirties, he has a full head of hair which is often disheveled for humorous effect. Although stocky, Joe's considerably thinner than he was as "Curly Joe." Because of his youth and relative svelteness, DeRita engages in a lot more physical slapstick than he did as a Stooge, proving himself adept in this field. To his benefit, the slapstick, as directed by Edward Bernds, is smoothly executed and avoids the tasteless excesses that marred some of the other Columbia comedy shorts.

Nevertheless, Joe DeRita comes off as a unremarkable comedian. He's too colorless to project any pizazz. Joe's blandness is all the more evident when one realizes his character is reminiscent of Lou Costello, a bumbling, childlike patsy with a streak of brashness. The charm and vulnerability that made Costello so endearing is largely absent in DeRita.

Despite DeRita's lack of charisma, SLAPPILY MARRIED is an entertaining and amusing short. The scenario isn't much- Joe's wife thinks he's involved with another woman and he tries to win her back, but it effortlessly sails thanks to Bernds' adroit direction. It is also enhanced by a fine supporting cast, particularly Christine McIntyre, Dorothy Granger, and Dick Wessel. Talented casts seem to be a hallmark of Columbia shorts, bringing some spirit to these films even when the material was under par. This film is worth seeking out as an example of a good non-Stooge Columbia short even if in this case, the supporting cast outshines the star.

Bold King Cole (1936)

Cartoon has surrealistic flair even though its star is dull

[7/10 · 23 November 2004]

Anxious to become a formidable rival of the popular and influential Walt Disney animation studio, the struggling Van Beuren studio acquired the popular silent cartoon character Felix the Cat for his talking Technicolor debut. Alas, their version of Felix the Cat in BOLD KING COLE is just an insipidly cheerful character devoid of the spunk that, from what I gather from seeing one silent cartoon, made the original Felix memorable. The uncredited actress who provides Felix's voice pleasingly carries a tune but the sweet singing doesn't provide anything unique about the character.

However, the cartoon's interesting scenario, for the most part, compensates for the lackluster star. Caught in a thunderstorm, Felix seeks refuge in King Cole's castle. This King Cole is not only a merry old soul, but a boastful one as well. The castle's ghosts can't stand the king's bragging, so they strap him to a machine to suck the wind out of him. It happens to be the wind that makes him a windbag. It's quite bizarre watching the rotund king deflate like a balloon. Then the ghosts expose him to the gas which exudes all his boastings. The king learns it's not nearly as fun listening to his speech as it is making it. A fascinating sequence that has to be seen to be believed, it effectively exploits the essential unreality of animation.

BOLD KING COLE benefits from other vividly realized sequences including a harrowing thunderstorm. The energetic animation is enhanced by Winston Sharples's spirited musical score. Watching this cartoon makes one regret that when it was released, the Van Beuren cartoon studio was on its last legs. One can only wonder if the studio would've reached Disney's artistic heights had it been allowed to last longer.

The 4th Tenor (2002)

Rodney Earns No Respect Here

[1/10 · 15 April 2004]

Do you find Rodney Dangerfield amusing? Would you like to see an entertaining Dangerfield film? Then avoid THE 4TH TENOR. It is a pitiful vanity project where Rodney generally neglects his strengths and wallows in sickening bathos.

As a prosperous Italian restaurant owner named Lupo, Dangerfield falls in love with a young luscious singer Gina (Annabelle Gurwitch). She doesn't return his affections, especially since Lupo can't sing opera. So he goes to Italy to take opera lessons. There, he meets a sweet local girl named Rosa (Anita De Simone) and learns the secret of great singing. Will Lupo find true love? Who really cares?

Part of the problem with THE 4TH TENOR is that Dangerfield is far less interested in generating laughs than in endearing himself to his audience. Rarely does he spew his customary one-liners. Instead he spends an awful lot of time acting lovelorn and wistful. But his strivings for sentimentality are so humorless and effortful, he becomes embarrassingly cloying. Even more disturbing is the concept of the geriatric, physically homely Dangerfield romancing women young enough to be his granddaughters. Part of the appeal in Dangerfield's stand-up act was that he acknowledged he was ugly and therefore unsuccessful with women. If he wanted to be a romantic lead in his dotage, why couldn't Rodney pursue women his own age?

The pedestrian supporting cast cannot enliven the dreary material. They are the type of bland performers you'd expect in a film deemed too poor for theatrical release.

THE 4TH TENOR is truly a morbid experience. One watches an embalmed looking man who, in attempting to touch our hearts, dies in the course of his performance, a once bright star whose career has been dying. If this is the best Rodney can offer, it's time for him to retire.

The Dippy Diplomat (1945)

If You Want a Barbecue, Make Sure Woody Isn't Nearby...

[5 February 2004]

...which Wally Walrus learns the hard way in this madcap cartoon. Under Shamus Culhane's direction, DIPPY DIPLOMAT attains the high comedic caliber of Warner Brothers and MGM's contemporary product. Like Bob Clampett and Tex Avery, Culhane understands that in such an action-oriented cartoon (in this case, the action consisting of Woody Woodpecker's pursuit of food), the gags must be administered at a frenetic, zippy pace to achieve the greatest comic impact. The gags are further buoyed by lively animation and Darrell Calker's sprightly score. Culhane builds up the situation to a rousing climax in which the walrus, his face engulfed in smoke, turns into a train!

Culhane utilizes Woody Woodpecker as effectively as he does the gags. At this point, the woodpecker's personality was toned down. He's no longer the hyperactive lunatic he was at the beginning, but he's still gleefully obnoxious as he uses ingenious methods to devour Wally Walrus's barbecue. Yet he is beguilingly innocent. He comes off not as a bully or a delinquent, but merely a impish child. How can one dislike such a character?

DIPPY DIPLOMAT represents the Walter Lantz studio near its artistic apex. It's a pity the cartoons declined in the following decades but this particular one demonstrates that the studio could produce authentic classics. For that reason, neither Walter Lantz nor Woody Woodpecker deserve to be forgotten.

Woody Woodpecker (1941)

Everybody Thinks He's Crazy- And I'm Crazy About Him!

[8/10 · 28 January 2004]

When Woody Woodpecker debuted as an antagonist for star Andy Panda in KNOCK KNOCK in 1940, his zany antics immediately captivated audiences. Shrewdly aware of the woodpecker's star potential, producer Walter Lantz cast him in his first solo cartoon, WOODY WOODPECKER. Under Lantz's uncredited direction, this cartoon discharges an authentically wacky and convulsive energy that's reminiscent of the contemporary Warner Brothers cartoons. Indeed one of the writers, Ben "Bugs" Hardaway had worked at Warner's before Lantz hired him.

Most of the energy comes from Woody himself. He represents the uninhibited id as he darts all over the screen, pulls prankish stunts, sasses his antagonists, and employs his trademark laugh. And what an appropriately outrageous design for an outrageous character with his extremely long bill, buck teeth, goofy eyes, stumpy legs, and a garish mixture of blue, red, yellow and green all over his body. The brilliant Mel Blanc provides an appropriately loony voice that is as oddly endearing as it is funny. Thank to Blanc's work and the skillful animation, Woody Woodpecker never seems obnoxious; just a lovable nut. One senses his comic aggressiveness is not derived from malice but from a naturally manic temperament.

Undoubtedly the highlight is in the beginning when Woody sings "Everybody Thinks I'm Crazy." The lyrics aren't sensationally funny, but Darrel Calker's jaunty music, Blanc's hilarious singing, and the comical animation of Woody's strutting make this a showstopper. In fact, this song would be Woody's theme in his early cartoons. Some one ought to do a cover of this song.

Mel Blanc would've undoubtedly remained the voice of Woody Woodpecker until his death if Warner Brothers hadn't given him an exclusive contract. (However, he did later did Woody's voice on some children's records.) It's a pity because of all the actors I've heard do the woodpecker (I never heard Billy West's work on THE NEW WOODY WOODPECKER SHOW, Blanc was the most impressive. He conveyed a charismatic craziness that none of the other actors I've heard could capture. Although Lantz continued to produce fine Woody Woodpecker cartoons for some time, I feel the woodpecker lost a little pizazz when Blanc was replaced.

Good-Bye Mr. Moth (1942)

Mr. Moth Steals the Picture

[22 January 2004]

GOODBYE MR. MOTH was the first Andy Panda cartoon that presented the character as an adult and the first one without his oafish father. As in other cartoons I've seen, the grown-up Andy Panda has little personality. Bernice Hansen's adorable voice, while appropriate for the child Andy, seems too girlish for the male adult panda here. (Walter Lantz would subsequently rectify this error by employing Walter Tetley as a suitably masculine Andy.) However, uncredited director Lantz and his crew effectively use the panda as a stooge when he struggles to press pants in his tailor's shop and as a straight man/antagonist when he battles a ravenous moth.

The moth, who devours clothes like cartoon mice devour cheese, is wisely given considerable screen time. A feisty and impulsive creature, he has considerably more personality than Andy Panda and his antics provide much of GOODBYE MR. MOTH's spark. He is definitely a pest, but he is nevertheless endearing not only because he is funny but because he lacks malice. After all, he doesn't eat clothes for the heck of it but because they provide sustenance for him. The moth doesn't speak, except in gibberish, but the Lantz crew provide him with such a drolly expressive face, he doesn't need dialogue.

GOODBYE MR. MOTH is a delightful cartoon worth seeking out. Lantz effects the gags at a breezy pace so even when they are average, they are efficiently delivered. Since this cartoon was produced during World War II, there are a few wartime jokes such as when the holes of a shirt the moth has just eaten read "Buy Defense Bonds." As always in a Lantz cartoon of this vintage, the gags are punctuated by Darrel Calker's sprightly musical score. Indeed the theme used to open Andy Panda cartoons during this era is particularly rousing. This theme, along with other choice cuts from Calker's work should be issued on CD.

Andy Panda's Pop (1941)

You Won't Find Andy Panda in This Cartoon...

[6/10 · 18 January 2004]

...Instead, as the title suggests, this is a showcase for his father, Andrew P. Panda. He had been in Walter Lantz's Andy Panda cartoons since the first one, LIFE BEGINS WITH ANDY PANDA (1939), but ANDY PANDA'S POP is his one solo effort. In this one, Papa Panda wants the roofing company to fix his roof but when he learns the service is expensive, he declares, "I'll fix it myself!" Naturally his repairing attempts result in slapstick chaos, further aggravated by a pelican who insists on making himself at home on the roof.

The gags for the most part are pedestrian. Director Alex Lovy executes them capably but one can't help wonder how livelier they'd be under the direction of say, Tex Avery or Bob Clampett. But he elevates the material through the vivid personality animation of Poppa Panda and the pelican. The panda is amusingly blustery as he struggles with his task, particularly when he expresses a slow burn. This characterization is aided by a humorously gruff voice that suggests a mixture of W.C. Fields and Edgar Kennedy. As for the pelican, his attitude and behavior drolly suggests an innocent who just wants to rest and doesn't comprehend why Poppa Panda wants him out of the way.

It's a pity that Walter Lantz didn't produce any more solo Poppa Panda cartoons and it's also a pity a more dynamic director like Avery didn't get the opportunity to handle them. In my opinion, Poppa Panda was a more interesting character than his son was when he went solo (at least in the solo Andy Panda cartoons I have seen). One should be happy, though, that Poppa Panda was allowed to shine on his own in this one cartoon. ANDY PANDA'S POP is by no means outstanding, but it's a pleasant film that, like other Walter Lantz cartoons of this vintage, deserved to be revived in television showings. Especially since it has a jazzy musical score by Darrel Calker. Like Carl Stalling at Warner Brothers and Scott Bradley at MGM, Calker could always enliven even the least remarkable Lantz cartoons.

The Phil Silvers Show (1955–1959)

From What I've Seen, A Brilliant Sitcom-Why Isn't It on DVD?

[8 January 2004]

I regret that I have only seen a fraction of the episodes of THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW. But those that I have seen confirms the show's reputation as an authentic television classic. Consider the star, Phil Silvers as Sgt. Ernie Bilko. Was there a more lovable conniver? His joy in his scheming was so droll and endearing one couldn't help but root for him. Yet Bilko never wanted to hurt anyone and whenever he learned any plan could hurt someone, he wouldn't go through with it. Silvers' ruefulness at such moments was as delightful as his ecstasy.

Silvers was backed by a delightful supporting cast. Particularly memorable were Maurice Gosfeld as the innocent Private Duane Doberman and Paul Ford as Bilko's flustered superior Colonel John Hall. Joe E. Ross got his big break as the gruff but lovable Sgt. Rupert Ritzik. Producer Nat Hiken would later team up Ross with Fred Gwynne in the police sitcom CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU? And what hilarious, inventive scripts that so deftly served those performers. I'm no prude but I consider such riotous episodes like "The Trial of Harry Speakup" and "The Face on the Recruiting Poster" proof that writers don't have to stoop to raunchiness to generate laughs. The problem with today's television sitcoms is that they often indulge in gratuitous filth.

With so many old sitcoms coming out on DVD today, isn't it about time for DVD episode guides of THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW? Why should DVD users be denied access to, from what episodes I've seen, a wonderful show? Such a treasure does not deserve oblivion.

The Sunshine Makers (1935)

Fascinating Presentation of War Between Good and Evil

[9/10 · 1 January 2004]

(SPOILER although it isn't much.) In its eight years of existence from 1928 to 1936, the Van Beuren animation studio never achieved the illustriousness of other studios like those of Walt Disney and Max Flesicher. They never developed a star like Mickey Mouse or Betty Boop and their cartoons, on a whole, did not create a lasting impression. However, the studio did produce a few authentic gems. THE SUNSHINE MAKERS is one of these gems.

The story isn't much. Cheerful gnomes spread happiness through bottled sunshine milk. Miserable goblins decide to spoil the fun with gloom-inducing gas. A battle erupts and the gnomes bombard the goblins with sunshine milk, turning them into happy, lovable creatures.

What makes the cartoon memorable is the way the story is presented. First of all, the animation crew under the direction of Ted Eshbuagh and Burt Gillette devise a picturesque fantasy world. Even in the faded print I saw, the contrast between the gnomes' rosy world and the goblins' grim milieu is well established. The gnomes are depicted in bright hued in sunny, pastoral surroundings. On the other hand, the goblins are drably hued in a bleak, Gothic environment. Winston Sharples's music enhances the atmosphere, buoyant for the gnomes and sombre for the goblins.

Then there's the climactic battle. The animation stuff imaginatively illustrates the effects of sunshine milk on the goblins and their environment. Particularly memorable is a scene where two goblins undergo the effects of sunshine milk. Their skin brightens, they begin to smile, and they start to sing and dance. Meanwhile flowers sprout in the background, brightening their milieu. Sharples' score enhances the war scenes, building to a lively crescendo.

One cannot fully appreciate THE SUNSHINE MAKERS from reading this review. It's one of these pictures that seem trite on paper but are remarkable on the screen. One cannot articulate WHY it's so remarkable-one can only feel exhilarated from watching it. If all of Van Beuren's cartoons were so memorable, the studio might have dominated the animation field rather than dwindled into oblivion.

Tom Thumb (1958)

Lightweight Fare That's Fun for the Whole Family

[8/10 · 6 November 2003]

If you have children and want to entertain them and yourself with a film, TOM THUMB is acceptable entertainment. Producer/director George Pal creates a quaint, vivid fairy tale world with bright colors, picturesque scenery and Tyrolean costumes. The stop motion animated singing and talking toys who befriend the titular tiny boy (Russ Tamblyn), are beautifully realized and smoothly co-exist with the live action Tamblyn. The songs are pleasant and hummable. Particularly memorable is "The Yawning Song," drowsily warbled by the voice of Stan Freberg as a sleepy toy. Russ Tamblyn is appealing in the title role and Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers as, respectively, the conniving Ivan and his eager confederate Tony practically steal the film with their comic shenanigans. Sellers is particularly impressive, giving the standard dim-witted accomplice part a creepily animalistic shading.

But although TOM THUMB is enjoyable, it doesn't rank with such outstanding family films like THE WIZARD OF OZ and Walt Disney's PINOCCHIO. What mainly prevents TOM THUMB from achieving greatness is Ladislas Fodor's slight scenario. In the best family films, the protagonists have important goals. For instance in THE WIZARD OF OZ Dorothy has to find a way back from Oz and in PINOCCHIO the titular puppet must learn to distinguish between right and wrong in order to become a real boy. In contrast, Tom Thumb's mission- to prove his parents (Bernard Miles, Jessie Matthews) did not steal the town's treasury by exposing the real thieves, Ivan and Tony-seems inconsequential. Compared to the scheme of, say, the Wicked Witch of the West to obtain Dorothy's ruby slippers in order to obtain supremacy in Oz, Ivan and Tony's plan is very pedestrian. The fate of the parents if they're not cleared- a public whipping- is certainly bad but much milder than say the fate of Pinocchio, Geppetto, and their pets if they can't escape from Monstro the whale- eternal imprisonment.

Then there is the romantic subplot between a local musician Woody (Alan Young) and the immortal Fairy Queen (June Thorburn). Woody wants to kiss the Fairy Queen so she can become a mortal as well as his wife, but the Fairy Queen warns him he should prove himself responsible before he can marry her. Pal handles the scenario in such a fluffy manner, however, that there is little conflict or feeling in this subplot. And while the animated segments are delightful, they hardly contribute to the plot.

But considering the glut of dreadful films trying to pass off as family entertainment, one should be grateful that TOM THUMB succeeds in its modest goal of entertaining viewers. Although the film is not extraordinary, it does emanate a storybook charm without succumbing to cloyingness. And Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers are a memorable pair- a kind of malevolent Laurel and Hardy.

A Christmas Carol (1951)

An Even More Rewarding Experience Than the Original Book

[10/10 · 1 October 2003]

SCROOGE deserves its status as a Christmas classic, a film that is not only essential viewing during the Yuletide season but, as Leonard Maltin once pointed out, can be enjoyed any time of the year. Indeed, the film's message is that one should demonstrate goodwill toward others the whole year around. As the Ghost of Christmas Present (Francis De Wolff) tells Scrooge (Alastair Sim): "Mortal, we spirits of Christmas do not live only one day of the year. We live the whole 365."

What makes this version of Charles Dickens' classic tale "A Christmas Carol" especially compelling is that Noel Langley's screenplay fleshes out the character of Ebenezer Scrooge. We learn, especially during the Christmas Past segments, what makes Scrooge tick, how he transformed from a romantic idealist to a cold-hearted miser. Ebenezer's relationships with the other characters- particularly his nephew Fred, Fezziwig, and Jacob Marley- are also explored more deeply than in the book and thus increases the dramatic impact of Scrooge's backsliding and the spirits' struggle to save his soul.

All of Langley's embellishments would be for naught if the actor playing Scrooge was not up to the task, but Alastair Sim is ideally cast in the title role. Although he made many other films, one only has to see SCROOGE to appreciate his charisma and range. Running the gamut of emotions from coldness to slyness to terror to despair to elation, Sim conveys a captivating, full blooded portrayal of Scrooge that mesmerizes the filmgoers without resorting to false histrionics. Even when he pulls all the stops when he is required as when he learns he is still alive on Christmas Day, one perceives him expressing his emotions rather than hamming it up. Sim is backed by an impressive supporting cast, particularly Mervyn Johns and Hermione Baddely as the Crachits, Michael Hordern as Jacob Marley, and George Cole as the young Scrooge.

Director Brian Desmond Hurst and cinematographer C.M. Pennington-Richards convey a thoroughly believable Victorian atmosphere; one almost believes they actually traveled back in time to mid-19th century England. They atmospherically illustrate both the beauty and the squalor of the era. Richard Addinsell's score enhances the film's quaint Yuletide aura.

SCROOGE is one of those timeless films that always enrapture and enlighten you no matter how many times you have seen it. Its emotional power, more than its artistic qualities, makes SCROOGE an authentic masterpiece.

The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974 TV Movie)

Snow Miser and Heat Miser Steal the Show

[6/10 · 19 December 2002]

Why has THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS endured for so many years? I don't believe it's because of its scenario. The concept of an ailing Santa Claus, convinced the world doesn't care for him, deciding not to ride his sleigh one Christmas is promising. However, its execution is too low-key to provide conflict or pathos. There's a touching rendition of "Blue Christmas" by a child writing a letter to Santa, but the other characters' reactions to Santa's decision seem too mild to generate real drama. Most of the other songs are pleasant but unmemorable. The plot's resolution is too contrived to be affecting.

The two real reasons for THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS's popularity are Snow Miser and Heat Miser. They are minor characters with limited onscreen time, but they blow away the other characters. Those quarreling siblings provide the special with some much needed brio. As the voice of Snow Miser, Dick Shawn oozes with self-satisfied smarm. Yet he conveys such gleeful humor in his delivery that his oiliness endears viewers. As the voice of Heat Miser, George S. Irving is hilariously irascible, an overgrown brat who fumes over everything associated with snow. It is this very childishness that makes Heat Miser so amusing. Of course, their musical numbers stop the show not because of their lyrics, which are repetitive, but their snappy deliveries.

The Miser brothers are so delightful that their absence creates a void in THE YEAR WITHOUT SANTA CLAUS. One wishes that Rankin Bass, which produced this special, had produced a special focusing on them. It is too late now, at least with the voice of Dick Shawn, who has long passed on. One can still appreciate the fact these characters were devised at all. Without them, THE YEAR WITHOUT SANTA CLAUS would probably be forgotten by now.

A Christmas Carol (1938)

Enjoyable But Not Essential Christmas Viewing

[7/10 · 16 December 2002]

(SPOILER FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH CHARLES DICKENS' ORIGINAL STORY) The 1938 MGM version of Charles Dickens' story is given the glossy Hollywood treatment. The book's social criticism, emphasized in other versions like the 1951 Alastair Sim film, SCROOGE, is downplayed here. Even though some gentlemen approach Scrooge to help the poor, no one in this film seems impoverished. Indeed, Gene Lockhart's Bob Crachit seems too well fed! Nineteenth century London is a picturesque town straight out of a Christmas card.

This doesn't mean that the 1938 version is bad. Indeed, it conveys an authentic holiday charm. A CHRISTMAS CAROL also benefits from appealing performances. Gene Lockhart is a wonderful Bob Crachit, meek and humble yet determined to keep his spirits up no matter what the circumstances. As Scrooge's nephew Fred, Barry MacKay is persuasively gregarious. The supporting actors who celebrate Christmas, including those who play the Crachits, are warmly cheerful but never sickeningly good. One has to be a real Scrooge not to be charmed by them.

Speaking of Scrooge, Reginald Owen's performance is merely adequate. Whether he's mean, terrified, remorseful, or overjoyed, his performance lacks depth. Thus, even though he's the nominal lead character, Owen doesn't dominate CAROL but takes a back seat to Edward L. Marin's atmospheric direction and Sidney Wagner's arresting cinematography. It's a pity Lionel Barrymore couldn't play the role. As Marley's ghost, Leo G. Carroll is acceptable, if a little too low-key to be frightening.

The 1938 version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL is pleasant holiday viewing and is particularly fine for children. But it doesn't fully convey the spirit of Dickens' novel and Reginald Owen is not the definitive Scrooge. If one wishes to see a more authentic rendering of the story with a truly compelling Scrooge, one should watch the 1951 version.

The Private Eyes (1980)

Uneven But Not a Complete Waste of Time

[6/10 · 1 November 2002]

After starring in the lackluster THE PRIZE FIGHTER, Tim Conway and Don Knotts teamed up again for THE PRIVATE EYES. Once again, Conway co-wrote the screenplay. The result is no masterpiece, but it is considerably superior to their previous film. For one thing, this film avoids the previous film's forced sentimentality, focusing exclusively on laughs and thrills. Another bonus is a consistently strong supporting cast; THE PRIZE FIGHTER had some ho-hum players, particularly Robin Clarke's dull villain. Particularly standing out in THE PRIVATE EYES are Trisha Noble as the sultry, quirky heiress whom detectives Conway and Knotts try to protect and Bernard Fox as the deranged butler Justin who goes berserk at the mention of the word "Murder."

THE PRIVATE EYES is a throwback to all those old haunted house comedies like Abbott and Costello's HOLD THAT GHOST in which the comic protagonist[s] endures numerous scares while trying to figure out the mysterious goings-on. The Biltmore House and Gardens in Asheville, North Carolina, where the film was made is an appropriate Gothic setting for the chills that Conway and Knotts experience. Peter Matz provides a lively score that conveys eeriness and mystery in a sprightly manner, appropriate for a horror comedy.

Unfortunately, the horrors per se- bodies turning up and then disappearing, a masked figure stalking the mansion, etc.- are cliched and the humor is inconsistent. There are some genuine laughs, such as when Knotts explains how the heiress's parents were killed and Conway, in his enthusiasm to figure out what clues the explanation could reveal, proceeds to perform the same actions the murderer did, nearly killing Knotts in the process. But THE PRIVATE EYES is also saddled with embarrassingly childish jokes (at one point, Knotts, Conway, and Fox do the old "walk this way" routine) and repetitive gags that quickly lose steam. The final gag ending is too predictable to be funny.

But for the most part, the stars shine even with substandard material. As the submissive partner, Conway projects a dimness that is both likably earnest and humorously deadpan. Knotts as the take-charge partner is reminiscent of his Barney Fife characterization, conveying an air of cockiness that is constantly punctured by his ineptitude and cowardice. With less gifted comedians, THE PRIVATE EYES would be very rough sledding.

For all its faults, it's difficult to dislike THE PRIVATE EYES. The film never pretends to be anything more than an old-fashioned horror comedy and Conway and Knotts clown around with no misconceptions of profundity. THE PRIVATE EYES is not essential viewing, but it's a pleasant time killer for a rainy day.

Air Raid Wardens (1943)

Too Bad This Film Wasn't Produced on the Hal Roach Lot

[3/10 · 26 October 2002]

Frustrated by their lack of artistic freedom at 20th Century Fox, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy hoped that MGM would provide them with more leeway. Superficially, their situation improved. Charlie Rogers and Jack Jevne, who had worked with Stan and Ollie during their glory days at Hal Roach, helped work on the script for the MGM production. The director, Edward Sedgwick, had a knack for slapstick and had worked with the Boys on the Roach film PICK A STAR. The scenario depicted Laurel and Hardy as sympathetic innocents instead of the obnoxious boneheads at Fox.

The result, AIR RAID WARDENS, is an improvement over their last Fox picture A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO, but not a significant one. As the title suggests, the Boys are air raid wardens on the home front during World War II. This situation has considerable comedic potential and indeed the film does generate some laughs, particularly a scene where the Boys unsuccessfully try to control a dog at a town meeting. But many promising gags are marred by sluggish pacing. The lack of background music, a hallmark in the Hal Roach films, further hampers the gags.

As in A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO, the villains, a group of Nazi spies, are too serious to effectively serve as antagonists for the slapsticky characters of Stan and Ollie. It is actually disturbing to view such sinister, humorless characters threaten the Boys. MGM should have followed the example of the Columbia short subjects department which pitted the Three Stooges against Keystone Cop-like Nazis in such wartime films like THEY STOOGE TO CONGA and HIGHER THAN A KITE.

Even more distressing is the studio's misguided attempts to generate audience sympathy for Laurel and Hardy. When Stan and Ollie are at their lowest ebb, they wallow in humorless self-pity. In the classic Hal Roach films, no matter how badly things were, Laurel and Hardy never felt sorry for themselves and this was part of their popular appeal. In this film when the Boys say lines like "I guess we're not smart like other people." it isn't moving, just depressing.

Those who haven't seen the team's Hal Roach films will probably find AIR RAID WARDENS satisfying. But those who have enjoyed such classics like SONS OF THE DESERT and WAY OUT WEST will find this film a letdown.

A-Haunting We Will Go (1942)

A Low Point For Stan and Ollie

[2/10 · 20 October 2002]

In this film, some thugs hired Laurel and Hardy to transport a coffin containing a live thug to Dayton, Ohio in order to claim an inheritance. But the coffin is mixed up with another used in Dante the Magician's stage act with bizarre results.

As a crime drama, A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO is fine, conveying a ominous, suspenseful aura. As a Laurel and Hardy film, however, it is lousy. The grim gangster milieu is inappropriate for Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's clownish characters. Most of the supporting actors are too humorless and realistic to successfully interact with the Boys. In the Hal Roach films, supporting actors like James Finlayson and Charlie Hall worked well with Laurel and Hardy because they performed in a farcical, larger-than-life manner.

What hurts this film even more is the scenario's contemptuous treatment of Laurel and Hardy's characters. At the Hal Roach lot, where they peaked, Laurel and Hardy became popular because even though audiences laughed at their blunders, the characters conveyed a sweet innocence that endeared moviegoers. In A HAUNTING WE WILL GO, the Boys are a pair of stupid jerks undeserving of respect or sympathy. A particularly revealing moment is when romantic lead John Shelton, who is working with Laurel and Hardy in the Dante the Magician's act, chastises them for misunderstanding the magician's props. The audience is supposed to share Shelton's disdain of Laurel and Hardy's ineptitude.

Dante, a magician in real life, gets to perform some tricks. Unfortunately, a levitation stunt passed off as his own actually seems to have been devised by the film's special effects department. Without meaning to belittle Dante's talents, one must say that when geniuses like Laurel and Hardy are in a film, who needs magic acts?

So far, I have only seen one other film Laurel and Hardy made after leaving Hal Roach, THE DANCING MASTERS. That film wasn't bad. But despite a few isolated laughs, A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO deserves its poor reputation among film comedy historians. For Laurel and Hardy completists, it's only worth seeing once.

Election (1999)

Film's Odiousness Thwarts Satirical Potential

[2/10 · 6 October 2002]

(Spoiler) ELECTION is allegedly a satire on high school life. But in order for any satire to work, it must convey truths about its target. ELECTION misses the mark because the film does not accurately reflect high school life.

The film seems to assume that all high school students- at least those who dominate the school grounds- are either jerks or fools or both. The overachieving Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) is a scheming witch. Loveable star athlete Chris Klein (Paul Metzler) is a dolt who doesn't have a clue when he's not playing sports. His iconoclastic sister Tammy (Jessica Campbell)is a spiteful troublemaker. Granted there are a lot of real life students like Tracy, Chris, and Tammy. But there are also a lot of real life students who are nice AND intelligent. By ignoring these people, ELECTION presents a distorted picture of high schoolers.

Teachers don't fare any better in this film. Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) so pathologically despises Tracy's Machiavaellianism he descends to chicanery to ensure her defeat in the election. His fellow teacher Dave Novotny (Mark Harelik) has an affair with Tracy. No well adjusted teachers are employed as major or even minor characters to balance McAllister and Novotny.

What ultimately dooms ELECTION, however, is its aura of unpleasantness. The only decent major character is Chris Klein and his decency seems to be mocked as a sign of idiocy. The filmmakers bombard the viewers with gratuitous graphic sex that brings the scenario (such as it is) to a halt. Especially offensive is a scene where McAllister starts making out with Notovony's wife Linda (Delaney Driscoll) with her baby watching! Even worse, this scene's played for laughs! Also played for laughs is a bit where a handicapped student runs for vice president!

ELECTION reveals very little about high school. However, it does reveal a great deal about the cynicism and amorality of today's filmmakers.

Scrooged (1988)

Bah Humbug!

[2/10 · 23 September 2002]

(Possible spoilers) SCROOGED is the cinematic equivalent of coal in your stocking, a disheartening experience that sours your feelings about the Yuletide season. If this film conveys the true meaning of Christmas, I don't want to observe this holiday.

The concept is promising- Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" updated for the 1980s with Scrooge as a callous, ratings-mad television executive. And the film gets off to a great start with hilarious promos for "The Night the Reindeer Died" about Santa battling terrorists and "Robert Goulet's Old-Fashioned Cajun Christmas." But from there, the movie generally goes downhill.

Part of the problem, as a previous reviewer has noted, is that SCROOGED doesn't know whether to honor or skewer Dickens's story. By constantly fluctuating between iconoclastic humor and earnest sweetness, the movie not only reveals the filmmakers' lack of focus, but their cynical desire to pander to both sentimentalists and scoffers. This only results in a meandering muddle.

What ultimately ruins SCROOGED is Bill Murray's surprisingly bad performance in the lead. Most of the time when he's mean, he's humorless and unpleasant. Murray doesn't even convey an interesting ruthlessness that made Alastair Sim's pre-reformation Scrooge so compelling. He's just an unbearable boor. And in his tender moments, Murray's too detached to be moving.

He is at his worst in the final scene where he proclaims his love for Christmas on live television. There's no joy in his speech, just desperation. It's enough to make one empathize with the pre-reformation Scrooge.

If you rever Dickens' original story, watch a straightforward adaption, especially the 1951 Alastair Sim version. If you're in the mood for holiday satire, watch BLACKADDER'S CHRISTMAS CAROL. Whatever your mood, I doubt you'll find SCROOGED satisfying.

Annie (1982)

Contributed to the Death of Film Musicals

[3/10 · 13 August 2002]

The original Broadway show was a popular hit because it conveyed innocence and warmth. The film version didn't do well at the box office because it lacks these important qualities.

Part of the problem is John Huston's direction. It is obvious the veteran director's heart was not in this film. He sabotages musical numbers by handling them in a cold, plodding manner. For instance, one doesn't feel for the orphans' plight when they sing "It's a Hard Knock Life" because Huston has them doing acrobatics that detract from the lyrics.

Then there is the mishandling of the songs. As a previous commentator has noted, some wonderful tunes like "We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover" and "N.Y.C." have been scrapped in favor of dreary tunes like "Dumb Dog" and "Let's Go to the Movies." These new songs contribute nothing to the scenario. The remaining original Broadway songs are hampered by inferior renditions and Huston's misdirection.

The scenario is unnecessarily coarsened. The nasty orphanage head Agatha Hannigan (Carol Burnett) is transformed from the blustery harridan of Broadway to an alcoholic vamp. This type of character has no place in a family musical. Neither do orphans and maids who flash their underwear during musical numbers.

As the orphaned title character, Aileen Quinn tries hard but her acting is artificial, so one cannot feel for her. Albert Finney as Oliver Warbucks seems gruff and uptight even when expressing love toward Annie. Ann Reinking seems too cool to convey maternal warmth as Warbucks's secretary Grace Farrell and her husky singing voice is completely inappropriate. Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters as the villains Rooster Hannigan and Lily St. Regis and Geoffrey Holder as Punjab are largely wasted.

No wonder Disney decided to make their own TV version of ANNIE in 1999. Anyone who doesn't have the opportunity to see a stage production should watch the Disney version, which is truncated but captures the original show's charm and simplicity. In the meantime, it is an injustice that Columbia has decided to put the misbegotten film version on DVD while ignoring its real treasures like TWENTIETH CENTURY.

The Bargain of the Century (1933)

Todd and Pitts Shine Under Charley Chase's Direction

[27 July 2002]

Having achieved success with Laurel and Hardy's shorts, producer Hal Roach decided to create a female comedy team in 1931. He paired sultry Thelma Todd with plain-jane ZaSu Pitts. The comediennes immediately clicked with moviegoers and continued making two-reelers until Pitts was replaced by Patsy Kelly in 1933.

BARGAIN OF THE CENTURY was one of the last Todd-Pitts shorts. As in their other films, the stars' charming personalities boost this one. Thelma Todd's glamour and levelheadedness effectively counterpoints ZaSu Pitts's drabness and dizziness. Despite their contrasts, one perceives a companionable bond between them.

The scenario isn't much. The girls accidentally get a policeman friend, Butterworth(James Burtis,) fired. Mistaking someone (Billy Gilbert) for the police captain, they try to play up to him so Butterworth can get his job back. What makes BARGAIN OF THE CENTURY move along are the comedic set ups and gags. Particularly hilarious are a series of booby traps for crooks that Butterworth sets up when he temporarily moves into the girls' apartment. These traps not only provide funny inconveniences for Todd and Pitts, but they also help humorously resolve the plot.

The supporting cast is fine with Billy Gilbert standing out as the "captain." His German accent is funny in itself. And he is ferociously hilarious when he rages over a prized watch ZaSu accidentally broke, assaulting every clock he can find in the girls' apartment.

This two-reeler was the only one in the Todd-Pitts series directed by comedy legend Charley Chase. He handles the comedy with flair and energy, making sure that the gags supplement but never overwhelm the stars. It's a pity Chase never directed any other Todd-Pitts shorts or any Todd-Kelly shorts for that matter.

BARGAIN OF THE CENTURY not only exemplifies a prime showcase for Thelma Todd and ZaSu Pitts but also a prime showcase for Hal Roach comedies as well. This two-reeler easily measures up to the best of fellow Roach stars Laurel and Hardy, Our Gang, and Charley Chase.