djhbooklover

I saw this show on stage in San Francisco when it was on a national tour in 1959. I had been a movie fan since 1940 and a theatre lover since 1950 I saw the movie with my wife later that year having heard the original Broadway cast recording numerous times previously. Obviously we love the show and the movie came as close as possible to capture the stage production. Having read the comics all my earlier life I was familiar with Al Capp and his satire. There were only a few transfers of hit shows from Broadway to movies in that era which included original cast members. Two I enjoyed and own copies on DVD or VCR are NEW FACES OF 1952 and WHERE'S CHARLEY?. Gerald Bordman in American MUSICAL THEATRE A CHRONICLE (1978) says it ran almost 700 performances on Broadway in the late fifties. I certainly understand that movies do not always please viewers but the great majority of reviewers on this site are enthusiastic and have very ably described the many qualities which are apparent in this production. The success of this musical undoubtedly paved the way for the creation of ANNIE.

I was 10 when I saw this movie. I have memories of scenes from favorite films as early as 1940. This is one of them. I left the theater feeling entertained, happy they were rescued, educated about Rickenbacker's career and thrilled. At that age I was not capable of critical review but have always wondered why I never saw it again. Perhaps I was too unsophisticated to make a valid judgment. I did, however, remember that MacMurray was the star. I looked it up to learn why it was never re- released. In that era few movies were deliberately aimed at the young including war films and westerns. Even the Disney films were popular with adults. I was an avid moviegoer with minimal supervision and lots of nearby theaters so I recall many which were not written for the children but still left me with fond memories of their value for me. That is the basis for my rating.