Kidco

This is one that I wish I could have seen as a child. As an adult I know just too much of the realities of business to believe everything in the story. But, it was simple enough to toss aside my adulthood and step into my childhood for a while and see the fantasy of this story.

The Cessna children are always hatching schemes to make money, mostly ones that are on left side of legal, but this time they come up with an apparently legal means to fill the bank account. Their father manages a horse ranch and they start mixing the manure with hay to make fertilizer and sell it to, first a golf course, and later other businesses. They do quite well until their competition sics the regulatory agencies and the tax man on them.

The acting isn't always the best, but that only would make it more real for children. I liked this movie, and I suspect that children would also. After all, I don't think its target audience was anyone over the teen years, so I was pleasantly surprised that it was enjoyable to this adult.

Believe it or not, this film was inspired by true circumstances. Four minor children, heirs to Cessna Aircraft's family owners, incorporated and purchased public land in 1979. After selling the rights to their story, it was heavily fictionalized and made into this movie.

I would classify this as family entertainment but with the disclaimer the children use mild profanity occasionally. Nothing that a 6th grader couldn't handle, especially taking into consideration the filth children are exposed to these days. It is both a light-hearted fantasy and a glimpse into the nature of entrepreneurship and owning/running a business. (There are some glaring errors, such as no one under 18 can enter into a contract without the signature of a parent or legal guardian. Also, you must be 18 in most states to form a corporation.)

The children give really good performances. I did laugh out loud here and there, although there are plenty of moments the dialogue falls flat, or at least feels forced. The last half takes a more complicated tone, but the ending rounds it out.

Don't take it too seriously. This isn't Chekhov or Shaw. Let it be what it mostly is--good fun.

Young Scott Schwartz and his three sisters create their own manure company in this sleight little film that is a time-passer and nothing more. Living on a horse ranch, they create a really booming business. However the state starts to breathe down their throats when they want taxes paid on the company's profit. A kid's courtroom drama that feels a bit forced and honestly a bit silly in its final act. Not quite a recommendation here, but still a film that is actually better than you might think. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

When this first came out on premium movie channels - our whole family watched it every time it was on. Then we taped it on a VHS tape. Took a couple of trips to Callifornia from Illinois (driving the whole way) had a VHS player and small color TV that would run off car battery and selected movies for kids to watch in transit to keep them occupied and also for us 2 grownups to watch and relax when we'd stop and have our meals/breaks. That was one of the movies taken on those trips and we eventually wore it out because we watched it so much! I wish that Kidco would come out on DVD so I can get a copy for myself and for each of my kids (4) so they can sit and enjoy it with their families like we did.

While the acting may not be up to some peoples standards, the message that the movie gets across is great for kids, parents (even parents-to-be!) - the whole family unit. IF you can find it - enjoy and be prepared to laugh!

Now here's a film for the capitalist Reagan Eighties. When young Scott Schwartz who is constantly in trouble in school for various schemes to extort money out of them gets in trouble, it's certain he's got the making of a venture capitalist. Schwartz who with his three sisters live on a horse ranch with parents Charles Hallahan and Margaret Blye has noted that there's a byproduct on the ranch that no one is taking advantage of. Which gives him a marvelous idea to go into business after he hears fertilizer manufacturer Clifton James try to holdup country club owner Allan Rich for a bigger price. Kidco becomes the name of their company.

Of course it becomes a big success, but that gets James all mad as the kids of Kidco start taking away his business. And of course James looks to government to solve his problems as Deputy Attorney General Ron Rifkin goes to court.

Rifkin takes the kids to court and hits them with all kinds of violations, sales tax, health code, you name it, Rifkin has a case. Young Mr. Schwartz elects to proceed pro se and at the tender age of 11 does himself Frank Capra proud.

Although Kidco is Capra for the kids, the trial itself and the actions of Judge Benny Baker come straight of Miracle At 34th Street as Judge Baker who is elected gets a few tips about the facts of political life if he rules against the kids who have now become celebrities.

Per the times big government and grownups who take advantage of it are the villains here. Kidco is an amusing enough film for juvenile audiences and I can see it as required viewing in every Republican household with young ones in it.