Happy Memorial Day! - The Sky's the Limit

RKO, 1943

Starring Fred Astaire, Joan Leslie, Robert Benchley, and Reginald Fenton

Directed by Edward H. Griffith

Music by Harold Arlen, Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

We honor the troops this Memorial Day Weekend with a very different wartime musical. As I've mentioned many times, the musicals of the World War II years were largely intended to be the ultimate in escapist fare, often set in faraway places or times. Sky's the Limit takes a different road, with it's slightly darker depiction of a war hero who pretends to be an ordinary guy to woo an ambitious photographer. How does this small-scale romance look today? Let's begin as three heroic ace Flying Tigers return to the US for a ticker-tape parade in New York and a whirlwind publicity tour and find out...

The Story: Triple ace Lieutenant Fred Atwill (Astaire) is on leave and just wants to have some fun and meet a few pretty girls. Sneaking off the train, he heads to New York City, where he meets photographer Joan Manion (Leslie). Joan's tired of taking pictures of celebrities. She's dying to head overseas and photograph a war zone, but her boss Phil Harriman (Benchley) would rather keep her near him, so he can try to convince her to marry him. 

Fred falls head over heels in love with Joan and does everything he can to woo her, even moving in next to her. She wishes he'd get a real job, but he doesn't seem to have any interest in working. He tries setting up Phil with her...but it ends up working in his favor anyway. His buddies, however, have found him out...and then tell him that his leave's been cut short, and he only has two days left to show Joan how much he really cares about her.

The Song and Dance: Astaire usually doesn't work in uniform, but he's a tad bit more realistic as an independent-minded flyer who has a hard time taking orders than he is a sailor or army officer. Leslie simply glows as the strong-willed and intelligent young woman who is enchanting enough for two older men to adore her. You'd never believe she turned 18 during filming; she seems far more mature. Benchley's also on more accustomed territory here as the caustic newspaperman who wants to keep his crush out of harm's way. The wartime setting and small cast gives the story a feel of intimacy and sophistication. 

Favorite Number: The Oscar-nominated ballad of longing "My Shining Hour" turns up twice, as Leslie's solo with a neon-framed orchestra early in the film, and later as an instrumental backdrop for Leslie and Astaire's romantic ballroom duet. They have a great time with the comic "A Lot In Common With You" as they jokingly sing about the same things they do (and don't) like, leading into a very funny dance routine. 

The big one here is the standard "One for My Baby." Astaire performs this at the bar after he criticizes an airplane manufacturer's planes and Joan walks out on him. After he drunkenly asks for more, he taps furiously across the bar, eventually ending with him breaking all the glassware on the bar and throwing a stool into the mirror in the back. What's even more impressive is that Astaire did all the choreography in this one himself, without the help of his usual partners. 

What I Don't Like: This isn't for those looking for a bigger, bolder, more epic plot, or a more typical romantic comedy. It's funny, but it's a small story that's mostly about a man trying to be ordinary for a lady who wants to be something special. No huge chorus numbers, no goofy side characters besides Benchley and Astaire's buddies. Speaking of his buddies, their nasty behavior when they find out what Fred's up to may rub some people the wrong way, especially when they force him to do a snake dance that's as awkward as it is silly.

The Big Finale: Underrated and charming, this low-key wartime romance is highly recommended for fans of Astaire or those who prefer their musicals on a smaller scale. 

Home Media: Easy to find on DVD from the Warner Archive and on streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Cult Flops - Hollywood Party (1934)

MGM, 1934

Starring Jimmy Durante, Jack Pearl, Lupe Valez, and Polly Moran

Music and Lyrics by various

Directed by various

This movie began life as The Hollywood Revue of 1933, the next in a series of revues that began with MGM's first variety show in 1929. It took a lot of wrong turns on the way to the screen, running through a series of screenwriters and directors who tried to make sense of the strange numbers and random bits from some of the best comedians at MGM, not to mention the addition of a Disney short. How does Durante's wild Tinseltown blow-out look today? Let's begin at a theater with the newest film starring jungle hero Schazeran the Conqueror (Durante) and find out...

The Story: Durante's pictures are flopping fast. His manager (Richard Carle) insists he needs to start fighting real lions again, rather than the worn-out stuffed ones he's been using. Durante holds a huge party to draw Jack "Baron Munchausen" Pearl (himself) and his menagerie, including lions. Also at the party are an Oklahoma oil family hoping to break into California society, Liondora (George Givot), Durante's rival, who also seeks to buy Pearl's lions, and Durante's female co-star in the Schazeran movies (Velez), who doesn't appreciate being left off the guest list.

The Animation: Mickey Mouse himself appears in a very cute sequence where he imitates Durante, then plays the piano for him. Mickey's typical of the stretch-and-squash animation in his shorts at the time, but he interacts very well with Durante and even has a few nice gags with a piano. "Hot Chocolate Soldiers" is better, a three-strip Technicolor short about a chocolate soldier army who attacks gingerbread men. It's on a par with the Silly Symphonies Disney made at the time, particularly in details like their uniforms and the candy animals they ride before and after their battle. 

The Song and Dance: This is one heck of a party! The barely-there story is merely a framework to hang some creative numbers and a lot of goofiness from some of the top comedians in Hollywood at the time. Durante revels in his rare leading man status, happily vamping Moran and looking ridiculous in his half-naked Tarzan spoofs and "reincarnation" number. Larry Fine and Curly and Moe Howard, the original Three Stooges, have a short bit with their original leader Ted Healy as autograph hounds and a photographer, and Laurel and Hardy get a very funny gag with Lupe Velez involving a lot of broken eggs.

Favorite Number: We kick off with the racy title song, as scantily clad phone operators announce the party to all of Southern California, and then we see people getting dressed and ready to dance the night away. "Feelin' High" takes us into the actual party, as Shirley Ross, Arthur Jarrett, Harry Barris, and The King's Men drink to their heart's content and the chorus whirls over the dining tables. Liondora's young cohort Ben Benson (Eddie Quillan) and the Clemps' starry-eyed daughter Linda (June Clyde) perform a cute near-touch dance to "I've Had My Moments." Arthur Jarrett performs the title song of "The Hot Choc'late Soldiers" animated short, written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed in the cutesy style of "The Wedding of the Painted Doll" from The Broadway Melody. 

Trivia: Among the directors who worked on this movie are Richard Boleslawski, Edmund Goulding, Allan Dwan, Russell Mack, Charles Reisner, Roy Rowland, and Sam Wood. George Stevens directed the Laurel & Hardy scenes. 

Some of the many numbers deleted from the movie still exist, including a spoof of "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" for Jimmy Durante and Polly Moran called "Fly Away to Ioway." Others whose skits and numbers ended up on the cutting room floor included Zazu Pitts, Jackie Cooper, Thelma Todd, Max Baer, and real-life Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller. 

Dwan's complaints that the unfinished film was "a nightmare" inspired the finale, where Durante awakens to see his real wife and concludes the whole thing was a dream.

What I Don't Like: Like many real-life wild parties, this one doesn't make a shred of sense. As much fun as it is to see Mickey Mouse, The Three Stooges, Lupe "Mexican Spitfire" Valez, and Laurel & Hardy in the same movie, they don't really interact with one another, and other than Valez, don't have much to do with what very little plot there is. You can absolutely see the tinkering and many cooks involved. It lurches from number to gag with no form or real reason for existing. That may have worked in 1929, but by the era of the Busby Berkeley Warners extravaganzas, it's silly, annoying, and a bit dated.

The Big Finale: Harmless hour's worth of lunacy if you're a huge fan of Durante or any of the comedians involved. 

Home Media: DVD and streaming, the former from the Warner Archives.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Step Lively

RKO, 1944

Starring Frank Sinatra, George Murphy, Gloria DeHaven, and Adolph Menjou

Directed by Tim Whalen

Music by Jules Styne; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn

Frank Sinatra got his start in movies as a singer with Tommy Dorsey's band or a side character. This is the first film where he got star billing. RKO intended to build him up as a major star, borrowing George Murphy and Gloria DeHaven from MGM to partner him in this remake of the 1938 non-musical farce Room Service. How does this very stage-bound play work as a musical? To find out, we begin in the lobby of the hotel where producer/director Gordon Miller (Murphy) is rehearsing his new musical show, and see just how wild a remake can get...

The Story: The trouble is, Miller's broke. He's living off credit, and hotel manager Joe Gribble (Walter Sleazak) is tired of feeding the hungry actors trooping into his room. Head manager Wagner (Menjou) wants them out yesterday, or at least to pay their bills. Miller is facing being kicked to the sidewalk until playwright Glenn Russell (Sinatra) turns up, demanding to know if Miller's producing his play. Miller doesn't remember his play...but he does discover Russell has a golden voice, which he's used to earn money on the side. He first sends his leading lady Christine Marlowe (DeHaven) to turn on the charm and convince him to join them. That works too well. Now they have to keep Wagner off their backs long enough for the representative of their backer (Eugene Pallatte) to see what they can do...and keep an excited secretary (Anne Jeffreys) from chasing Russell.

The Song and Dance: Lively little farce shows off everyone to best advantage. Despite Sinatra's top billing, Murphy is the one who really dominates the lunacy. As the producer who will do anything to stay in the hotel long enough to sell their show, he's perpetually in motion, so fast that he's already coming up with the next big idea while the previous one is still going. DeHaven has a great time vamping it up for Sinatra, before Christine realizes that she's falling for the sweet scribe, and Jeffreys makes the most of her short screen time as the secretary who's nuts about Glenn's singing. The supporting cast has even more fun, especially Menjou as the frustrated hotel manager who can never keep up with Miller's scheming. 

Favorite Number: "Where Does Love Begin?" gets two good outings, as DeHaven and the chorus rehearse it in the hotel room in the beginning, and later between Jeffreys and Sinatra as he tries to dodge her advances. Sinatra performs "As Long As There's Music" several times, notably in the beginning when he's showing off what he can do for Murphy. "Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are" begins with Sinatra and DeHaven on a balcony, gradually turning into a huge Busby Berkeley-style routine with black-and-white-clad swirling around them as their colors change in time to the music. 

What I Don't Like: Sinatra was a lot more relaxed in comedies by the 50's and 60's, but at this point, he was new at acting and stiff as a board. Neither he nor Murphy can make anyone forget the Marx Brothers from the original Room Service, and DeHaven's no Lucille Ball, either. Jeffreys later became a popular performer on stage and TV and was certainly capable of a lot more than chasing Sinatra around.

Despite the attempts to open up the story with the musical numbers, it's pretty obvious this started out as a stage play. Sinatra and Jeffreys' song is the only one that moves the plot along, and the book scenes are stage-bound and a bit static. Miller's constant lying and yelling and conning and all the craziness gets wearisome after a while.

The Big Finale: Energetic bit of "B" fluff if you love farce or are a big Sinatra fan.

Home Media: Easy to find on DVD from the Warner Archives and on streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - Moana

Disney, 2016

Voices of Auli'i Cravahalo, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, and Temura Morrison

Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements

Music and Lyrics by Opetaia Foa'i, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month, I'm finally taking a look at one of the most recent Disney princess films. Moana came out of Musker and Clements reading about Polynesian mythology and finding many of its stories fascinating, including that of trickster demi-god Maui and the fact that Pacific Islanders once explored many miles away from their homes, finding their way back via their own knowledge rather than European direction systems. They stopped exploring for three thousand years, then returned to it over a thousand years ago. Their own explorations of the real-life Pacific Islands inspired the story of the chief's daughter who breaks with tradition to save her home. How does this tropical fable look now? We begin with two-dimensional animation telling the story of how Maui (Johnson) stole the stone heart of the goddess island Te Fiti and find out...

The Story: Moana (Cravahalo) has heard the call of the sea all her life. Her parents, especially her father Chief Tui (Morrison), want her to stay on the island and focus on becoming Chief. No one's ventured past the island for three thousand years. Only her eccentric grandmother Tala (House) encourages her love of the ocean and desire to explore. It's her grandmother who reveals ancient boats hidden in a cave. Her people were once explorers, searching for new islands across the Pacific. 

When the villagers discover that the foliage of the island is dying and fish are disappearing, Moana finally takes off in one of the camacaus from the cave. She's determined to find Maui and restore the goddess island Te Fiti, but it's not easy. Not only does Maui refuse to help, but she has to deal with rough seas, treasure-loving giant crabs, and her own lack of sailing abilities.

The Animation: Among the most gorgeous from any recent Disney movie. The brilliant colors bring life to Moana's village and the blue waters of the Pacific alike. With the ocean as much of a character as the humans and animals, it was important for the animators to really render it realistically. They did a mostly fantastic job. You can see every splash and wave crashing like it would on the real ocean. The stormy seas are particularly realistic (and realistically scary). There's also the neon colors and glittering splashes of Tamatoa the Coconut Crab's hoard in his cave.

The ocean isn't the only well-rendered non-human character in the film. Maui's living tattoos are done in the same 2-D animation as the opening sequence, and they're as expressive and funny as any of the humans. For many critics, the tattoos and their very funny gags stole the show.  

The Song and Dance: Disney did everything possible to make sure this was faithful to Pacific Islander culture and heritage. The movie's worth seeing for the rich details alone, from the colorful outfits and feather and shell headdresses worn in Moana's village to the sweeping designs of the camacaus boats to Maui's tattoos that represent every adventure he ever went on and act as his conscience. 

Hawaiian teen Cravalho is a delight as Moana. She's smart, brave, and determined, but also a rebellious teenager with a temper who is just finding her place in the world. Johnson's even funnier, spoofing his action-hero image as the cocky trickster demi-god more interested in remaining popular with humans than in Moana or her village. House and Morrison also do well as Moana's encouraging grandmother who acts as her guide and mentor and her stubborn father who wants no one from his village to get hurt, including his daughter.

(I also appreciate that, despite some mild hinting towards the end, they didn't go for the obvious love interest route with Maui and Moana. He's more of a mentor and a big brother to her than a lover, putting the focus on her story where it should be.)

Favorite Number: "Where You Are" is the big opening chorus number, as Tui shows his young daughter the delights and traditions of their village and watches her grow into a young woman. "You're Welcome" is Maui's big number as he shows off those expressive tattoos, brags about his adventures, and tries to get rid of Moana. "Shiny" spoofs the glam rock stars of the 1970's with brilliant neon colors, sparkling treasure on Tamatoa. Jermaine Clement has a great time with his slinky, jangly routine, even as Moana tries her hardest to distract him.

The big one here is the Oscar-nominated "How Far I'll Go," Moana's defining song. She first performs it after her father tells her that she has to stay on the island. She wants so badly to heed that call of the sea...but she also wants to be a good daughter. We hear it again when she finally hears that call and heads out on the ocean for good. She also gets "Know Who You Are" as she realizes why evil lava island Te Ka attacks them and what it truly is.

What I Don't Like: For all the tropical trappings, Moana and her core plot aren't that far removed from other recent Disney action heroines like Mulan, Pocahontas, and Merida whose culture form the basis of their stories. I suspect the derivative story was one of the big reasons the somewhat more original Zootopia walked off with most of the awards and reviews in 2016 and early 2017. 

The Big Finale: If your daughter loves those other take-charge Disney princesses, or you're interested in seeing a musical immersed in a unique and colorful culture, you'll want to heed the call of the sea and head out on an adventure with Moana, too.

Home Media: As one of Disney's most recent and popular films, it goes without saying that this is easily found everywhere and in every format.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Disney Plus

Cult Flops - The Belle of New York

MGM, 1952

Starring Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen, Marjorie Main, and Keenan Wynn

Directed by Charles Walters

Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

As we saw with the superhero films two weeks ago, science fiction and fantasy musicals aren't easy to pull off. Musicals already come with fantasy elements like people bursting into son in the middle of a downpour built-in. Adding more overtly fantastical elements is a delicate balance, as shown in our next movie. Producer Arthur Freed wanted Astaire to star in this movie for years. He finally agreed to it when he discovered that Vera-Ellen, whom finnicky Astaire greatly admired, would be his leading lady. Was Astaire right to avoid this light-as-air romance, or is there more to this than it appears on the surface? Let's begin at the local Salvation Army, as lovely officer Angela (Vera-Ellen) is being serenaded by several "sinners" at her window, and find out...

The Story: Angela wishes those gentlemen would actually come to be reformed, rather than to gawk at her. She's singing with the Army group one night when one of the "sinners" who admire her turns out to be a man in a tux. Playboy Charles Hill (Astaire) has the habit of leaving his performer brides at the alter, then turning to his rich Aunt Lettie (Main) to pay them off. Not this time. Charles is so smitten with Angela, he floats on air and vows to reform for her. After he proves his intentions to Angela by actually working for the first time in his life, she's ready to head to the church. He's not so sure...and now she has to show him they're a lot more compatible than anyone in the Big Apple thinks.

The Song and Dance: And "dance" is the operative word here. Astaire took advantage of Vera-Ellen being one of the most technically-proficient dancers he'd ever work with to put together a series of complicated and very romantic Terpsichorean showcases. He and Vera-Ellen have a great deal of fun as the lovers from very different worlds. Wynn's also having a good time as Astaire's nervous lawyer, and Pierce is a riot as Vera-Ellen's best friend and the other woman at the Salvation Army. The colorful costumes provide an equally lovely backdrop for both the simple gray world of the Salvation Army and Charles' society home.

Favorite Number: "Seeing's Believing" when he's so smitten with Angela, he dances right to the top of the Washington Square Arch and does death-defying leaps around its flagpoles. "Oops" is a number for Charles and Angela as he drives her home on the street car. It makes surprisingly good use of the limited space as they spin around poles and waltz alongside the moving vehicle. "Currier and Ives" is the big chorus routine, with Angela comparing their love to the changing seasons as depicted in the famous Currier and Ives artwork. 

Angela and her best friend claim they're "Naughty But Nice" when they dress up in fancy low-cut gowns for a night on the town and a slinky song and dance. "I Want to Be a Dancin' Man" is one of Astaire's best solos. No chorus, no noise, just him and his marvelous footwork against a simple blue backdrop. 

What I Don't Like: As charming as Astaire and Vera-Ellen are, the story is definitely earthbound. It's an overstuffed cream puff that sags towards the middle after he suddenly leaves her at the alter again and falls apart by the finale. For all his chemistry with Vera-Ellen, Astaire's reluctance to appear in this shows in his lack of energy during the book scenes. Marjorie Main is miscast as his aunt who is fed up with his antics, too - she's no high society lady. Doesn't help that the songs those dances are spinning around to are fairly dull. 

The Big Finale: Recommended for the numbers alone if you're a fan of Astaire, Vera-Ellen, or the MGM musicals of the 1950's. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming, the former from the Warner Archives.

DVD

Amazon Prime

A Damsel In Distress

RKO, 1937

Starring Fred Astaire, Joan Fontaine, George Burns, and Gracie Allen

Directed by George Stevens

Music by George Gershwin; Lyrics by Ira Gershwin

By the late 30's, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were popular enough for RKO to split them into separate vehicles. Fred's first movie without her is a loose adaptation of a P.G Wodehouse novel from 1919, about a veddy British noblewoman who accidentally ends up in a cab with an American performer, leading half her household and his press agent and secretary to believe she's in love with him. How does this English story work with its American music and sensibilities? Let's begin with the staff at Totney Castle deciding who will pick the eventual beau for Lady Alyce (Fontaine) and find out...

The Story: Jerry Halliday (Astaire) is an American performer traveling through England with his press agent (Burns) and secretary (Allen). He meets Alyce when she ducks into his taxicab while on her way to wait for her real American lover. Albert the young footman (Harry Watson) is convinced that Jerry's the man she loves and asks him to come to the castle. The butler Keggs (Reginald Gardiner) has his money on another suitor and is just as determined to keep Jerry out. Albert manages to sneak Jerry upstairs during a castle tour. Later, Jerry joins Alyce in the Tunnel of Love, but not only does he push too far with her, he doesn't realize her father (Montagu Love) is the head of the castle. It takes a ball at the castle to bring the lovers together and reveal the misunderstandings that separated them.

The Song and Dance: Astaire, Allen, and Burns have a wonderful time romping through some truly creative numbers. The songs may be one of the Gershwins' best film scores; it certainly produced some of their best-known hits, including "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "Things are Looking Up." Nice supporting cast, too, with Gardiner and Watson as the servants who stir things up with their wager, Love as Alyce's down-to-earth nobleman father, and Constance Collier as her stuffy Aunt Caroline. This is also one of the rare movies where George and Gracie get more to do in the script besides a few supporting bits, including Gracie getting an odd romance of her own with the castle orchestra leader (Ray Noble). 

Favorite Number: We kick off with "I Can't Be Bothered Now." Astaire takes over for a man dancing in the London streets in order to avoid being chased by a bobby, and has a wonderful time literally dancing on the pavement. George, Gracie, and Fred do a goofy dance with whisk brooms (one which Burns and Allen apparently taught Astaire) at the inn where they're staying in "Put Me to the Test." "Things are Looking Up" when Astaire leads Fontaine through a dance around and behind the trees and flora in her family's garden (to masks her limitations as a dancer). Astaire shows twice how it's "Nice Work If You Can Get It," first with the choir at the party, then later in a fast-stepping drum and tap solo.

The big one here is "Stiff Upper Lip." Astaire, Burns and Allen dance this one in a massive Art Deco funhouse, complete with them wiggling in front of wavy mirrors, tapping around moving floors and sidewalks, and slipping down steep slides. It's one of the more creative big chorus numbers I've seen in a 30's movie, and richly deserved its Oscar for Dance Direction in 1937.

What I Don't Like: Fontaine may be more authentically British than Ginger Rogers, but she can't sing or dance worth a darn. She was 19 at the time, and her inexperience shows, especially alongside the much older and more sophisticated Astaire. The story gets very annoying at times, especially with the servants pushing them and pulling them together over a silly bet. You start to wish that Astaire had kicked Alfred and Keggs in the rear long before the end of the movie. 

The Big Finale: Highly recommended for the numbers and music alone if you're a fan of Astaire, Burns & Allen, or the Gershwins and their work. 

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and DVD, the latter from the Warner Archives.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Family Fun Saturday - Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (1972)

Joseph Shaftel Productions, 1972

Starring Fiona Fullerton, Michael Crawford, Flora Robson, and Robert Helpmann

Directed by William Sterling

Music by John Barry; Lyrics by Don Black

The story of little Victorian girl Alice and her wild adventures in the uninhibited underground world known as Wonderland has been adapted for just about every media possible, from video games to animation. This version from its native England came out in 1972 and was a major hit, thanks to its game cast of popular British character actors and comedians. How does it look today on the US side of the pond? Let's begin on a golden afternoon in the Victorian countryside as two professors have a picnic with a trio of curious pre-teen girls and find out...

The Story: Alice (Fullerton) is getting very tired of laying around and listening to Dodgson (Michael Jayston) tell stories. She follows the White Rabbit (Crawford), a nervous fellow wearing a waistcoat and carrying a watch, into a huge rabbit hole. She falls down the hole and into Wonderland, encountering many strange creatures and beings along the way. Some are silly and only confuse her, like the Mad Hatter (Helpmann), March Hare (Peter Sellars), and their nutty tea party. Others, like the Queen of Hearts (Robson), are far more menacing. And then there's the Cheshire Cat (Roy Kinnear), who pops in and out as he pleases and gives Alice some very strange advice indeed about how to wind her way through the strangeness that is Wonderland.

The Song and Dance: I've seen very few adaptations of Alice that were truer than this one. It's pretty much the book as written, other than sneaking in Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum from the sequel Through the Looking Glass. The entire cast enjoys the tongue-twisting antics, from sweet Fullerton and her gentle little voice to Crawford as the stuffy White Rabbit, Robson as the demanding Queen of Hearts, and Kinnear as the ever-grinning Cheshire Cat. The costumes and minimal sets also do a fine job of bringing the wacky world of Lewis Carroll's creations to life.

Favorite Number: Alice sings the lilting "Curiouser and Curiouser" throughout the film, notably in the beginning when she first arrives in Wonderland. Davy Kaye as the Mouse Alice meets in the Pool of Tears admonishes her that "You Have to Know When to Stop," before you cry so much, you wash half of Wonderland away. The White Rabbit insists that "The Last Word Is Mine" when demanding that Alice brings him his fan and gloves, though she keeps insisting that she's not who he thinks she is. The Hatter, Hare, and Doormouse serenade Alice with "I See What I Eat," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat" and "The Pun Song" at the Mad Tea Party.

What I Don't Like: First of all, someone in England badly needs to take a crack at restoring this. The copy I watched at the Roku Channel is soft, rough around the edges, and very washed out, especially in the opening and closing sequences at the Victorian picnic. Barry's music and score are all right, but not especially memorable. Some of the special effects and makeup don't look so great nowadays, either, often coming off as creepy or too weird, even for Wonderland. There's also the fact that the make-up covers most of those famous faces. I had no idea half these people were in this unless I checked the credits. 

The Big Finale: Faithful and charming version is well worth the time for families and fans of the cast or the original book. 

Home Media: Easy to find on DVD and streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime

On an Island With You

MGM, 1948

Starring Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montaban, and Cyd Charisse

Directed by Richard Thorpe

Music and Lyrics by various

When most people think of an Esther Williams movie, they probably have something like this in mind. It has everything people usually associate with her vehicles - lavish swimming numbers, handsome charismatic leading men, decent music, color, all taking place in an exotic setting. Durante's back for this one, too, along with dancer Charisse and fatherly Leon Ames. How does this tropical post-war extravaganza look today? Let's begin on the set of movie star Rosalind Reynolds' (Williams) latest smash and find out...

The Story: Naval Lieutenant Lawrence "Larry" Kingslee (Lawford) gets a job on the set of Reynolds' movie as a technical advisor, just so he can dance with her. He saw her in a USO show at his base in the Pacific during World War II and fell for her, but she doesn't remember him. He finally flies away with her during a scene where she's supposed to sneak into a plane. They end up stranded on the island where he first met her. Her fiancée Ricardo Montez (Montalban) and the assistant director Jimmy Buckley (Durante) send a search party after her, but they end up caught by local natives. Even after they return, Reynolds helps Lawford avoid a court martial...but she still can't admit her own feelings for him, even as co-star Yvonne Torro (Charisse) goes after Ricardo.

The Song and Dance: At the very least, the story is a bit more creative than the bland romantic comedy trappings in This Time for Keeps. Lawford and Montalban are far more interesting leading men, too. Dick Simmons is also more appropriate as the stoic director than as a love interest. Durante has even more fun here with two separate running gags. He figures out what to do with the chihuahua Xaviar Cugat gives him after he plays with his orchestra and keeps putting off a little British girl (Kathryn Beaumont) whose mother insists she be given an audition. The color here is absolutely glorious, showing off the island settings to their best advantage.

Favorite Number: This is a rare musical where most of the best numbers are non-vocal. Montalban (dubbed by Bill Lee) does perform the title song in the opening, and we get two comedy numbers from Durante on the piano at the club, "I Know Darn Well I Can Do Without Broadway" and "I'll Do the Strut-Away In My Cut-Away." Charisse and Montalban get two nice dance numbers, a more typical ballroom duet with her in swirling yellow and black to Cugat at the nightclub, and a sexy dance for the film in a tropical bar with them sliding down the top. The huge "The Pagan Mask" watches Cyd Charisse and the glowing orange and yellow feather-clad native dancers as they swing her up the steps of a Hollywood jungle temple. 

Williams is showed to best advantage in two long swimming sequences. The first is a strange dream sequence that has Williams in a glittering green and khaki swimsuit beguiling Lawford as he remembers how they met, complete with him and Montalban getting into an underwater fight. Everyone is "All Aboard" as Williams joins the chorus for her big water ballet. 

Trivia: Despite the film making Hawaii a major tourist destination in the late 40's-early 50's, it was actually filmed in Florida.

Cyd Charisse tore ligaments in her knee getting thrown around during the "Pagan Mask" ceremonial dance. She'd already finished almost all of her dances and was seen in long-shots for the remaining filming...but it did take her out of her next scheduled film, Easter Parade. Esther Williams really did sprain her ankle falling into that hole and did her remaining scenes on crutches.

If Beaumont sounds familiar, she's best-known today as the voice of Alice in the Disney Alice In Wonderland and Wendy in Peter Pan. 

What I Don't Like: For all his charm, Larry really comes off as an obsessive stalker rather than a lover who desperately wants to meet a pretty woman. Roz had every right to be angry and scared after he kidnapped her. She shouldn't have defended him at the court martial, either, especially given he clearly didn't want her help. The two only end up together in the end because the plot says so, not because there's any real attraction. She seems more at ease with Montalban than she ever did with Lawford (who wasn't happy to be there to begin with). Montalban has very little to do beyond his two dance numbers and looking appropriately pretty and concerned, and Charisse has even less. 

The Big Finale: Plot problems aside, I still recommend this one for the good numbers and cast alone.

Home Media:  Easily found in several Esther Williams DVD collections and on streaming. 

DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Legends - Esther Williams, Vol. 1

Amazon Prime

This Time for Keeps (1947)

MGM, 1947

Starring Esther Williams, Johnnie Johnston, Lauritz Melichor, and Jimmy Durante

Directed by Richard Thorpe

Music and Lyrics by various

Esther Williams' second vehicle with her name over the title was this massive hit romantic comedy. MGM threw in the best they had to offer, including Xaviar Cugat and His Orchestra for the requisite Latin flair, opera star Melichor, comic second banana Durante, and songs from the classical and pop stages. How does this hodge podge about a returning soldier who falls in love with a swimming star look now? Let's begin at the opera, with beloved baritone Richard Herald (Melichor) performing for a sell-out audience that includes his son recently returned from overseas, and find out...

The Story: Herald's son, Richard II (Johnston), has no interest in becoming an opera singer. He now calls himself Dick Johnson and wants to sing pop. He's also no longer in love with the frigid socialite (Mary Stuart) he was engaged to before the war, but has a hard time explaining this to his parents. 

Dick catches a magazine with an advertisement for a big aquacade and it's star, Leonora "Nora" Cambaretti (Williams), and remembers how she sang with him when she performed at a veteran's hospital. He meets her backstage and takes her out to dinner, much to the consternation of her friend and manager, Ferdie Farro (Durante). Ferdie would rather she focused on her swimming and gets Dick a job with Xavier Cugat's band to get rid of him. Dick will not be easily swayed. He even charms Nora's grandmother (Dame May Whitty) and sister (Sharon McManus) when he joins her on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Trouble is, not only does he still have his fiancée, but Nora also has someone interested in her, the dull but dependable "doormat" Gordon (Dick Simmons).

The Song and Dance: The musical numbers and some decent lines from Williams and Durante are the only even remote reasons to catch this one. Melichor sings the heck out of his opera solos, especially the opening "Agnus Dei" sequence. Williams is a bit more assured here than in her first vehicle Bathing Beauty, Whitty is a delight as her strong-willed grandmother, and Durante gets far more to do than usual as her manager who is probably more concerned than he should be about her love life. Gorgeous Technicolor shows off real-life shooting at remote Mackinac Island in Michigan (which apparently hasn't changed a whole lot in 70 years). 

Favorite Number: Williams' first swimming number with Durante is "A Little of This and a Little of That," as Durante describes Williams frolicking in the pool for the injured veterans in his own imitable style. "Ten Percent Off" at the aquacade is a lot more elaborate, with Williams and the girls doing a striptease before they end up in the pool for their synchronized dance. Durante even ends up wet at one point when the pedestal his piano is on lowers underwater. 

"I Love to Dance" is a charmingly romantic number for singer Lina Lamay and dancer Tommy Wonder as they perform for Dick and Nora at the nightclub. Johnston performs the standard "I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time" on guitar at Grandmother's house on Mackinac Island. She's delighted - it's her favorite song - and despite Johnston's wooden demeanor, it is an adorable scene. Durante amuses chorus girls with his story of "The Man Who Found the Lost Chord" at a rehearsal.

What I Don't Like: First, the plot is cliched and ridiculously annoying. Nora's really right that everyone should leave her alone and let her decide which man she wants to be with. It also swings back and forth between LA and Michigan with no rhyme or reason, especially in the second half. And why is the whole thing set on Mackinac Island, anyway? To show off the color? 

There's casting problems, too. Johnston sings well, but has no personality whatsoever. He's a complete block of wood. Even the supposed "door mat" Simmons is (slightly) more interesting. Melichor's hamminess is better suited to the opera stage than film; he comes off as a commanding boor until his son yells at him for interfering with his engagement, then does a complete turn-around near the end and decide that his son should be with Nora. We also don't have a lot of swimming, besides those two routines in the beginning. For a Williams vehicle, too much of the focus is on the uninteresting Johnston.

The Big Finale: Not one of my favorite Esther Williams movies, thanks to the dull plot and bland leading men. It's really for major fans of her, Melichor, or Durante only. 

Home Media: Currently DVD only from the Warner Archives.

DVD

Family Fun Saturday - The Muppets Take Manhattan

Tri-Star, 1984

Starring The Muppets, Louis Zorich, Julianna Donald, and Lonny Price

Directed by Frank Oz

Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss

This would be the third and final Muppet feature-length film released during Jim Henson's lifetime. He worked on this one and The Dark Crystal at the same time, turning the directing reigns to this one over to his dear friend Oz. How does this love letter to the gritty Big Apple of the 1980's and "put on a show" backstage films look now? Let's begin at Danhurst College with their well-received senior show and find out...

The Story: That show is such a hit, the Muppets take it to Broadway. It doesn't go terribly well at first. Every producer in town looks at them like they're crazier than usual, and they almost get taken by a con-artist trying to swindle them out of their money. They all finally give up and leave town...except Kermit, who recruits a group of enterprising rats he meets at a diner and Jenny (Donald), the sweet daughter of the diner's owner (Zorich), to help him get the word out on their show. 

Piggy's not happy about sharing her Kermit, leading to a noisy chase with a mugger in Central Park. Even after they reconcile, Kermit still wants to sell the show. The day he does finally get young producer Ronnie Crawford (Price) interested, he suddenly disappears after a car accident. Now the Muppets have to search every nook and cranny in New York for their green buddy, before the show goes on without him.

The Song and Dance: This has been my favorite Muppet movie since it came out. Kermit and Piggy get some great gags, from Kermit's attempt to start a whispering campaign with the rats under the tables at Sardi's Restaurant to Piggy's "make-over" from Joan Rivers that somehow degenerates into the two smearing makeup on each other and screaming at the top of their lungs. Location shooting in the real New York, including Central Park and the actual Sardi's, adds to the authenticity. There's even a cameo from the mayor of New York at the time, Ed Kotch, during the "find Kermit" montage. 

Favorite Number: "Together Again" opens and closes the movie. The opening number has all of the Muppets in pastel suits, with a basic city backdrop as they perform. This is swapped for a number in front of the curtain in spangled tuxedoes when they finally make it to Broadway. Dr. Teeth insists that "You Can't Take No For an Answer" as every producer in New York slams their doors in the Muppets' faces. Don't be surprised if you shed a few tears during "Saying Goodbye" as the Muppets each go their separate ways. It's a truly emotional and heart-wrenching sequence. Rizzo and the Muppet rats do their own version of diner cooking, complete with swimming in the coffee and skating on the griddles, in the non-vocal "Rat Scat (Somethin' Cookin')." 

The big one here is "I'm Gonna Always Love You," Piggy's dream sequence in the park. This is the number that introduced the Muppet Babies (in their only big-screen appearances) to audiences. The number proved to be so popular (including in a music video), it lead to the creation of the Muppet Babies cartoon later that year...and yeah, I can see why. The Muppet Babies, especially Piggy, are adorable and huggable, and it's so funny watching Baby Rolf pound away on his toy piano and Baby Fozzie play with his rubber chicken. 

Trivia: One of three Muppet films currently owned by Sony/Columbia rather than Disney. (The other two are Muppets In Space and the direct-to-home-media Kermit's Swamp Years.)

What I Don't Like: Even more than the other two original Muppet films, the story is a mass of cliches from every backstage movie you ever saw. Kermit's disappearance in the second half adds a touch of spoof melodrama that doesn't really jive with the first half. And as with the first Muppet film, you may need to know something about the pop culture (and New York culture) of the mid-80's to understand many of the jokes and celebrity cameos. 

The Big Finale: Fast-paced and fun for Muppet fans or the whole family. (Just have tissues on hand for "Saying Goodbye.")

Home Media: Easy to find on DVD and streaming. The DVD usually shows up for under five dollars; the movie can often be seen streaming for free. It's currently free on Tubi and Amazon Prime. 

DVD

Tubi

Musicals On TV - It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman!

ABC, 1975

Starring Lesley Ann Warren, David Wilson, Kenneth Mars, and David Wayne

Directed by Jack Regas

Music by Charles Strouse; Lyrics by Lee Adams

Yes, even Superman, one of the biggest comic book characters ever, has been the subject of a musical. It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman debuted on Broadway in 1966. It wasn't a hit, but it did have a few songs that went over well. In 1975, ABC commissioned this updated version, featuring several major stars of the time, plus a newcomer as the Man of Steel. It was intended for prime-time...until ABC saw the results and dumped it on their late-night show Wide World of Entertainment. Does it deserve better nowadays, or should it be blown to bits? Let's start at The Daily Planet, just as its workers are revealing how they feel about Superman, and find out...

The Story: Everyone at The Daily Planet wants to know who Superman (Wilson) is and when he'll help Metropolis again. Reporter Lois Lane (Warren) has a crush on him after writing many articles about his activities. Gossip columnist Max Menken (Mars) is insanely jealous of all the love Superman gets from the public. His secretary Sydney (Loretta Swit) would rather he paid attention to her and his writing. Neither Lois nor Max realize that Superman is really quiet, unassuming Clark Kent (Wilson), whom Lois never notices. Planet editor Perry White (Allen Ludden) wishes they'd all pay attention to getting bigger scoops.

Menken isn't the only villain who has a bone to pick with Superman. Scientist Dr. Abner Segewick (Wayne) is furious and bitter over being snubbed for a Nobel Prize yet again. He is determined to destroy Sweden, and figures he has to get rid of Superman before that plan can proceed. Even a group of gangsters has it in for Superman - he keeps disrupting their operations. When Segewick unleashes his evil plan, it'll take Lois' faith and a reminder that he still has fans to remind Superman that generic gangsters and scientists are no match for the Man of Steel!

The Song and Dance: There's a reason this keeps getting revived regionally, even though the plot is no great shakes. Strouse and Adams crafted a decent score, with at least one showstopper in "You've Got Possibilities." Mars is thoroughly enjoying chewing that paper scenery to bits as the egotistical gossip hound, and Swift tosses in a few good zingers, usually at her boss' expense. And they do occasionally manage to make the cheap production work, especially when "bricks" fall in after Superman bursts through the paper walls. 

Favorite Number: We open with all of Metropolis, from the journalists on The Daily Planet to the cops and college kids on the street, explaining why "We Need Him." Lois gives her own opinion on why she's so crazy about a man she only knows when he's rescuing her with "It's Superman." The gangsters reveal why they love their homeland - and robbing it blind - in the one new song written for the show, "It's a Free Country."  Max tries to convince Lois "You're the Woman for the Man" in a charming soft-shoe, but despite her seeming interest, Lois remains faithful to Superman. Sydney tries her own seduction of Clark in the show's only standard, "You've Got Possibilities." It's Lois who reminds the gangsters that "I'm Not Down Yet" and Superman will save her when they've all been captured in the end.

Trivia: Though the original 1966 Broadway cast went over well with critics, it couldn't find an audience and shut down after four months. It's never been back on Broadway, but it has seen several well-received concerts, including an Encores! show in 2013. 

What I Don't Like: Other than Lois, Superman, and Perry White...what does any of this have to do with Superman? What's wrong with Lex Luthor for the villain? Worked in several movies and all of the cartoon series featuring Superman. Why didn't they use other regular Superman characters like Jimmy Olsen? The plot is witless, boring, and badly dated. Their attempts at the camp elements that still make the 1966 Batman TV show a hoot, like the paper comics sets, look cheap and silly here. Sedgewick takes down Superman with psychology? Why not kryptonite? And the same writers would go on to pen the screenplay for the first Christopher Reeve movie. Obviously, they did a lot more homework in the four years between this and the release of that blockbuster. 

The characters don't come off so great, either. Warren's Lois is too cutesy and annoyingly gosh-golly-gee. Her overwhelming desire to marry Superman is not only condescending, it doesn't at all match the narrator's (Gary Owens) description of her as a spunky reporter, or the tenacious Lois most people recognize today. Her ballad "What I've Always Wanted" is dated and overly-sweet, with its silly fantasy sequence, even if Warren does sing it well. Wilson is annoying and whiny whether he's Superman or Clark Kent. No wonder Lois doesn't notice him. 

I'm not a fan of the updated tempos on the songs, either. "You've Got Possibilities" in particular sounds totally wrong with funky guitar riffs and extra synthesizers. They cut a lot of the stage score, too. While I have to admit I enjoy "Free Country" (though some of its lines sound a little too on-the-nose right now), among the losses are another number for Clark ("Doing Good"), for Max Menken ("So Long, Big Guy"), and a nice ballad that admittedly was for a character who didn't mean much to the plot ("We Don't Matter at All"). 

The Big Finale: The cast and a few good songs can't overcome the cheap production, badly dated plot, lousy villains, and dull performances. Only if you're a really, really huge Superman fan. Look up the not-bad original cast album for this show on CD instead. 

Home Media: Currently, this rarity can only be found on YouTube.

YouTube

Cult Flops - The Return of Captain Invincible

Jensen Farley Pictures/Seven Keys, 1983

Starring Alan Arkin, Kate Fitzpatrick, Christopher Lee, and Michael Pate

Directed by Phillppe Mora

Music and Lyrics by various

Superheroes, especially of late, have conquered almost every media they've appeared in, from comics to TV to radio...except the musical stage. As anyone who saw Spider Man, Turn Off the Dark on-stage a decade ago can tell you, superhero cliches, with people flying and throwing things around and villains with insane world-domination plans, don't really mix well with bursting into song and huge dance routines. Spider Man wasn't even the first attempt to mix superhero and musical conventions, as we'll discover with our first two entries this week. How does this major sci-fi flop from Australia look nowadays, with far more serious science fiction hitting theaters? Let's start with a newsreel detailing more about the incredible career of Captain Invincible and find out...

The Story: Captain Invincible was the most beloved hero in the United States during the late 30's and 40's, defeating gangsters and Nazis alike...until he went under suspicion in the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950's. Before he can be arrested, he takes off into the horizon, never to be seen again.

In the early 80's, New York is hit by a strange ray that makes immigrants want to instantly leave their homes and move to a certain housing project on the edge of the mainland. The President of the United States, who a huge Captain Invincible fan, wants the Man of Magnet back on the job. Policewoman Patty Patria (Fitzpatrick) is the last person to have seen him...wandering around, muttering and drunk. It's up to Patty to get him back into fighting shape and bolster his confidence in truth, justice, and the American way. Supervillain Mr. Midnight (Lee) has his own plans for Invincible...and he won't let him get in the way of his plans for world domination.

The Song and Dance: This is one of those movies where everything is so weird, after a while, you just sit back and run with it. Arkin and especially Lee throw themselves into their roles, chewing every bit of scenery in sight, and have a marvelous time doing so. And who knew Lee in particular had a pretty darn decent voice? His part of "Mr. Evil Midnight" is a rich, campy delight. For an Australian production, there's also more goofy jokes about America than you can shake a red, white, and blue flag at, especially involving Midnight's hideout in the deli and Patty's speech over "The American Eagle Network."

Favorite Number: "We Need a Hero" starts with the President cursing out his underlings when they can't figure out how to handle Midnight's scheme, and ends with him leading the heads of a military in a chorus routine saluting the government's need to call in for help. Meanwhile, Captain Invincible laments about his lost career pointing out that the good and the bad aren't so different in the country flavored "Amazing How They're Alike." 

"Mr. Evil Midnight" is another huge chorus routine, as Invincible explains to Patty and the riders on the subway what Midnight does, while Midnight sings about his delight in being nasty with his scantily-clad chorus girls. Lee also gets to show off his wonderful voice as he and his devilish dancers try to coerce Invincible to "Name Your Poison" and return to drinking.

What I Don't Like: Even for a satire, this doesn't make a shred of sense. The movie just cuts from incident to action sequence to musical number with no rhyme or reason. Many important bits of information, including how Midnight finally regains his powers and him rescuing the trapped new home owners in the end, are alluded to but not shown. 

Midnight's plan revolves around forcing ethnic families out of the country in the hopes that white Americans will cheer him for it...and it tends to hit a little too close to the mark with the racial tension in the US lately. Other aspects, including those stereotypes and all of Invincible's bellyaching about the changes in America between 1950 and 1983, are almost annoyingly dated. It's also pretty obvious Kirpatrick was dubbed (although the bad sync may have been intentional), and her soft rock ballad is the silliest and most boring song in the film.

The Big Finale: No movie with Christopher Lee can be all bad, and indeed, while not a lost treasure, this one can be a lot of fun. It really lives in its own warped world where the usual logic doesn't apply. If you can run with that and are a fan of superhero movies or Lee, you may get as much of a kick out of this one as I did.  

Home Media: As far as I can tell, currently DVD only.

DVD

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Mighty Kong

Warner Bros, 1998

Voices of Dudley Moore, Jodi Benson, Randy Hamilton, and William Sage III

Directed by Art Scott

Music and Lyrics by Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman

Everything was ripe for an animated adaptation in the 90's and early 2000's. Swan Lake? The Ten Commandments?  Hamlet done with lions on the African savannah? Why not? Disney made it work. Unfortunately, many of these stories weren't really suited for children and were often cut down so badly, they came off as condescending towards and barely related to their source material. Case in point, this Warners direct-to-home-media version of the beloved 1933 horror fantasy King Kong. What can an animated film do with one of the most famous and bizarre love stories in Hollywood history? To find out, we begin in New York as columnist Walter Winchell announces the closing of producer and filmmaker Carl Denham's (Moore) latest show.

The Story: Denham has bigger ideas than merely featuring fake animals onstage. Grabbing Ann Darrow (Jodi Benson), a thief and aspiring actress, off the street, he declares he'll be making a movie. They board a ship bound for the South Pacific and staffed with skeptical sailors, especially first mate Jack Driscoll (Randy Hamilton). 

After being pounded by a storm, they end up at tropical Skull Island, the home of natives who practice human sacrifice to appease their "god," a giant gorilla they call King Kong (Moore). The big primate takes to Ann, fighting several dinosaurs in his jungle home for her. Denham insists on taking him back to New York and making him the star of his show. Ann realizes Kong is literally too big for New York...which Denham realizes too late after Kong frees himself and goes on a rampage down Broadway!

The Animation: Pretty much what you'd find on any Warners animated TV show of the 90's. Truth be told, while the bright colors and character design look half-way decent, the backgrounds are often too simple, especially when the action returns to New York. 

The Song and Dance: Surprisingly good cast for this one. Moore is appropriately smarmy as the ambitious filmmaker who's bitten off a lot more than he can chew in displaying Kong, and even did Kong's growls. Benson makes a sweet and spunky Morrow, too. 

Favorite Number: "CB Denham's Wild Animal Follies," the opening number, and the title song are too goofy spoofs of typical chorus routines, particularly "Wild Animal Follies," with its ridiculous flying animal puppets and dancing gorillas. Denham works to convince Ann to "Sign With Me"...and it's no more impressive to her than it is to us. "Sweet Dolly of Popolli," Benson's number on the ship, somehow turns into a tropical fantasy with her doing something like a hula with overly cutesy animals and bad jungle backdrops. 

Trivia: Dudley Moore's last movie before his untimely death in 2002. 

What I Don't Like: King Kong was never intended to be a musical of any stripe, let alone animated. It didn't work on Broadway in 2013 (where apparently the only thing worth recommending was the giant Kong puppet), and it doesn't work here. The songs are witless and boring when they're not stupid. The three chorus numbers are particularly silly and badly animated. 

Ann and Jack's romance crops up suddenly mid-way through for no particular reason, complete with a dreadfully sappy ballad. Jack's sexist remarks about Ann on the ship and the native stereotypes were passable in the original film due to them being fairly typical of the time period, but are almost unthinkably offensive nowadays. Ricky the cabin boy and his monkey serve no purpose whatsoever besides being cute comic relief and a few ship-board gags involving the monkey. 

The Big Finale: If you want to introduce your kids to King Kong, show them the original film on TCM and explain that the stereotypes and sexism are typical of the time, or show older kids the Peter Jackson-helmed remake. Only extreme fans of Moore, Benson, or the Sherman Brothers need apply.

Home Media: Expensive on made-to-order DVD. Streaming is your best bet if you absolutely must see this. Tubi currently has it for free.

DVD

Tubi