Reviews (12)

The two classic Brady Bunch Marcia, Marcia, Marcia episodes
We are not talking lofty standards here when we recognize the fact that this particular set of episodes from "The Brady Bunch" contains two of the show's signature episodes from the perspective of American pop culture. The common denominator here is the oldest female Brady, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), in what are clearly her two most famous misadventures. "Getting Davy Jones" (Episode #61, December 10, 1971) has Marcia promising to get teenage hearthrob Davy Jones of the Monkees to sing at her school prom. Unfortunately, this appearance is news to Davy. Good thing this is a television comedy otherwise this would end badly for Marcia. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia gets her comeuppance in "The Subject Was Noses" (Episode #90, February 9, 1973), when she gets hit in the nose with a football. The nose swells up like a balloon and because of the disfigurement Marcia's boyfriend Doug Simpson (Nicholas Hammond) ditches her. Obviously no great loss, but it sure bothers little miss vanity. For fan's of neglected sister Jan this has to be the most popular episode of "The Brady Bunch" ever. You do not have to like these episodes let alone "The Brady Bunch," but you do have to at least know about them as touchstones of pop culture. P.S. Pay attention to the guest stars besides Davy Jones on these episodes and their importance in television history. The first one has Marcia Wallace, who went on to success on "The Bob Newhart Show" as receptionist Carol Kester and who know provides the voice for Bart's teacher Edna Krabappel on "The Simpsons." Nicholas Hammond from the other episode ended up as television's "Spider-Man" after being one of the Von Trapp children in "The Sound of Music."

Girl, look what you've done to me ....
Classic Brady! Do you know any girl who, not only got a rock star to play at her prom, but got a date out of him? Only Marcia could pull this off! I remember when it originally aired in the 70's and had dreams of meeting the infamous Monkee (OK, I was 6 years old and hadn't discovered "Tiger Beat" yet). The clothes and hairdews alone make the episode (check out Davey's dorky mananger and Marcia's groovy poncho). On a footnote: did actually meet Davey 15 years later during a Monkees Reunion, a disappointment. Better on tape, than in person.

Of course it's stupid fantasy...
and this video is worth the money just to hear the black girl in the Davy Jones episode ask Marcia (referring to Davy) -- all excited and bubbly -- "is he as neat as he looks?" Yeah, right. I like the end of the episode when Marcia and Davy stand side by side, and you can get an idea of just how short Davy is - he is shorter than Maureen McCormick. The "oh my nose" episode is pure fantasy -- and as for Marcia episode it's right up there with the Romeo and Juliet and braces episode --the family that paints together? Marcia's swollen nose disappears overnight? The Big Man on Campus asks Marcia out? She ultimately chooses Charlie the awkward delivery boy? And in the former episode, Marcia enters Davy's recording studio -- while he's recording no less -- without any problems? If you ask these questions then you definitely won't enjoy it. If you don't care about reality...then this is the best! Crank up "Girl" and drive your neighbors nuts!

A Great Show For Its Pure and Utter Stupidity
The Brady Bunch is a guilty pleasure of mine. It's ridiculously cheesey and stupid and unrealistic, but it's a great show to watch and make fun of. Plus it's a good show to help cheer you up, or to watch when you're sick.

Still, it's pretty stupid. I mean (everyone knows this already) the Brady family is SO perfect, what with the dad always giving horrible speeches everytime the kids say something mean to each other (they don't much, though), but most of the time he just does the ridiculous speeches for no reason. The kids are terriblly happy all the time, and the situations they always get themselves into are just plain dumb!

Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) is only there to say stuff like "Oh, Mike," or "Your father's right." The kids are all very one dimensional yet fun to watch. Alice does nothing but say dumb jokes however I respect Ann B. Davis as an actress (not that she is one anymore).

Of course everyone also know that the late Michael Reed dispised this show, and he had good reason, especially with the way his character acts. Everyone seems to regret starring on this show! Serious. Just watch the E True Hollywood Story on The Brady Bunch, and see. Susan Olsen (Cindy) sais she's been stereotyped ever since. Barry Williams (Greg) claims it's now very hard to get a job, and Florence Henderson sais the show was to unrealistic, and so on.

Still, you gotta love the show. How can't you? The people that hate this show have no heart. I'm mean, it's a horrible show, but it's a wonderful show! Sound strange? Sorry, but come on, even you people who bash it here really love it, and you know it. Why? Because it's really entertaining, and some episodes are actually GOOD (the Hawaii episode early in the show).

Don't buy these DVDs, the show is on all the time. But do buy the Brady movies, they're hilarious!

Later

Don't knock him!!
For Pamela, I'm sorry David didn't fulfill your dreams. He is really a wonderful guy - YOU should try to make EVERYONE happy for a while and see how you do at it! David would feel terrible that he hurt your feelings. I've gotten to know him in the last few years, and he is sweet, charming, kind and considerate. Whatever happened at the concert you attended, he had his reasons for his behavior. He's not perfect - but then neither are ANY of us!! Please don't defile his character. He gets enough S**t from fair-weather fans who don't "know" him . He's a very special guy!! Give it another try - things will work out better next time!! Believe me, it's worth the effort!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Like "Ocean's 11" at sea
Adapted from a great book by Jack Finney (who wrote the original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"), "Assault" follows the exploits of a bunch of losers who hit the big time when they discover a sunken U-Boat, a german sub from WWII. Restoring the sub, they plot to use it in an unbelievable act of high-seas piracy. Setting their sights on the queen of the seas, the Queen Mary, they set out in their purloined sub to rattle disarmed torpedoes at it. The plot allows some lapses in credibility (though there's only the 5 would-be pirates, compared to the numbers it would take to run a real U-boat, but that's acceptable since nothing else goes right for them.

The novel is worth a good read, but the film works its own groove - the genial soldier's of fortune of the book are replaced by a more flavorful mix, including Sinatra as the hero and the great Tony Franciosa as his rival in morality and for the love of Virna Lisi. The former U-boat ace, whose Nazi past was a wedge between him and the Americans in the book, doesn't seem so out of place among them here. Though the film junks the book's best premise of showing how these otherwise honest joes jump the line into the criminal world, it more than makes up for that with a snappy script by Rod Serling and a jazzy score by Ellington. You won't love these charachters, but you'll still be glued to them. By the time Tony Franciosa makes it aboard the Queen Mary in the uniform of an RN submariner, you'll be yelling at the screen "Leftanant! Leftanant!! There are no Liuetenants in the Royal Navy!"

Sinatra raises a German U-Boat to hijack the Queen Mary
Frank Sinatra plays Mark Brittain, a former submarine officer, who joins rich Italian beauty Rosa Lucchesi (Virna Lisi) and her partners Vic Rossiter (Tony Franciosa) and Eric Lauffnauer (Alf Kjellin) in diving for lost treasure off the coast of Florida. When they discover a sunken German submarine, Luaffnauer the former U-Boat commander convinces the others to raise the sub and use it to hijack the Queen Mary. "Assault on a Queen" drags a little bit when they are restoring the sub, but the actual attempt at hijacking redeems the film. You know things are not going to work according to plan but you have to believe Sinatra's character is going to come out of this ahead. Still, you can never be sure. This 1966 film was directed by Jack Donohue and had a script by Rod Serling from the novel by Jack Finney. Final Note: The music for "Assault on a Queen" was by Duke Ellington.

One of the best Sinatra vehicles
This captivated me as it was about a duo who took life as it was presented, but tried to capitalize when life was presented to them. I always thought how life would be on the run. This movie encapsulates this thought pattern throughout! The gumption that the cast portrays in trying to rob one of the largest ocean liners in existence is guts personified. This is a great, although implausible, movie, even by today's standards. Rent or buy this movie. You will not be sorry!

A good Sinatra action movie.
A group of would-be pirates use a recovered german submarine to attempt to rob the ocean liner H.M.S Queen Mary. This was not academy award winning picture and there were no outstanding performances by the cast. It is an entertaining film none the less due to the interesting plot. The undersea photography was very good especially shots of the submarine. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Jan Brady tries to emerge from sister Marcia's shadow
The people who put together these volumes of two episodes from "The Brady Bunch" did it right with the thematic approach that focuses on a particular character. This volume welcomes us to the unhappy world of Jan Brady (Eve Plump). As we all remember, Jan is the middle daughter in the Brady Bunch, but that does not matter because the cosmic joke played out repeatedly at Jan's expense is that she is the younger sister of Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia (Maureen McCormick). First up is "Will the Real Jan Brady Please Stand Up?" (Episode #40, January 15, 1971) where Jan tries to change her personality with a brown wig. "Her Sister's Shadow" (Episode #59, November 19, 1971) has Jan trying to repeat her sister's success in the marvelous world of pom-poms. Actually, this is the episode where Jan finally arrives at the key insight in her psychological makeup when she admits that she wants to win at something so badly but does not know what to do. All too often we find the Brady's too be pathetic; but this is one time when Jan become a true figure of pathos. If you are a Jan fan, this volume of "The Brady Bunch" is the one you will treasure the most.

Some of the best Brady episodes ever
One of the great things about the Brady Bunch was that it was a show about some of the problems kids have to face while growing up. This video contains two classic episodes "Will the Real Jan Brady Please Stand Up" and "Her Sister's Shadow". Marcia is one of the most popular, smartest, and prettiest girls in school. Both of these episodes deals with how Jan has to live in Marcia's shadow, resulting in some of the best episodes ever made. No Brady collection is complete without this video. A must for all Brady fans!

Do you love the Brady Bunch? Then check this out!
Every Brady fan worthy of their bell bottom pants knows these two episodes already.

Do you remember when Jan decided to buy a black curly wig so she would stand out from her sisters? How about when Jan thought that Marsha's great accomplishments at school were overshadowing her own? - you know, the "Marsha, Marsha Marsha" episode?

The Brady Bunch is still as amazing a show, as it was in the 1970's with a following that is one-of-a-kind.

No Brady fan's collection would be complete without these two classic "Jan" episodes. ... Read more

Description

What do you do when you have a beautiful house, two great children, and a Marriage on the Rocks? If you're bored Val Edwards (Deborah Karr), you swap your fuddy-duddy hubby Dan (Frank SInatra) for his swingin' bachelor best friend Ernie (Dean Martin) - and watch the spraks fly. Ol' Blue Eyes breezes through this romantic comedy romp at the head of an all-star cast. Along for the laughs are frequent Sinatra co-stars Martin, Cesar Romero, and Tony Bill, plud daughter Nancy Sinatra and Kerr. The fun starts when the Edwards take a second honeymoon in Mexico and fall into the hands of the quickie-divorce/quickie-marriage lawyer Romero. Faster then jumping beans, everybody's unhitched, rehitched, confused, confounded, and cohabitating. But Dan has the right attitude. "We had a bad marriage", he says. "Let's have a happy divorce!" ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Delight
This is a great movie. If you love Frank Sinatra, you'll love this one. It is a light hearted comedy, with all the charm and pizazz that Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin give the screen. You will smile all from beginning to end at all the confusion that erupts. It is must see for all the fans of 1950s and 1060s movies. ... Read more

Description

Enjoy a happy excursion into the world of Mother Goose in Walt Disney's first musical production! All roads lead to magical, merry Toyland as Mary Contrary and Tom Piper prepare for their wedding! But villainous Barnaby wants Mary for himself, so he kidnaps Tom, setting off a series of comic chases, searches, and double-crosses! The "March Of The Wooden Soldiers" helps put Barnaby in his place, and ensures a "happily ever after" for Tom and Mary! This joyful musical fantasy is a delightful experience for the whole family! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Marching Wooden Soldiers
This DVD release of this film adds nothing to the VHS, so do not think you are getting a better copy. No Widescreen, no re-mastering, and no extras. I will keep my VHS copy for now. Now on to the original film itself:

In this 1961 film was the first true live-action musical from the Walt Disney Studio, Tommy Sands is paired up with America's girl next door who got her start with Walt Disney, Annette Funicello. Also the famous Ray Bolger and Ed Wynn are featured, and Ann Jillian was a child actor in this movie. There is more great talent from the Disney in-house stable of stars, Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran, who played brothers in "Old Yeller", and "Swiss Family Robinson".

The story is simple enough, we are in Mother Goose land and the villain shrinks our heroes to toy size. They must enlist help from the toys in the Toymaker's shop to fight back. The effects were eye-popping at the time, and to see a toy army coming to life and fight the bad guys is a great treat for kids. The movie has some real fun stop motion style animation, where the toys are made to look like they are alive (30 years before computer animation did it for "Toy Story"). The Christmas parade at Disneyland has featured replicas of the marching soldiers from this film for over 40 years. The beautiful wooden toys that are seen in the film were all designed by veteran animator Ward Kimball. (X. Atencio and Bill Justice joined Ward on the stop-animation to bring the custom made toys to life).

The movie was promoted in advance on the Walt Disney television show, in a 1961 episode that also promoted "The Parent Trap", (the episode is "The Title Makers"). The film was promoted again that year in an episode called "Backstage Party", which celebrated the completion of the film and gave the viewers a tour of the studio. The sets specially built at the studio were so unique, they found a temporary home at Disneyland from the films release to 1963, and people could actually visit them inside the Opera House on Main Street.

The best part of the film is the music, which is the true star of any musical. The musical score features 11 songs from the in-house team of George Bruns (music) and Mel Leven (lyrics), and their score was nominated for an Academy Award.

But even with the music, great stars, incredible sets, special effects, nice costumes, the script and dialogue left a lot to be desired so the film is a dud for adults. Uncle Walt hated the end product, but gamely tried to promote it as best he could and use it as an exercise for the studio to lean from. Just 4 years later he released the studios biggest live-action fim ever, a musical to beat all musicals, "Mary Poppins". The lesson had worked.

Watch Babes in Toyland with light expectations, see it for the toys, and enjoy the music.

Not quite a classic but still an exceptional holiday movie
While it can't quite compare to the exemplary Laurel & Hardy 'March Of The Wooden Soldiers' this 1961 Disney version of the classic Victor Herbert operetta remains perfect holiday entertainment for young children. As always you can rely on any Walt Disney film from this era, their golden age, to have a terrific music score replete with memorable songs, the requisite slapstick routines, a nasty villain you love to hate and of course a happy ending. Ed Wynn as the Toymaker, Ray Bolger as the heavy, Mr. Barnaby, and especially Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon as the hapless duo who assist Barnaby in his evil scheme are all fine; the climax of the film featuring the now legendary attack of the toy soldiers is handled quite well also. The set design is well conceived and the photography is excellent making great use of the brilliant and splashy colors scattered throughout. While it is thoroughly entertaining for the young audience at which it is squarely aimed to please it could be heavy going for adults who don't favor Disney films. My advice is to relax, take off your thinking cap temporarily and enjoy the onscreen shenanigans and exuberant musical numbers presented here.

What Was the Original Aspect Ratio for This Movie?
Babes in Toyland, Disneys remake of the old black and white Laurel and Hardy classic March of the Wooden Soldiers is a good movie and has bright colors that reminds me of movies like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and like those movies Babes in Toyland has cute catchy songs and delightful acting. Annette Funicello, Tommy Sands, Tommy Kirk and the rest of the cast are a delight and it's nice that this movie is now on DVD but I have heard that the movie on this DVD is only presented in fullscreen and not widescreen. Was this movie filmed in widescreen or fullframe? I see the movie was made in the 1960's and by then widescreen was how the majority of theatrical movies were filmed so I wouldn't want to buy this DVD if it was edited.

Its great!
Iffin ya want the real Babes in Toyland this is the movie you want! Its got little boy blue, its got peter piper, its got a lot of the characters from mother goose rhymes. The characters discussions are great and unless you pay attention ya won't notice that they speak in rhyme it flows that great. They go visit the toymaker after they have stumbled into the forest of no return, the help him make the toys since his assitant grumio made a right royal mess and blew up a lot of the toy factory. I have seen several different versions of the Babes in Toyland but this is the only one that I think does justice to it!

What a wonderous Journey!!!!!
Just when you feel you cannot find a movie that you could bare to show to young childrenand adults at the same time,here it comes, dancing along with a lovely lilt. It's one of those movies that will bring joy and happy memroies to you and create them for your children as they join Barnaby, Mary, Tom, Mother goose and everyone else in this perils of Pauline style movie. The movie stars Ray Bolger as Barnaby, the evil, but cute and lovable villian who has his infamous stovepipe hat that seems almost as tall as he is, dances around cape in tow, chasing Mary about, because he wants her inheritance. Ray's dancing and old comic villian style add to the uniqueness of this movie. Ray showed yet another wonder facet of his amazing talent here. He plots to drown Mary's fiancee, Tom, and the plan later falls through, with Mary and Tom marrying at the end. The movie has no vulgar language, no sexual innudendoes, no real viewable violence, and is a delightful story. Your family will love the slightly loudmouthed goose who really tries to lay it into barnaby for being so evil. Great movie, I highly recommend it. ;-) Mrs. Barnaby ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Brady Bunch Should Have Complete Season DVD Boxsets!
I was 4 years old when The Brady Bunch aired on TV for the first time and I grew up watching some of the original airings and the syndicated reruns. These two episodes are very good. My favorite is the episode titled Tattletale where Cindy drives everyone crazy with her constant snitching which results in Alice the housekeeper's boyfriend Sam getting mad at Alice and breaking her heart by cancelling their date and Cindy has to set things right. The episode Law & Disorder is good too. Bobby becomes a hall safetly monitor at school and he angers his friends when he becomes way too bossy and at home he makes everyone mad when he accuses them of breaking the rules including Greg who was late getting home, but it turns out that Greg had a very good reason for being late and soon Bobby will learn a lesson when has to break a rule to help a friend find her cat who is lost in an old condemned house. It's great that these two episodes are on tape but I would really like to see the whole show get on DVD in complete season DVD boxsets!

BRADYS ARE PRICELESS
I have to admit, I was skeptical at first about buying this video..being a big time Brady fan...I am glad I did..will buy more..wish they had this on dvd...like some shows have a whole season...someone needs to do that with this classic show!

One Of The **BEST** TV Shows Ever Made!!
I grew up with the Brady Bunch. I have seen every episode at least three times. I have seen some episodes more than that. I hope to get this tape for Christmas. I love the episode Law & Disorder. It has always been one of my favorite episodes. I also love the Tattletale episode. It's so funny when Greg is making a face at Cindy in the beginning of the Tattletale episode.

If you haven't seen this show I suggest either buying this tape or watching it on TV Land or on Nick At Nite. You won't be sorry if you do.

A great video collection
This video contains two of the best episodes involving the two youngest children, Cindy and Bobby. In the first episode, "The Tattletale", Cindy does what she does best: snitching. She drives the rest of the family crazy with her tattling. The second episode, "Law and Disorder", features Bobby, who wants to be the best hall monitor in school. However, he brings his job home with him and rats on all of his siblings.

These are two great episodes, especially for fans of the younger Bradys.

These two episodes were really good for any Brady lover.
These episodes were really good, particulary because Cindy is my favorite character, and "The Tattletale" is focused around Cindy. In "Law and Disorder", Bobby wants to be a good safety monitor, but becomes really bossy at school and at home. He goes too far, but then he saves a girl's cat, and in doing so, he breaks a rule and rethinks the concept of rules. "The Tattletale" is about Cindy tattling on other people so much that the Brady kids start avoiding her. Then she tries to stop tattling so much that she almost loses something that is important to Alice. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Complete Season DVD Boxsets Would be Nice!
I was 4 years old when The Brady Bunch was on TV for the first time with their pilot episode Honeymoon and it is one of my favorite episodes as well as the Camping episode, both episodes are great with really cute humor and I would like to see The Brady Bunch put on DVD in complete season boxsets!

Classic... BUT.... Something's missing....
Honeymoon is the first episode, where they "must somehow form a family" -- Mike and ... get married.

A Camping We Will Go is a classic from early in the series where they are still trying to form a family.

HOWEVER, having watched these episodes when they first ran, this video seems to have trimmed scenes out of both episodes! Especially in the camping video, there seems to be NO support for the girls projecting the bear onto the boys tent. In the original I saw, the boys did something to provoke it. NOT IN THIS VIDEO. So dissapointed. I've noticed the same thing (cut scenes) in the Gilligan's Island videos from AOL/TimeWarner.

Anyone else notice this? Am I dreaming?

Yet another collection of great Brady episodes.
This video collection contains two episodes "The Honeymoon" and "A Camping We Will Go". For all of you classic TV buffs, you'll be interested to know that the first episode in this collection is the pilot for the series, and explains how Mike and Carol got married. In the second episode, Mike offers to bring the girls on an annual camping trip with Greg, Peter, and Bobby, much to their dismay. You can be sure that some interesting things will happen. Almost reminds me of the camping scenes in The Parent Trap. A truely classic episode.

These are two of the greatest episodes from the first season of The Brady Bunch, and is an excellent addition to your home library.

I think that these are the 2 best episodes
I think that these 2 episofdes are 2 of the best they did. They are both funny abd heartwarming and both show the true Brady spirit in the end. The two families constant changes as they adapt to thier new life styles are hilarious, and the "bear" beats them all.

This video contains the "Pilot" episode.
In the pilot episode, "The Honeymoon", Carol (and her 3 daughters) marries Mike Brady (and his 3 sons). The battle of boys against girls begins in classic Brady Bunch style!

In the second episode, "A Camping We Will Go", the Brady boys are not exactly happy when their dad invites Carol and the girls on their annual camping trip. The boys do everything in their power to ensure that the girls will never want to go camping again!

If you're into TV pilot episodes, there are lots of other ones available at Amazon.com. I have a list of over 70 so far! ... Read more

Description

Enjoy a happy excursion into the world of Mother Goose in Walt Disney's first musical production! All roads lead to magical, merry Toyland as Mary Contrary and Tom Piper prepare for their wedding! But villainous Barnaby wants Mary for himself, so he kidnaps Tom, setting off a series of comic chases, searches, and double-crosses! The "March Of The Wooden Soldiers" helps put Barnaby in his place, and ensures a "happily ever after" for Tom and Mary! This joyful musical fantasy is a delightful experience for the whole family! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Marching Wooden Soldiers
This DVD release of this film adds nothing to the VHS, so do not think you are getting a better copy. No Widescreen, no re-mastering, and no extras. I will keep my VHS copy for now. Now on to the original film itself:

In this 1961 film was the first true live-action musical from the Walt Disney Studio, Tommy Sands is paired up with America's girl next door who got her start with Walt Disney, Annette Funicello. Also the famous Ray Bolger and Ed Wynn are featured, and Ann Jillian was a child actor in this movie. There is more great talent from the Disney in-house stable of stars, Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran, who played brothers in "Old Yeller", and "Swiss Family Robinson".

The story is simple enough, we are in Mother Goose land and the villain shrinks our heroes to toy size. They must enlist help from the toys in the Toymaker's shop to fight back. The effects were eye-popping at the time, and to see a toy army coming to life and fight the bad guys is a great treat for kids. The movie has some real fun stop motion style animation, where the toys are made to look like they are alive (30 years before computer animation did it for "Toy Story"). The Christmas parade at Disneyland has featured replicas of the marching soldiers from this film for over 40 years. The beautiful wooden toys that are seen in the film were all designed by veteran animator Ward Kimball. (X. Atencio and Bill Justice joined Ward on the stop-animation to bring the custom made toys to life).

The movie was promoted in advance on the Walt Disney television show, in a 1961 episode that also promoted "The Parent Trap", (the episode is "The Title Makers"). The film was promoted again that year in an episode called "Backstage Party", which celebrated the completion of the film and gave the viewers a tour of the studio. The sets specially built at the studio were so unique, they found a temporary home at Disneyland from the films release to 1963, and people could actually visit them inside the Opera House on Main Street.

The best part of the film is the music, which is the true star of any musical. The musical score features 11 songs from the in-house team of George Bruns (music) and Mel Leven (lyrics), and their score was nominated for an Academy Award.

But even with the music, great stars, incredible sets, special effects, nice costumes, the script and dialogue left a lot to be desired so the film is a dud for adults. Uncle Walt hated the end product, but gamely tried to promote it as best he could and use it as an exercise for the studio to lean from. Just 4 years later he released the studios biggest live-action fim ever, a musical to beat all musicals, "Mary Poppins". The lesson had worked.

Watch Babes in Toyland with light expectations, see it for the toys, and enjoy the music.

Not quite a classic but still an exceptional holiday movie
While it can't quite compare to the exemplary Laurel & Hardy 'March Of The Wooden Soldiers' this 1961 Disney version of the classic Victor Herbert operetta remains perfect holiday entertainment for young children. As always you can rely on any Walt Disney film from this era, their golden age, to have a terrific music score replete with memorable songs, the requisite slapstick routines, a nasty villain you love to hate and of course a happy ending. Ed Wynn as the Toymaker, Ray Bolger as the heavy, Mr. Barnaby, and especially Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon as the hapless duo who assist Barnaby in his evil scheme are all fine; the climax of the film featuring the now legendary attack of the toy soldiers is handled quite well also. The set design is well conceived and the photography is excellent making great use of the brilliant and splashy colors scattered throughout. While it is thoroughly entertaining for the young audience at which it is squarely aimed to please it could be heavy going for adults who don't favor Disney films. My advice is to relax, take off your thinking cap temporarily and enjoy the onscreen shenanigans and exuberant musical numbers presented here.

What Was the Original Aspect Ratio for This Movie?
Babes in Toyland, Disneys remake of the old black and white Laurel and Hardy classic March of the Wooden Soldiers is a good movie and has bright colors that reminds me of movies like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and like those movies Babes in Toyland has cute catchy songs and delightful acting. Annette Funicello, Tommy Sands, Tommy Kirk and the rest of the cast are a delight and it's nice that this movie is now on DVD but I have heard that the movie on this DVD is only presented in fullscreen and not widescreen. Was this movie filmed in widescreen or fullframe? I see the movie was made in the 1960's and by then widescreen was how the majority of theatrical movies were filmed so I wouldn't want to buy this DVD if it was edited.

Its great!
Iffin ya want the real Babes in Toyland this is the movie you want! Its got little boy blue, its got peter piper, its got a lot of the characters from mother goose rhymes. The characters discussions are great and unless you pay attention ya won't notice that they speak in rhyme it flows that great. They go visit the toymaker after they have stumbled into the forest of no return, the help him make the toys since his assitant grumio made a right royal mess and blew up a lot of the toy factory. I have seen several different versions of the Babes in Toyland but this is the only one that I think does justice to it!

What a wonderous Journey!!!!!
Just when you feel you cannot find a movie that you could bare to show to young childrenand adults at the same time,here it comes, dancing along with a lovely lilt. It's one of those movies that will bring joy and happy memroies to you and create them for your children as they join Barnaby, Mary, Tom, Mother goose and everyone else in this perils of Pauline style movie. The movie stars Ray Bolger as Barnaby, the evil, but cute and lovable villian who has his infamous stovepipe hat that seems almost as tall as he is, dances around cape in tow, chasing Mary about, because he wants her inheritance. Ray's dancing and old comic villian style add to the uniqueness of this movie. Ray showed yet another wonder facet of his amazing talent here. He plots to drown Mary's fiancee, Tom, and the plan later falls through, with Mary and Tom marrying at the end. The movie has no vulgar language, no sexual innudendoes, no real viewable violence, and is a delightful story. Your family will love the slightly loudmouthed goose who really tries to lay it into barnaby for being so evil. Great movie, I highly recommend it. ;-) Mrs. Barnaby ... Read more

Description

The star of a third-rate theatrical troupe in Miami catches the attention of a Broadway songwriter. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Lucky Me
Doris Day stars as Phil Silvers partner in his Broadway show that is a flop called Parisian Pretties a long with 2 other people. Phil is a down and out person who is a looser and a free loader who depends on Doris for the rent and a lot of other things. Doris meets a famous screen wright while working at a HOTEL to pay off their big debt and when Phil finds out he tries to convince her to tell them about him and to try to get him to help them out and get them a chance in the big life. But Doris teaches Phil that the best way to get anywhere is to work for it! So they get into the play and turn from sad people to happy people and Doris finds love.

Suffers from Widescreen cropping
This film was made in Widescreen and it should be shown in its original format. All the production numbers take advantage of widescreen format and in this "pan-and-scan" video form they are "squeezed" in a way which does not do them justice. I was impressed by the beautiful "I speak to the stars" but the other production numbers were ruined by pan & scan. DVD please...

"Lucky" for us, it stars DORIS!!
"Lucky Me" was the next to last film under Doris Day's Warner Brothers contract. Although she has stated that she didn't believe in the project to the same extent that she'd believed in some of her prior films, you'd not know it while watching her performance.
While far from the best film made during her seven years on the Burbank lot, Miss Day is a delight. In technicolor and wide screen (The first musical to be so filmed), she looks a treat. Her performance is filled with spunk, vitality, exuberance and that unmistakable "Doris Day" glow that never seems forced or contrived. From the first moment we see her bouncing down the street letting loose with "The Superstition Song", we are sold. There's not a false moment in her performance. Her comic skills are given a chance to delight us, even if the script might not be as fresh as we might like. Vocally, she runs the gamut from the lovely "I Speak to the Stars" to "The Bluebells of Broadway". She gives every song the full treatment, again dispelling any displeasure she might have personally felt about this picture.
The cast work well together. Bob Cummings gives the same kind of smooth performance he gave opposite another blonde star, Betty Grable, a decade or so earlier. He seems ageless. Phil Silvers shows he can play more than Sgt. Bilko, and Nancy Walker, years before she started selling paper towels, reminds us of her musical-comedy roots. Eddie Foy, Jr., is amusing and Martha Hyer, who later married famed producer Hal Wallis and wrote (uncredited) the screenplay for the 1975 teaming of John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn, "Rooster Cogburn" is pretty window dressing.
The plot about a troupe of "down on their luck" performers, is not new. Since the inception of talkies it has been done by virtually every performer - male and female. This version doesn't add a lot of new twists. However, the cast play their roles with such conviction, you find yourself smiling at their antics and tapping your feet to the catchy songs.
"Lucky Me" didn't break box-office records when it was released but it deserves a better reputation than it has earned through the years. Thanks to Doris and company, the film is a lucky break for viewers!

DORIS AND LUCKY ME
I READ IN HER BIOGRAPHY SHE REALLY WASN'T UP FOR THIS FILM - IT IS A RATHER KOOKY FILM FOR HER BUT I JUST ENJOY ANYTHING SHE IS IN. HER SINGING IS MARVELOUS. I JUST WISH WE HAD MORE.

Very Good Doris Day Musical
This is a pretty cute film,one of Day's last 'fluff' musicals at Warner Bros.,and it is one of her least known (surprisingly). Day plays Candy Williams,an aspiring young showgirl trying to make her mark on Broadway.It is not working,as all Candy can do is work in the third rate musical revue called 'Parisian Pretties',run by a wisecracking joker (Phil Silvers) When Candy runs (literally) into the path of Broadway composer Jack Carson (Robert Cummings) it seems that her dreams will come true,when she is offered the lead in his upcoming production. Will she succeed?Wait and see! The songs include 'The Superstition Song','Men Men','High Hopes','I Wanna Sing Like An Angel','I Speak To The Stars','The Bluebells Of Broadway',and the Title Song. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Edited for Television
Very disappointed in this tape. This tape contains a copy of the movie that was apparently edited for television. I say that becuase I noticed that there were several scenes cut from the movie. The movie on this tape doesn't flow correctly and there are references in the movie to scenes that the viewer never sees.

I wouldn't recommend the purchase of this tape.

Skelton Does it Again
Red Skelton gives a rib tickling performance in "The Yellow Cab Man". Skelton plays an accident prone inventor with hilarious results. He has invented a safety glass that will revolutionalize the car industry. He takes the job as a cab driver to prove how safe his Elastiglass really is. Unbeknownst to Skelton, there are other people who want to steal the formula for this fantastic invention for themselves, which results in many funny scenes; such as a truth serum sequence that sends Red back to his childhood and culminating in a rip roaring chase scene inside a Home Show exposition, which centers around a revolting house. So grab the kiddies, popcorn, cola and gather around the t.v. for approx. a hour and a half of side splitting fun! ... Read more

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Lucy's third show is also a great one!
After playing Lucy Ricardo for 10 years in I Love Lucy (1951-1957) and the Lucy & Desi Comedy Hour (1957-1960), Lucille Ball went onto play the single Lucy Carmicheal in this series which lasted from 1962 to 1968. This two-tape colleciton features four great episodes from the later seasons, when the show was in color. Fans of Slapstick and funny jokes and puns will love it. Also recommended for fans of 60s TV in general.

Lucy and Jack Benny, George Burns and Milton Berle
Lucille Ball teams up with some of the great television comedians of the Fifties in four classic episodes of "The Lucy Show" from the Sixties. (1) "Lucy Gets Jack Benny's Bank Account" (Episode #138, October 16, 1967), starts with Mr. Mooney being pressured to bring new accounts to the bank. Lucy suggests they go after Jack Benny, even though the celebrated miser is known for not trusting banks. Lucy convinces Benny to give them a chance, which leads to the memorable demonstration of the bank's "foolproof vault." (2) "Little Old Lady" (#139, October 23, 1967) features Lucy trotting out her old woman bit. Lucy gets to be the date of the bank president, so she dresses up "appropriately" to go out with the 85-year-old man (played by Dennis Day, the youthful tenor of "The Jack Benny Show"), only to find out he is quite the wolf. (3) "Lucy and George Burns" (#111, September 12, 1966), finds Burns visiting Mr. Mooney at the bank to get his dividend statement. There he encounters Lucy and decides to make the wacky redhead the new girl in his act. Their opening night is a smash success and Lucy has to decide between a career in show business or staying at the bank. (4) "Lucy Meets the Berles," (#133, September 11, 1967), has Lucy receiving time off from the bank to be a temporary secretary for Milton Berle. While Mr. Mooney enjoys peace and quiet at the bank, Lucy overhears Berle discussing a love scene with Ruta Lee and assumes the two are having an affair. This one contains the priceless sight of Thousand Island dressing dripping down Berle's face. This episode is one of the few rare but choice times the King and Queen of Television Comedy appeared together. No other single tape collection of "Lucy Show" episodes is going to be able to top this one, which is probably why it is Volume 1. ... Read more

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The continued misadventures of Lucy and Mr. Mooney
This second volume of episodes from "The Lucy Show" finds the redhead getting into trouble at every opportunity. First up is "Lucy Gets Trapped" (Episode #134 September 18, 1967), where Lucy pretends to be ill so she can skip work at the bank and attend a huge sale at a department store. However when she gets there she is named the store's 10 Millionth Customer, which means her picture gets into the newspapers where Mr. Mooney ends up seeing it. In "Lucy the Baby Sitter" (#126 January 16, 1967), Lucy is looking for a job where she will be better appreciated after having yet another fight with Mr. Mooney over the quality of her work. At the employment agency they end up sending her to be a babysitter for a family of chimpanzees (The Marquis Chimps). What more do you need to know? "Lucy the Bean Queen" (#113 September 26, 1966), finds Lucy wanting to get new furniture for her apartment but Mr. Mooney will not lend her the money. When Lucy sees an ad that you will get double your money back if Bailey's Baked Beans are not the best baked beans you have ever tasted, she and Mary Jane go around L.A. buying up cases of beans and returning them for double their money. There is only one problem. These ARE the best baked beans Lucy has ever tasted. Still, you have to love any episode that puts Lucy on a forklift. Finally, in "Lucy Meets the Law" (#129 February 13, 1967), a redheaded female jewel thief manages to put the jewels she stole into Lucy's purse. This means Lucy ends up behind bars having to deal with hardened criminals. An interesting quartet of episodes from the fifth season of "The Lucy Show," and while none of them are classics per se, they are all first-rate examples of Lucy's work at this point in her career.

Lucille Ball ...In another GREAT show!
I am a big fan of I Love Lucy i have seen ever episode and also have the videos of it. After the last episode of I Love Lucy "Ricardos Dedicate A Statue" i was down in the dumps 179 episodes is allot but come on it is and will be FOREVER the best tv show...After that she did twelve episodes of thee "Lucy and Desi Comedy Hour" with her hubby of course and as well as Vivian Vance "Ethel" and William Frawley "Fred" after difficulties with Vivian who are so quoted "Sisters" act and look like another (? ) had been fighting so after "Japan" episode took a little brake did a few movies and a new show was developed "THE LUCY SHOW" even though Vivian Vance was in this too! (have no reason explained why even though they bickered WHATEVER) Lucy was her crazy self they started out in B&W which Viv. was in and did like "home episodes" and then when Viv. left due to her Bone Cancer....Lucy was in color and her job was an bank accountent/assitant for MR. Mooney (Very uprupt and grummpy character-lucy's boss )her new pal was Mary...This video includeds:

Lucy Gets Trapped *When Lucy goes shopping for a sale that she can't pass and wins furniture etc. for being the emteen customer she is reported in the paper ...UTOH Mr.Mooney reads that paper every morning why is this a problem for Lucy cause she faked ill that day to go to the sale just wait till Mr.Mooney finds out

Lucy The Babysitter *When Lucy says she is a so much help at the bank and she is all he has Mr.Mooney laughs and says "He's Still Looking" Lucy takes offense of course and says anyone would want my help so she goes to a employment office (very much like Job Switching *Chocolate Factory* i Love Lucy episode) goes through so many "no-go" jobs ones left a babysitting job good good pay Lucy starts to wounder why though(? ) *HERES A HINT MAYBE THERE MONKEYS THATS WHY*

Lucy The Bean Queen When Lucy is in the office on another exciting day she trys to get Mr.Mooney to sign a form so she can get furniture and pay him back NOT OVER HIS DEAD BODY so misunderstanding Mr.Mooneys idea -which turns out good anyway Lucy sees a add "BEST BEANS YOU EVER TASTED" if your not satisfied get double your money back! Lucy and Mary decided to get 3,000 bean cans to get her money for the furniture. But when Lucy tastes the last can she actually finds out THEY ARE THE BEST BEANS SHE EVER TASTED---what happens to the 3,000 find out in this video package

Lucy Meets the Law When Lucy and Mary went to a sale to shopping for goodies they sit down for a rest and Lucy has a chocolate bar and throws the wrapper on the ground Mary told her its the law and you can get arrested and get a fine Lucy panics and was about to pick it up while a look a like Lucy puts stolen jewels in her bag and police came around and arrest Lucy she might serve 10 years in prision the police told her what is going to happen?

GREAT VIDEO PACKAGE NON OF THESE EPISODES HAVE VIVIAN VANCE JUST TELLING YOU! ... Read more

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Lucy teams up with Carol Burnett, John Wayne and Don Rickles
A classic pair of episodes teaming Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett start off Volume 4 of "The Lucy Show" video tape series, which is far and away the best one to get. In "Lucy Gets a Roommate" (Episode #117 October 31, 1966), Carol plays librarian Carol Bradford, who answers Lucy's ad for a roommate. But Carol is awfully shy, which means Lucy and Mary Jane have to get her to open up a bit. The resulting striptease is an absolutely hysterical routine. Then, in "Lucy and Carol in Palm Springs" (#118 November 7, 1966), Carol's band the Vagabounds get a gig at a golf tournament. Of course, Mr. Mooney will not let Lucy go along, she pretends to be ill, and has a great time with Carol out in Palm Springs until her boss shows up. Dan Rowan plays one of the golfers with whom the girls flirt. Then we have one of my personal favorites, "Lucy and John Wayne" (#120 November 21, 1966). Mary Jane is working at a movie studio and invites Lucy to lunch where she runs into John Wayne. Mary Jane then fixes it so Lucy can watch the Duke at work where she causes a barroom brawl that destroys the set and knocks Wayne out. This episode is even funnier than Wayne's classic appearance on "I Love Lucy" a decade earlier. Finally, we have "Lucy the Fight Manager" (#130 February 20, 1967), a below average episode that has Lucy managing a fighter played by Don Rickles who wants to retire and open a flower shop. Ball and Rickles just do not click together, which is even more obvious after seeing the perfect relationships Lucy enjoyed with Carol and the Duke in the previous episodes. Still, this is the first volume you want to buy in this series if you are a fan of Lucille Ball.

Poor recorded quality; However, funny as usual
The overall recording quality of these videos is poor. Our new vcr was unable to determine what speed to play these tapes. They are recorded on slow play and kept skipping. When we played them on our older vcr in which we could manually adjust speed play they played fine; However, they were very grainy. If you are a true fan of Lucy you will enjoy the four episodes and get a good laugh. My eleven year old daughter loves the old Lucy shows. The price of these reflects the quality I suppose! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Singing guest stars on a quartet of "The Lucy Show" episodes
Singing stars abound in this set of episodes from "The Lucy Show." Frankie Avalon guest stars as Tommy, the nephew of Mr. Cheever in "Lucy, the Starmaker" (Episode #136, October 2, 1967). Lucy is supposed to show Tommy the ropes at the bank but when she learns he is a singer she arranges for a producer to stop by the bank and discover the boy. Avalon gets to do a couple of numbers in this one. "Lucy and Robert Goulet" (#140 October 30, 1967), finds the singer playing a truck driver who looks like, well, Robert Goulet. When Mr. Mooney turns him down for a loan, Lucy enters the lad in a Robert Goulet look-alike contest that a movie studio happens to be putting on. Lucky for him, right? A below average episode that is more noteworthy because Lucie Arnaz, then 16-years-old, plays an adult friend of Lucy Carmichael's. "Lucy and Tennessee Ernie Ford" (#131 February 27, 1967), features a visit from the popular country star who had been on three first-rate episodes of "I Love Lucy" over a decade earlier. Ford plays country singer Homer Higgins, who has just become a star and is now the targeted by Lucy and Mr. Mooney as a new customer for the bank. If this sounds a lot like "The Beverly Hillbillies," you are not the only one who thinks so. This one ends with the bank throwing on a big barn dance to make their financial institution seem like home to Homer. This episode was also the last one of the show's fifth season. "Lucy Gets Caught in the Draft" (#119 November 14, 1966) is included in this collection because it features a cameo by Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle, but actually this is a very funny episode that stands on its own without the musical number. Lucy receives a draft notice for "Lou C. Carmichael," but the Marines are going to put her through boot camp until official orders arrive to tell them otherwise. This episode is as funny as you think it should be and is the best one on this tape, which is the second best tape in the series, so there. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Lucy as a Ventriloquist Dummy and Mr. Mooney as a Monkey?
Another quartet of episodes from the fifth season of "The Lucy Show" are offered up on Volume 3 of this video series covering Lucille Ball's second hit television series. In "Lucy and Paul Winchell" (Episode #114 October 3, 1966), Mr. Mooney needs a star to entertain at the show put on by the bank employees. Lucy gets ventriloquist Paul Winchell to do the gig (good), but leaves his dummies in the cab (bad), which mean Lucy has to take the place of one of the dummies named Tessie (funny). "Lucy Goes to London" (#116 October 17, 1966) finds Lucy winning a free trip to London when she writes the winning limerick for a dog food campaign. That is the good news. The bad news is that Mr. Mooney is on the plane with her from L.A. to New York. This was the set up for the "Lucy in London" hour-long special shot on location. That is one they should put out on tape, just for the proto-music video of the song "Lucy in London" written by Phil Spector. "Lucy and the Monkey" (#122 December 5, 1966) has Lucy so overworked at the bank that Mary Jane predicts she is going to start hallucinating. So when a chimp gets left in Mr. Mooney's office, Lucy thinks that her boss has obviously been turned into a monkey. This episode, also known as "Mooney the Monkey" by those with a love for alliteration, is another one of those that sounds better than it plays. Since Lucy spends so much time getting out of work, you wonder how much she would have to work to actually be "overworked." There are better episodes of Lucy with monkeys, just not on this tape. "Lucy and the Ring A Ding Ding" (#115 October 10, 1966), recycles the bit where Lucy gets a ring stuck on her finger. This time it is the diamond ring Mr. Mooney bought for his wife Irma. What makes this episode funny, however, is when he gives Lucy a tranquilizer to relax her fingers and ends up having to deal with getting the ring off the finger of the sedated redhead. The first episode is the best one on this tape, while the rest are things we have seen Lucy do before and do better.

Good part of the Lucy show series
All the Lucy shows that Lucy did where just as funny, wonderful, and good as the "I Love Lucy" series. They are made in color and are really good. This volume is great and I recommend this volume to anyone. It is a great way to get started on Lucy videos or a great addition to any Lucy collection! It's great and funny. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lucy gets into trouble again and again and again and again
This second volume of episodes from "The Lucy Show" finds the redhead getting into trouble at every opportunity. First up is "Lucy Gets Trapped" (Episode #134 September 18, 1967), where Lucy pretends to be ill so she can skip work at the bank and attend a huge sale at a department store. However when she gets there she is named the store's 10 Millionth Customer, which means her picture gets into the newspapers where Mr. Mooney ends up seeing it. In "Lucy the Baby Sitter" (#126 January 16, 1967), Lucy is looking for a job where she will be better appreciated after having yet another fight with Mr. Mooney over the quality of her work. At the employment agency they end up sending her to be a babysitter for a family of chimpanzees (The Marquis Chimps). What more do you need to know? "Lucy the Bean Queen" (#113 September 26, 1966), finds Lucy wanting to get new furniture for her apartment but Mr. Mooney will not lend her the money. When Lucy sees an ad that you will get double your money back if Bailey's Baked Beans are not the best baked beans you have ever tasted, she and Mary Jane go around L.A. buying up cases of beans and returning them for double their money. There is only one problem. These ARE the best baked beans Lucy has ever tasted. Still, you have to love any episode that puts Lucy on a forklift. Finally, in "Lucy Meets the Law" (#129 February 13, 1967), a redheaded female jewel thief manages to put the jewels she stole into Lucy's purse. This means Lucy ends up behind bars having to deal with hardened criminals. An interesting quartet of episodes from the fifth season of "The Lucy Show," and while none of them are classics per se, they are all first-rate examples of Lucy's work at this point in her career. ... Read more