Description

A wholesome young woman gets swept into the world of the rich and famous when a romantic business tycoon falls in love with her simple country ways. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Even Doris Complained About It
Yes, in her autobiography, Doris Day complained that co-star Cary Grant just wasn't into his role here. I call this incarnation "Wink Cary" because towards the end of his movie career, Cary always seemed to be screwing up his eyes as though staring into the sun; I interpret this as his growing dissatisfaction with the movie roles offered him. "Wink Cary" never has proper interaction with his co-stars and is apparently waiting to be told to go home, as if he were on jury duty. In "That Touch of Mink", Cary plays a wealthy man whose limo splashes the dress of Doris Day. One thing leads to another, and he tries to launch an affair with her, only to be foiled repeatedly by various things, including her breaking out into a rash at the thought of fornication, even with Cary. Adequate supporting work by indignant Audrey Meadows and misidentified Gig Young, who keeps getting slapped by Meadows who thinks he's the guy trying to breach Doris' honor. There's better Doris and better Cary movies out there; see them first.

A delightful and witty sex comedy
"That Touch of Mink," directed by Delbert Mann, is a delicious 60's sex comedy about the romantic duel between Cathy Timberlake (played by Doris Day), an unemployed working girl with small-town roots, and Philip Shane (Cary Grant), a rich businessman. Along for the ride are Audrey Meadows as Cathy's fiercely protective roommate Connie and Gig Young as Philip's wisecracking employee Roger.

"That Touch" is absolutely hilarious and delightful from start to finish. Day is irresistible--wholesome and innocent, yet feisty. Grant is charming and funny. Meadows and Young get lots of comic mileage out of their marvelous supporting roles.

The film is also a joy to look out. The sets and costumes are marvelous (there's even a fashion show); the screen bursts with color. The script combines witty dialogue, zesty social satire and goofy physical comedy with a cleverly structured plot. There are also some fun cameos by recognizable faces--I won't spoil the fun by revealing them. And it's all nicely complemented by a playful musical score. "That Touch" is one comic battle of the sexes that really holds up after all these years.

Not bad, but not as good as the Hudson/Day/Randall comedies
Watching _That Touch of Mink_ is like watching something from an alternate universe where instead of the formulaic early '60s romantic comedy where you had Rock Hudson as the desirable yet unavaliable bachelor, Doris Day as the perpetual virgin and Tony Randall as the neurotic and closeted best friend you had Cary Grant as the desirable yet unavailable bachelor, Doris Day as the perpetual virgin (apparently no other actress approached Doris Day's iconic status as a virgin) and Gig Young as the neurotic and closeted best friend. Talk about "through a glass darkly"!.
All of this is very cute but the problem with Grant and Young is that they can't pull off the Rock Hudson/Tony Randall dynamic. Hudson had a boyish charm that Grant, a more substantial actor, didn't, and the dynamic between Hudson and Randall is a lot more playful than the one between Grant and Young, and of course when it came to playing neurotic closetcases no one can even hold a candle to Tony Randall. I mean really, if they had ever had an Academy Award for "Best Portrayal of a Neurotic Closetcase" they would have awarded it once, in 1961 for _Lover Come Back_ and then retired it forever.
Doris Day is of course virginal, amazing that someone with so little talent was able to make such a career out of the supposed possession of a hymen. You might dispute as to whether or not virginity is a good thing but regardless of your opinion you have to admire Day for making so much out of hers.

Sweet romantic comedy
Doris Day plays Cathy Timberlake, an unemployed girl next door from outta town. Cary Grant plays the suave and sophisticated Phillip Shane Managing Director of a successful company. On a rainy day in Manhattan Phillip Shane's car accidentally splashes Cathy Timberlake who is standing on the edge of a kerb. Later from his office he spots Cathy on the street and he sends his assitant Gig Young to apologise and to give her money to compensate for her ruined dress. Cathy is not impressed and says to Gig Young that she wants to throw the money back in Philipp's face so she goes up to his office but instead of telling him off she falls for his good looks and charm. She is then whisked off to a meeting of board directors, flies on his private jet, attends a UN speech and ends the day attending a baseball match. Cathy is thoroughly smitten by Phillip and he is really impressed by her so much that he asks her to go away with him for the weekend to Bahamas.

Being Doris Day, Cathy is of course all virtuous and is in a dilemma as to whether she should go away on her dirty weekend with Phillip. She decides no but is finally persuaded to do so because Phillip goads her into do so. She has a wonderful time until the night arrives and is faced by being seduced by Phillip at which point she is so stressed that she develops a rash all over. So poor Phillip is left playing cards on the terrace with another man who's wife "is not well". So Cathy returns to New York with her virtue in tact. She tries to lure Phillip away again and the second time is so drunk that she falls off her balcony. Phillip decides to not woo her any longer and finds her a job in a credit card company only for her to mess up the company's entire filing system. In the end, to win back Phillip, Cathy and her roommate, Audrey Meadows think up of a plan for her to go away with the sleazeball who works at the local benefits office and for Phillip to chase after them which inevitably he does.

This film is a bit dated ie Cathy being virtuous and shy but it's a great comedy. If you love vintage clothing from the sixties there's even a catwalk run thrown in. The colours are wonderful and the lines delivered by the actors are sharp. Doris Day is her usual bubbly self and you couldn't get smoother guy than Cary Grant. Fun film to watch on a rainy day in.

Lealing

That Touch Of Mink
This is a marvelous comedy classic Starring Doris Day and Cary Grant in this marvelous Universal Comedy Classic ! But released onto Video by Republican PIctures! Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) is a poor out of work New Yorker that gets run into herself with mud by a limousine owned by Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) well they end up falling in love and go to Brazil together and have all and a lot of fun! Great classic family movie! They get married at the end and have a happy life together! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blake Edwards's delightful 1959 comedy stars Cary Grant as a World War II submarine captain whose preference for a by-the-book command reluctantly yields to certain realities. Chief among those is that Grant's first officer (Tony Curtis, who impersonated Grant that same year in Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot), a shameless hustler, is better than the navy at delivering whatever supplies the ship and crew need to keep going. But when Curtis sneaks a handful of Philippine refugees and several gorgeous nurses onto the all-male sub, the skipper not only has to cool down his crew but deal with an unexpected feminine influence on ship protocol. The film is a great deal of fun, sprinkled with the director's trademark sight gags (including one of Edwards's best, involving a torpedo and jeep), and graced with his unmistakable lilt. Grant is in great form, his comic brilliance almost impossibly effortless. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (33)

One of the best
Operation Petticoat is one of those movies that makes you laugh no matter how many times you see it. The cast is led by none other than Cary Grant as the commander of a decrepit submarine, caught behind the Japanese advance in the Pacific, trying hard to sail her back to safety and repair at a US base. Grant makes a fine picture as a tough yet sentimental commanding officer. In counterpoint is Tony Curtis as a totally amoral rascal with a talent for getting things done, usually by breaking all rules. Despite their mutual dislike, the two have to work together to get the sub home and the result is a truly bizarre voyage. Curtis' expertise in scrounging supplies for the damaged sub extends to a group of stranded army nurses, who predictably create havoc on the submarine. And as the sub approaches safety, it improbably ends up as a maternity ward to the consternation of Grant and the delight of the crew. I would hate to spoil the surprises but let me say the manner of the sub reaching safety is simply hilarious. Of course, all ends well - this is a movie after all - and the right lessons are learned by all. A great movie to laugh over with some superb dialog lines for Grant in particular and a string of great one-liners all around. Highly recommended.

All Hands will Emergency Surface with Laughter
My favorite part of this hilarious Cary Grant and Tony Curtis romp was when Tony Curtis reports for duty to a WW II submarine in his dress whites. The rest of the crew -- greasy and grimy from trying to get their critically damaged boat into good enough condition to limp to another friendly base laugh their heads off when looking through the periscope they spot Curtis looking a little out of place on the busy pier. However, much to their surprise, Curtis proves himself invaluable as the boats "Supply" officer who does an unequalled job in "procuring" the badly needed parts for the boat in early supply shortened portion of the war in pacific. Come to find out this smoozing, angle hunting "idea man" who had been on the Admiral's staff and "Champion Rumba Dancer" (with the Admiral's wife) really was a street-wise guy from wrong side of the tracks in NY City.

And to top it off the Boat ends up with stranded Army Nurses all this makes for a great movie -- how the submarine ends up pink and how they torpedo an enemy truck I will leave to you find out. Do yourself a favor and get this movie. What a hoot!-- K.K. Dunn (Submarine Veteran), Kansas City

A must in Cary Grant Fans
This is a great comedy and a must for Grant Fans. Cary Grant as the commander of a very peculiar submarine sailing thru the Pacific with an even more peculiar crew. Great Movie

The Cast
Tony Curtis and Cary Grant are at their handsomest. You should see Cary in his admiral outfit. But, in my opinion, you may disagree, a very obvious flaw is the weak cast of women. I was casting it in my mind as I watched. Marilyn Monroe would have been hilarious-- and Thelma Ritter as the mechanic. Of course, with a stellar cast, the parts would have had to be better for them. The pink sub is hilarious and the men seem very relaxed, glad to get non-challenging roles. This is a must for the 50's comedies collector and has that great super-bright photography.

lightweight WWII comedy still worth catching
Like submarines, this flick really doesn't have that much keeping itself above the waterline. The USS Sea Tiger is almost completely destroyed when attacked by the Japanese in port in 1941. Through the pluck of its commanding officer, Matt Sherman (Cary Grant) and the scheming of his very un-military XO (Tony Curtis), the stricken sub is pulled together enough to make it out to sea, where it suffers a series of embarrassing misadventures - the crowning indignity being the coat of pink paint it must wear when their isn't enough gray. In between, the sub faces off against a squad of army nurses, a family of Filipino refugees, a goat, and a torpedoed jeep - all without killing a fly. It's not great comedy, but the flick gets by with Curtis as Holden who can always get what he wants, and never wants active-duty (when he tells Grant that he had seen action on a destroyer, Grant is dumbstruck that Curtis ever found time for it between golfing with admirals and dancing at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel). The flick actually belongs to Grant as the prim and perfect Sherman who tries to mold Curtis into a proper officer and finds himself being molded in his likeness instead. (When sailors find their port facilities stripped to provide replacement parts for Sea Tiger, a forlorn admiral concludes that they've witnessed "Sherman's march to the sea".) The leads aside, "Petticoat" is actually a great time capsule of a time in Hollywood when the military was still respected - in more modern flicks, the street smarts of Curtis's character would make him the hero and the wisest of all. But the script makes him a pathetic weasel to be whipped into shape by the proper Sherman, who of course sees right through Holden. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although it never achieved the classic status ofMartin Scorsese's Taxi Driver or the greater critical acclaim of his own Blue Collar, Hardcore remains a vital film from the early career of writer-director Paul Schrader. It's a solid companion piece to Taxi Driver (and uses much of the same crew, including cinematographer Michael Chapman), with a similar descent-into-hell storyline. Schrader's strict Calvinist upbringing in Grand Rapids, Michigan, provides the semi-autobiographical launching point for a journey into the dark heart of pornography and prostitution, beginning when a stern, morally upright Calvinist father (George C. Scott) learns that his teenage daughter has vanished during a church-sponsored visit to California. She's a runaway on a rapidly downward spiral, and Scott recruits a sleazy private detective (Peter Boyle) and a sympathetic porno-actress (Season Hubley) to try and find her. Although Schrader's much-criticized ending doesn't ring entirely true, there's much to admire here, from Scott's memorably anguished performance to the vivid authenticity of the film's seedy, threatening locations and the conflicting moral issues raised in an atmosphere of hopeless depravity. As its title suggests, Hardcore is a potent, uncompromising film, definitely not for prudes or underage viewers. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Description

Somewhere in California is a secret industrial complex. Apparently well know to certain priveleged members of the inner circles of government, this factory has only one product: human clones!

These clones are identical replicas of members of the top 500 of politics and big business. Raised to adulthood, they are then frozen and cryogenically stored so that their body parts can be used to give more or less eternal life to the chosen elite.

The plan is to keep these clones in a state of almost childlike innocence and deny them any knowledge of the real world outside. They are brainwashed with dreams of a mythical place called "America" where (so they are told) they will go if they are lucky enougb to be selected.

A series of unplanned accidents leads to one of the clones finding out too much and becoming curious. One day he escapes from the clone farm and comes looking for answers in the "real" America... EXTRAS:
A 40 minute in depth interview with film's director, discussing his career to date and the making of CLONUS

The film's theatrical trailer

A feature length audio commentary with the film's director

Newly remastered from original negative in hi def anamorphic ... Read more

Reviews (3)

dumb clones
Let's face it, clones are rock stupid and this movie proves it.A half-witted clone escapes from a facility that breeds and raises clones so their parts can be harvested if their counter part ever needs them.In a stroke of unbelievable coincidence he runs into the the man who he was cloned from who did not know he had been cloned.So this man tries to help his clone escape his equally micro-minded clone girlfriend who ends up getting a labotomy which doesn't do much to aid the situation.Well, it's all a rather stupid mess and the memories of it I've brought up thus far have made me ill enough.In short, about all this movie is good for is a few laughs but it is a terrible piece of work.

"What must be must be..."
While thinking about how to write this review without giving away any crucial information, I saw in the product description on Amazon they did just that, give away a whole gob of important plot points...oh well...I guess that lets me off the hook...but in all fairness, the titles pretty much gives it away, so for all you kids out their in film school, be sure to attend Proper Titling 101, as it's just as important as the rest.Clonus (1979) aka Parts: The Clonus Horror has been vilified over the years, even given the MST3k treatment but, in its defense, as a sci-fi thriller, I didn't think it was all that bad.If you strip it down to its core, I think the concept was ahead of its time, and still relevant, topical, and interesting.Directed by Robert S. Fiveson, the film stars Tim Donnelly (The Toolbox Murders), whose last known appearance was as `Shooter at warehouse' in an episode of the A-Team, sometime in early 1984.Also appearing in the film is Paulette Breen ("All My Children"), Frank Ashmore (Airplane!), Dick Sargent (The Beast with a Million Eyes, Operation Petticoat), Keenan Wynn (Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb), David Hooks (V), and Peter Graves (Stalag 17, It Conquered the World).

The film opens with Peter Graves at a podium, giving a typical politician speech, full of rhetorical hibbity jibbity.We then cut to various groups of youths exercising within a compound, smartly dressed in their Addidas track wear, reminding me much of that old TV show Battle of the Network Stars, except there are no stars here unless you count Dick Sargent, aka Darrin Stephens No. 2 (the unfunny one), from the show `Bewitched' (and I don't, by the way).The young adults, who all have ear tags and appear to be in a state of mental arrested development, seem to always be training, constantly being monitored by Dr. Jameson (Sargent) and his group of scientists, technicians, and guides (guards).We soon focus on one young man named George (Ashmore) and learn of his impending departure for America (the ultimate reward, or so they're led to believe...snicker...).He has a going away party with his friends, and then is taken to a large, unassuming building within the complex to be `prepared', which essentially means getting drugged, bagged, tagged, and eventually sealed (for freshness?) in a giant Ziploc baggie.Not much later after that one of George's friends Richard (Donnelly) starts asking questions of the metaphysical kind (well, metaphysical for a five year old), and this causes concern with those in charge of the complex, as most of the youths seem content to be led around like cattle.Richard's curious nature finally reaches the point where he sneaks into an area he's not meant to be, learns things he wasn't meant to know, takes some evidence in the form of papers and a video tape, and eventually escapes through a Byzantine series of tunnels to the `outside' world (can't keep `em down on the farm forever), which looks strangely like San Bernardino or some such place (figures this story takes place in California), where he eventually finds his way, battered and wounded, into the back yard of a man named Jake (Wynn) who just happens to be a retired reporter.What startling truth did Richard come across during his snooping?You may think you know the answer, but then again...

I could sense a good concept buried in here somewhere, but it seemed to get fouled up in the execution (funky direction and goofy acting).The sequences leading up to a freeze dried George were pretty cool, but then the film dragged along for about a half hour as Richard begins questioning his purpose in the seemingly idealistic colony (check out the scene where he finds a Milwaukee's Best beer can in the river...I don't know what was funnier, him trying to figure out what it was, or his keepers rather lame explanation of what it was).After that it kicked up a little as Richard is now on the outside, and we see the involvement of various characters.I think the film would have gone a little better had they not spent so much time in the colony but more so on this latter aspect.I did think it was pretty cool the sometimes extreme methods the colony security staff used to keep things hushed up.There were a few flaws in the story like it seemed every inch of the colony was monitored, but they couldn't detect Richard as he was running around the facility, eventually escaping, until it was too late.And the security equipment...it seemed to failed at just the most inconvenient moments (for the staff)...and lastly, with regards to the video tape Richard swiped which contained information that could blow the lid off the whole shebang...you know what?Maybe it's not such a good idea to leave tapes lying around that could eventually come back and bite you in the bum...just ask Tommy and Pamela Lee...who was this tape made for, anyway?A highly, top-secret organization making promotional tapes?For what purpose?Anyway, the acting isn't very good, the direction so-so, and the characters...well, they're just pretty funny, when they're not being all homersexual-like...seriously, did anyone else think that old man and young dude by the pool were a couple?And how about George?You can't tell me he wasn't bent...there is some exploration of the moral and ethical issues, but it's kept pretty light.I did like the ending (along with the gory dream sequence) although some have categorized it as being of the typical late 70's, nihilistic, post-Watergate style, but it worked for me, giving the effect of the story coming full circle.

Released by Mondo Macabro, the anamorphic widescreen (1.66:1) picture, transferred from the original negative and enhanced for 16 X 9 TV's, looks very sharp and impressive.Special features include a 35 minute interview with director Fiverson along with a commentary track, theatrical trailer, still gallery, and a preview montage of other Mondo Macabro releases.If you enjoyed such 70's sci-fi fare as Soylent Green (1973), A Boy and His Dog (1975), or Logan's Run (1976), then I think you'll like this one.

Cookieman108

Check it out
Originally released as "Parts - The Clonus Horror" this overlooked gem was far ahead of it's time with regard to the science of cloning.The film takes a look at the darker side of this subject.
Shot on a shoestring it nevertheless manages to include Peter Graves, Keenan Wynn and Dick Sargent amongst its cast. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

It;s really not that bad
Why this film was a commercial failure and is critically loathed is beyond me. No, this is not one of Bob's best, not by any means. But Hope himself is in fine form, and while the film is uneven, there are enough good one liners and sight gags to satisfy his fans. Hope is ably supported by an ace supporting cast, including Phyllis Diller, Dick Sargent, and Jeffrey Hunter. Just sit back, relax, and laugh.

A surprisingly sub-par military comedy from Bob Hope
It is rather ironic that Bob Hope (who turned 100 today) provided so much entertainment for American troops in the field from World War II to Vietnam and beyond yet could only come up with this less than stellar military comedy. Bob plays the titular Sgt. O'Farrell, the power behind the throne on a U.S. base during World War II. When the base turns dry, the result of a Japanese torpedo and unsympathetic officeers, the sarge comes up with a plan, involving his own private navy, to get beer to the troops. O'Farrell is helped by Calvin Coolidge Ishimura (Mako), a Japanese deserter hiding out on the island. Once the boys are liquored up, the next goal becomes female companionship. The good news is that this brings Gina Lollobrigida to the island; the bad news is that it also brings Phyllis Diller, who plays Nellie Krause. She takes a liking to O'Farrell, which makes it difficult for him to go after Gina (or "Maria" as she is called--but no name on earth is as good as Gina Lollobrigida). Hope and Diller worked fine in their first film together, "Eight on the Lam," but not this time around as she relentlessly pursues O'Farrell. There is some good slapstick shtick and good lines here and there, but overall it is rather uneven. Is this the best Bob Hope comedy film ever? No, that remains "Paleface," even above the Road pictures. But it is not as bad as "The Iron Petticoat" with Katharine Hepburn. Be glad I do not let anybody see my copy of that film. "The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell" is worth one look, but I would not consider it worth repeat viewings.

Hope fan
This movie is so cornball that I just love it. Bob and Phyllis together are great, and so is Jeffrey Hunter. Light hearted goofy fun! Wish it were cleaned up and put in widescreen though cause the ocean island setting is very scenic.

Leonard... Get Real!!
Of all the Bob Hope Movies during the sixties, this was one of the best (even though I loved them all). It had the slapstick with Hope and Diller playing off each other, the friendly Japanese soldier (Kinda like McHale's Navy TV Series), and just a light hearted plot that wasn't offensive to anyone. Leonard, you must have been sleeping thru this one, because you usually like the easy going movies like I do)... I just wish they would release the others, such as Boy Did I get A Wrong Number and Critic's Choice on DVD... Enjoy the fun everyone!!

Bob's a Blast!
This is one of my absolute favorite Bob Hope movies. The supporting cast is wonderful, and the plot is light-hearted and entertaining. I could watch this one over and over again--and have. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

FUN IN AN OLD, DARK HOUSE
My kids love this movie and they watch it on sleep-overs with their friends. Don Knotts plays Luther Hegg, a timid typesetter in a small town in the mid-west (Rachel, Kansas). The supporting actors are first rate: Skip Homeier, Dick Sargent, Ellen Corby etc. Joan Staley, who plays Alma, was the centerfold for PLAYBOY in 1958! Vivian Vance's ex hubby Phil Ober plays the murderer and the old women in the boarding house are hilarious. Reta Shaw is very funny as the head of the Psychic Society and Vic Muzzy's musical score is cornily creepy. When this picture was first released in theatres in l965, it was a huge hit in small towns across the U.S. and it is very representitive of 1960's small town Americana. Fun!

Incredibly fun and funny...now where's the DVD?
I first saw this Don Knotts comedy back in the late Sixties...and it stuck with me. (Especially the tune the organ plays.) The scenes of nervous, bungling, bug-eyed Don Knotts made me laugh out loud then -- and they still do now. So I was really pleased when this movie was finally released on video a few years ago. My only gripe now is that I wish it were out on DVD because I'm sure I'll wear out my video before too long!

Of course, I'm a big fan of the Andy Griffith Show. So that probably explains why I like this movie so much. Don Knotts was largely responsible for making that show the huge hit that it was. And, if you like his schtick on Griffith, you'll like this movie.

In fact, there are about a half dozen or more actors who appear in the movie -- most just briefly -- who also worked with Knotts on the Andy Griffth Show. Hal Smith, Ellen Corby, Hope Summers, Burt Mustin and Rita Shaw to name just five. So it was fun to pick out the familiar faces. The movie was even written by two of the Andy Griffith Show's most prolific writers!

Knotts has the nervous man character down so well that some scenes in the film are almost painful to watch (like when he's giving his speech -- "I've been called brave. What is brave? Let me clarify this" -- before the picnic crowd gathered in his honor), but I can't help myself. He's funny.

I won't go into the plot because so many others have already reviewed it. I just wanted to add my two cents (and Five Stars) to the other reviews.

The bottom line: this is a fun movie, great for the whole family. If you haven't seen it, please do so. Sure it's corny. Sure it looks dated. But it's not supposed to be Citizen Kane. It's just a great popcorn movie to share with friends and family.

wonderful, one of my all time favorites
i was primarily a don knotts fan due to his lovable role as barny phife on the andy griffeth show. when i saw this movie at the video rental store starring my favorite tv personality next to lucielle ball and the gang, i immdediatly rented it. that was when i was twelve, now fourteen i still enjoy this comedy and love the DVD version of this classic. it's enjoyable for people of all ages as i found out growing up with this wonderful movie. give it a try, i know you'll love it!!!!

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
A classic Don Knotts film of the highest degree. I love the surprise appearance of the actor that played Ottis the town drunk in Andy Griffin show playing a town drunk in the start of the film. Don Knotts plays a guy who wishes to be a real reporter more than anything. When he writers a story about the town murder house it will take all his strength to survive being the town laughing stalk and surviving the night of laughs alive.

Makers of This "Spooky" Comic Mystery Were Simply Clueless
Fresh from his highly popular and Emmy-winning stint as Barney Fife on TV's THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, and after moderate success starring in the earlier Warner Brothers film THE INCREDIBLE MR. LIMPET (1964), Don Knotts convinced execs at Universal Pictures that they could capitalize on his celebrity by starring him in a series of comedy flicks. The first of these was 1966's THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN, a sort of slapstick thriller that was tailored to Knotts' style of humor.

Knotts stars as Luther Heggs, an aspiring journalist who works in the typesetting room of a newspaper in the small town of Rachel, Kansas. A bumbling, nerdy milquetoast--for Knotts, what other role is there?--Heggs badgers the editor of his paper into letting him do a feature on the goings-on at a local long-abandoned house that is purportedly haunted. Rumor has it that the previous occupant and his wife were murdered, and most of the rubes in this Kansan town now believe the spirits of those unfortunate two still occupy the house during the wee hours of the night. Heggs' editor agrees to let the nerdy typesetter do the story, but only if he agrees to sleep in the house for a full night and use this experience as the foundation for the article. With a great degree of trepidation, Heggs accepts the editor's challenge, but really only because he wants to impress a girl he has a crush on. Although his bravery is only a front, Heggs does manage to uncover more about the strange doings at the house than anyone ever suspected.

For adult filmgoers, THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN offers little more than a modicum of entertainment or literary value, though the pre-teen crowd will likely find it to be thoroughly enjoyable. Part of the film's inability to capture the interest of a truly discerning audience is due to the performance of star Don Knotts. Knotts was nothing short of sublime as Deputy Barney Fife during the 5+ years that he was with THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, but he simply doesn't have the comedic range to carry an entire feature film. His rubbery facial expressions, gangly and awkward body movements, and adeptness at portraying ineptness can be downright hilarious--but only in small doses. On TV, Knotts' performance was buffered because his screen time was interspersed with that of co-star Griffith and other comedy actors of varying styles. But in a 90-minute movie where nearly every scene centers around Knotts, his one-note comedic style rapidly wears thin.

In spite of a few genuinely humorous moments, the overall script is fairly cliché and formulaic. In the scenes that take place in the haunted house, every trite bump-in-the-night gag is resurrected and used as a springboard for Knotts' bug-eyed and rubbery scared-of-the-dark routine. And the filler between non-spook segments is rather dull, too, consisting of mainly shopworn jabs at easy targets like small-town drunks, neighborhood gossips, henpecking wives and their henpecked husbands, spiritualism and the occult, and small-town life in general.

All of the primary characters in the film are little more than cardboard cut-outs with crystal-clear motivations and transparent personalities. It goes without saying--especially now, with 40 years of cinematic retrospection--that Knotts' Luther Heggs will be a bumbling nerd with a heart of gold. In step with the syrupy early-60s family-film formula, Heggs' love interest, Alma (Joan Staley), is the small-town beauty who seems not the least bit aware of her ravishing assests, and she acts like it's totally natural for her to be attracted to a homely, inept gent like Heggs. And newspaperman Ollie Weaver (Skip Homeier), Heggs' rival both professionally and personally, exudes that smarmy machismo typical of the muscle-bound jerk who is likely to spend his Sunday afternoons at the beach kicking sand into the faces of the proverbial 98-pound weaklings. Most of the peripheral characters are also perfunctory to the extreme, serving mainly as background props and contributing little, if anything, of significance to the actual plot.

To be fair, it must be pointed out that THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN is not without its share of assets. The greatest of these is Joan Staley, who plays Luther's love interest, Alma. A mere 8 years prior to appearing in this film, the comely Ms. Staley appeared in Playboy as the centerfold Playmate for November 1958. Not only pretty, Ms. Staley is also a fine actress and brings a bit of thespian respectability to this film. Also notable is the appearance of Dick Sargent in the role of Heggs' editor. Genre fans will recognize Sargent from his role as the "Second Darrin" on TV's BEWITCHED. And it's fun to watch for the other well-known comedy and character actors--actors such as Reta Shaw, Philip Ober, Charles Lane, Ellen Corby, James Millhollin, and Sandra Gould, among others--in minor supporting roles.

In 1948, Universal Pictures started what would become a long string of entertaining and successful horror-themed comedy films with the release of the excellent ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. But that winning streak ultimately ended in 1966 with THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN. It is a mediocre film that, in spite of a few laughs, ultimately fails. It can easily be argued that the reason for this failure is twofold: One, star Don Knotts has a limited comedic repertoire that is just not capable of sustaining a feature-length film; and two, in their attempt to create what they perceive as a family film, the filmmakers use an excess of cinematic and literary clichés that effectively dumbs down the script and thereby vitiates the charm of the comedy-horror hybrid.

Universal's DVD offers a nearly pristine anamorphic widescreen digital transfer of the film in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. However, with no extras other than the film's theatrical trailer, only hardcore fans of Don Knotts are likely to want to purchase this disc. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

It;s really not that bad
Why this film was a commercial failure and is critically loathed is beyond me. No, this is not one of Bob's best, not by any means. But Hope himself is in fine form, and while the film is uneven, there are enough good one liners and sight gags to satisfy his fans. Hope is ably supported by an ace supporting cast, including Phyllis Diller, Dick Sargent, and Jeffrey Hunter. Just sit back, relax, and laugh.

A surprisingly sub-par military comedy from Bob Hope
It is rather ironic that Bob Hope (who turned 100 today) provided so much entertainment for American troops in the field from World War II to Vietnam and beyond yet could only come up with this less than stellar military comedy. Bob plays the titular Sgt. O'Farrell, the power behind the throne on a U.S. base during World War II. When the base turns dry, the result of a Japanese torpedo and unsympathetic officeers, the sarge comes up with a plan, involving his own private navy, to get beer to the troops. O'Farrell is helped by Calvin Coolidge Ishimura (Mako), a Japanese deserter hiding out on the island. Once the boys are liquored up, the next goal becomes female companionship. The good news is that this brings Gina Lollobrigida to the island; the bad news is that it also brings Phyllis Diller, who plays Nellie Krause. She takes a liking to O'Farrell, which makes it difficult for him to go after Gina (or "Maria" as she is called--but no name on earth is as good as Gina Lollobrigida). Hope and Diller worked fine in their first film together, "Eight on the Lam," but not this time around as she relentlessly pursues O'Farrell. There is some good slapstick shtick and good lines here and there, but overall it is rather uneven. Is this the best Bob Hope comedy film ever? No, that remains "Paleface," even above the Road pictures. But it is not as bad as "The Iron Petticoat" with Katharine Hepburn. Be glad I do not let anybody see my copy of that film. "The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell" is worth one look, but I would not consider it worth repeat viewings.

Hope fan
This movie is so cornball that I just love it. Bob and Phyllis together are great, and so is Jeffrey Hunter. Light hearted goofy fun! Wish it were cleaned up and put in widescreen though cause the ocean island setting is very scenic.

Leonard... Get Real!!
Of all the Bob Hope Movies during the sixties, this was one of the best (even though I loved them all). It had the slapstick with Hope and Diller playing off each other, the friendly Japanese soldier (Kinda like McHale's Navy TV Series), and just a light hearted plot that wasn't offensive to anyone. Leonard, you must have been sleeping thru this one, because you usually like the easy going movies like I do)... I just wish they would release the others, such as Boy Did I get A Wrong Number and Critic's Choice on DVD... Enjoy the fun everyone!!

Bob's a Blast!
This is one of my absolute favorite Bob Hope movies. The supporting cast is wonderful, and the plot is light-hearted and entertaining. I could watch this one over and over again--and have. ... Read more