The Celestial Schedule of Arrivals
Charley And The Angel was the final film that Fred MacMurray did for the Walt Disney Studio. It was certainly a profitable association for both Disney and MacMurray although this one does not come anywhere near such things as The Absent Minded Professor or The Shaggy Dog.
MacMurray as Charley Appleby is a workaholic just tending to business at the hardware store day after day and ignoring his family which includes wife Cloris Leachman and kids, Kathleen Cody, Vincent Van Patten, and Scott Kolden. Kathleen's got a pair of boyfriends interested in her in Kurt Russell and Ed Begley, Jr. And the boys are getting themselves into mischief.
MacMurray after a couple of close shaves gets a visit from guardian angel Harry Morgan who says because of those things, he's fouled up the celestial schedule. But he's on borrowed time and MacMurray now waking up and smelling the coffee decides he'd better change his lifestyle.
The Disney family formula was wearing a bit thin. I don't think it was an accident that Fred's last three films with Disney were all set in the past. Disney's current star of modern type comedies was the all American Kurt Russell.
The younger brothers innocent involvement with gangsters was something of a hoot however. I'm surprised Vincent Van Patten didn't go on to do more Disney items, he seemed perfect as a Magic Kingdom type.
Harry Morgan is a droll sort of angel who gets to do a bit of scenery chewing with MacMurray. He's easily the best one in the film.
Fans of Fred MacMurray should appreciate this.
MacMurray as Charley Appleby is a workaholic just tending to business at the hardware store day after day and ignoring his family which includes wife Cloris Leachman and kids, Kathleen Cody, Vincent Van Patten, and Scott Kolden. Kathleen's got a pair of boyfriends interested in her in Kurt Russell and Ed Begley, Jr. And the boys are getting themselves into mischief.
MacMurray after a couple of close shaves gets a visit from guardian angel Harry Morgan who says because of those things, he's fouled up the celestial schedule. But he's on borrowed time and MacMurray now waking up and smelling the coffee decides he'd better change his lifestyle.
The Disney family formula was wearing a bit thin. I don't think it was an accident that Fred's last three films with Disney were all set in the past. Disney's current star of modern type comedies was the all American Kurt Russell.
The younger brothers innocent involvement with gangsters was something of a hoot however. I'm surprised Vincent Van Patten didn't go on to do more Disney items, he seemed perfect as a Magic Kingdom type.
Harry Morgan is a droll sort of angel who gets to do a bit of scenery chewing with MacMurray. He's easily the best one in the film.
Fans of Fred MacMurray should appreciate this.
- bkoganbing
- Sep 24, 2011