The North Avenue Irregulars

It's interesting to see that the majority of reviewers deliberately mentioned that this movie has stood the test of time. I think it is an art to create hilarity like this. You have to have an uncomplicated head, which is probably why it is not done today.

The Disney Channel used to air their old great family films on a late night, maybe early a.m. venue called "Vault Disney." It's gone. I taped every one I found. Unfortunately, they went on VHS at that time, and they haven't transferred very well to DVD. However, more of these are showing up on DVD online all the time.

There was one called something like, "The One and Only Family Band." I think there were more words, but John Davidson and Leslie Warren were in it with Walter Brennan and others. "The Happiest Millionaire" was in the lineup, with an older Greer Garson and Fred MacMurray. It's a musical family piece, which is very funny. These were well done also.

"North Avenue" is hilarious, fresh and great fun. Lots of good clean energy.

What a pleasant surprise.

Given it has one of the least exciting titles out there and, on Prime Video anyway, a poor cover (the actual cover is neat, tbf) I wasn't expecting much from 'The North Avenue Irregulars'. However, I'm pleased to say I had a fun time watching it.

First things first: The plot. It's manic and rather bonkers, but they execute it nicely. I found the humour suitably amusing, while the main characters are all likeable. The run time perhaps overruns by 5-10mins, though that's nothing serious. The ending is mad, in a positive way.

The cast are good. Barbara Harris, who is terrific in 1976's 'Freaky Friday', stars alongside a whole host of other women - something I only state as it's unusual for this era of Disney. Those alongside Harris include Cloris Leachman, Virginia Capers, Susan Clark, Karen Valentine and Patsy Kelly. Elsewhere, Edward Herrmann and Michael Constantine do fine jobs.

A fun, shenanigan-filled film from 1979.

One of the last of Disney's live-action features that truly appealled to kids and parents, THE NORTH AVENUE IRREGULARS concerns a newly-arrived minister(Edward Herrman)who suggests that his flock look for ways to increase the church budget. When the ne'er-do-well husband of one of the church ladies bets the church funds on a fixed horserace, the minister sets out to recoup the funds and uncovers an illegal betting racket in his town. At the prompting of the local authorities, the good reverend and a group of church ladies go undercover to catch the crooks. What ensues is equal parts car chase/slapstick/G-rated comedy, as the motley assortment of soccer moms, little old ladies, and well-coiffed housewives race thier station wagons, pickup trucks, and Lincoln Continentals towards the inevitable happy conclusion. One sour note is a gratuitous rock group enlisted to liven up church services. The group, Strawberry Shortcake, looks and sounds about ten years behind the times, like the 1910 Fruitgum Co. after having gotten religion. Oh well, it is an Disney flick . . .

Excellent movie...Cloris Leachman steals the show...as she usually does in any project she is in..this group of actors work wonderfully together...loved the car chasing scenes and the ending in the junkyard with its smash up derby is funny ...Disney succeeds again

I swear, I absolutely loved this movie and I have to go out and find it to buy or buy it online. It really is one of those movies you should own. I remember my Mom, sister and I watching this as a kid. Just for giggles I rented it online and watched it tonight and was taken back to my youth and remember how hard we laughed over this movie. They don't make them like this anymore I guess (I sound old huh?) Cloris Leachman and her nail scene brought tears to my eyes just like it did the first time I saw it. Taking it to Mom's tomorrow so my nephews can watch it,I know they'll get just as big a kick out of it as we did oh so many moons ago! You want clean, family fun, rent this!