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Reviews
Li'l Abner (1959)
It's not that bad...but...
L'il Abner is based upon the Al Capp comic strip of the same name. It played on Broadway in 1956 and was a modest success. The closing night cast was transported to Hollywood to commit the show to film. Yes, the script is horribly corny. Yes, the characters are bizzare. On the plus side it has a great cast, fine score (better preserved on the cast album), and energetic choreography by Michael Kidd. It's better suited to the stage than the screen but its faithful recreation of the Broadway staging gives us an opportunity to see what the show looked like. Notable members of the cast include Billie Hayes (who went on to play Witchie-poo on H.R. Puffinstuff), Dee Dee Wood and Mark Breaux (who went on to choreograph Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music), and Julie Newmar (Catwoman on TV). Give it a try.
The Gin Game (2003)
Not your parent's Rob and Laura
It takes a bit to get used to VanDyke and Moore as the antithesis of Rob and Laura but the quicker you do it the sooner you can enjoy this well-produced version of D.L. Coburn's play. The rapport between these two is still present and just as sharp as it was 40 years ago. The text (written in 1978) holds up well. Direction and camera work are also fine. A film well worth seeing/owning.