Reviews (5)

Yet Another Underrated Disney Live Action Comedy
I thought this was an entertaining movie. It was not one of Disney's greatest, but it contained some truly amusing scenes. This is a far better film than many that Disney Studios was producing during the decade of the 70s. Some of the scenes were dumb, but lighten up, that's what makes it so enjoyable and funny. Tim Conway and Don Knotts are hilarious. Have a good laugh.

no widescreen
I will not buy this and upgrade from my VHS copy if they can't even make it in widescreen. THe lack of extras is also a dissapointment.

Great Movie
One of our family's favorite movies. This is so full of cliches that it is a riot. Everything in it, the bad guys, the Indians, the "brave soldiers" are all a spoof on numerous other westerns. One of Conway's and Knott's best comedies. I hope that Disney re-releases this on DVD. We love to watch this over whenever life gets down and we need a laugh.

Too many story ideas
It was a pretty funny moive, and it would of been funnier if they would of just focused on the stars!! They kept going to these two who fall in love with each other just to add romance, but the story could of done with out it, they needed to show more of Tim Conway and Don Knotts, they weren't even in it for half the movie!! Disney moives need to have less romance, they make kids moives anyway!!

Well Worth 5 Stars!
This is one of the funniest videos that I own! Tim Conway and Don Knotts are unbelievably funny! It brings back great memories of when I was growing up and watching it on the Disney Chanel! I laugh so hard every time I watch this great film! It's a great Family film well worth 5 stars ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Very entertaining and funny!
This movie is very heart-warming, funny, and enjoyable. It's perfect for the whole family. People of all ages will enjoy this entertaining movie. Don Knotts is the perfect coach. He's hilarious, as always. It's up to Gus the Mule to pull his team out of a long losing streak. Also look for Ed Asner, Dick Van Patten, Harold Gould, Dick Butkus, and Bob Crane, who is Pepper, the know-it-all sportscaster. A good Disney movie. Rent or buy this movie soon. The mule Gus is cute too!

GUS
No widescreen = no sale. C'mon Disney, get with the program!

Don Knotts and Tim Conway are the BEST!
How could you not like this movie haveing Don Knotts and Tim Conway in it? They are to funny and I love all there movies! Gus is a cute movie for the whole family. Its hard for me to find movies that the whole family can enjoy together. But this one is a good one, five stars!=)
Enjoy!

Silly Slapstick Fun for the Young and Young at Heart
The California Atoms need a miracle. They've been in last place for so long that they have very few fans in the stadium for football games. In a desperate attempt to build attendance, the owner, Mr. Cooper, flies over Gus, a mule from Yugoslavia that kicks field goals. Soon, the mule and his owner Andy are being used to score points in the games. In an attempt to keep the team, Mr. Cooper makes a bet with his creditor that if the team wins the Super Bowl, he can keep the team. But the creditor won't make it easy. As the season progresses, the stakes get higher and the laughs get louder.

Sure, this is a completely unrealistic movie. And you can probably guess every single plot point long before it happens. But this is another case of having so much fun getting there that you really don't care. I watched this movie many times as a kid, but hadn't watched it for years until recently. I was laughing right from the start, and the final scene made me laugh just as hard as it always did. I do wonder how some of the big name cast (like Tom Bosley and Ed Asner) got talked into this movie, but they do a great job and it's great fun as a result.

The DVD, on the other hand, could have been better. Even though the package doesn't admit to it, this film was obviously originally widescreen, and the cut made for this DVD is bad. Usually I don't notice too much of a difference, but here people were often half on the screen and it was obvious we were missing bits of the action because of the edit. The picture quality could have also used a little sprucing up, with grain showing up on a fairly regular basis. It's noticeable, but not enough to truly detract from the film.

If you're in the mood to laugh, this is the film for you. If you already have the VHS, there's no reason to rush out to upgrade. If you don't already own it, the DVD is a fine additional to any movie collection. Unfortunately, this is probably the best we'll ever get for this film.

no widescreen!
Come on Disney, how do you take such a great movie and dump it like a piece of Junk. The lack of widescreen or quality sound is really sad for a company that makes more money than any other at re-releasing it's old material.
Also no extras? Not even some outakes, gallery stuff, theatrical trailers, cartoons. I refuse to buy any of the new disney DVD if they are not in widescreen, and tons of people I know from disney clubs and message boards feel the same way. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Something happened to Dexter
This is an enjoyable Disney romp with stars like Phil Silvers Eve Arden along for the ride and the return of Joe Flynn as Dean Higgins Cesar Romero as A.J Arno and Kurt Russell as Dexter Riley. The only disappointment is Russell's appearance is really pretty short with about 15 minutes at the beginning and another 15 at the end. But if you enjoyed The Computer that wore Tennis Shoe's and Now you see Him now you Don't this DVD is a must.

Buyer beware
"The Strongest Man in the World" is far from the best movie Disney studios produced in its family-film heyday (late '50's to early '80's). However, I still find it to be quite enjoyable, especially the beginning and ending half-hours, which are quite funny. So why only one star? BECAUSE IT IS NOT IN WIDESCREEN, BUT IN A CUT-RATE 1:33:1 FULLSCREEN PRINT, with no special features whatsoever.

So what's up, Disney? Do you think we viewers are a bunch of lunkheads who can't handle widescreen? Then why not OFFER BOTH VERSIONS? After all, there's enough room on the disc for both, especially since you don't include special features at all on your second-tier titles.

I give Disney much credit for it's special editions and Vault Classics Collections for presenting beautifully restored, widescreen prints with wonderful special features like vintage newsreels and cartoons. And thanks to the recent special editions of "Apple Dumpling Gang" and "Escape to Witch Mountain," I now know how my favorite child stars of the '70's (Kim Richards, Clay O'Brien, Stacey Manning, Brad Savage, etc.) look and are doing nearly thirty-years later as adults.

But there is simply no excuse for throwing the rest of their titles into such thoughtless and cheesy packages. "Blackbeard's Ghost" simply looks terrible in fullscreen, as does "Follow Me Boys." I have no doubt "Stongest Man..." does too. So buyer beware, and join us widescreen lovers in holding out for product worth buying.

Incidentally, "Now You See Him Now You Don't," the previous title in this series is in widescreen, while the first film "Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" isn't. God only knows why.

One of Disney's better "live" entries
Gee I remember seeing this on a double bill with the animated film
"Robin Hood" way back in the '70s. This was when Disney made tons
of live action comedies Like The shaggy D.A. & The love bug series

The story is Milford College's unknown discovery of a formula for
super strength Kurt Russell becomes the title character and Milford
enters him into the school's national strongman event which if they
win can mean much needed money,Meanwhile "The Dean" Dick Van Patten
is secretly planning to sell the formula to a cereal company called
"Kringle Krunch" while a rival cereal company plans to steal it.

With a memorable cast including Ceasar Romero,Joe Flynn and the
always wonderful Eve Arden this is one of Disney's more memorable
family fairs and a nostalstic look back at when Disney had a good
hold on boxoffice comedy. My 4 stars is lack of widescreen format
Now, where's Disney's "The world's greatest athlete" at.

When Disney Was Great. Disney needs to provide more on DVD
With Kurt Russell, Michael McGreevey, Joe Flynn, Cesar Romero and Dick Bakaylan you can't go wrong with these incredible character actors. This is when Disney was great! As far as i'm concerned Disney died after The Rescuers (1978,1979). Dexter Riley's experiment goes awry, a strength formula is accidentally created and transferred to his cereal. Krumply Krunch and Krinkle Krunch (Cereal rivals) compete for the best cereal company.

Great Stuff but stay clear of the first of this 3 part series called "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes."

DISNEY DOESN'T GET IT!!!
No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. What is the point of that? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Racing in France
Jim Douglas and Herbie are coming out of retirement. And they've decided to do it in grand style, in the new Monte Carlo Relay in France. They've hardly arrived when two jewel thieves decide to hide a priceless diamond in Herbie's gas tank. As if that weren't enough, Herbie has fallen head over heels for a cute little Lancia also in the race, and Jim is finding her fiery driver rather irresistible as well. This is going to be complicated race.

This was actually the last of the original Herbie movies I saw, and is probably my least favorite. Still, it's loads of fun. Part of this is because there is so much going on. Between the love plots, the thieves, and the race, there's hardly a dull moment. Don Knotts is not a favorite of mine and gets on my nerves here, as does Xavier Saint-Macary as an over eager detective. Still, the rest of the cast is fine. I was a bit disappointed that there is no mention of Carole from the first movie. And, of course, they completely changed the gas cap to make that plot work. But then again, how can you nit pick a movie about a car that thinks for itself?

Disney could have done much better with this DVD. The picture is presented in full frame, cropping the sides of the picture from its original release. What we do have has some grain and dirt, but looks remarkable well for its age. The sound is full surround and sounds wonderful. As with the other Herbie sequels, there are no extras.

Even being the last one I saw, this movie has a wonderful nostalgia appeal to me because of Herbie. How I loved that car as a kid! Any one else who grew up loving Herbie will want this DVD since it seems to be the best Disney will offer us for the foreseeable future.

Take my advice...PLEASE! (See for all Herbie Sequel DVDs)
Disney is NOT adding any features whatsoever for the Herbie, the Love Bug sequels. The only thing that could possibly be of any good quality within these discs would be a remastering of the picture and sound. Unless you've given up using your VCR or you are a collector, don't waste your time purchasing the Herbie sequels. Only the original movie, The Love Bug is worthy of it's "Special Edition" title.

A Cute Movie!!!
I grew up watching these Live-action Disney movies that were made in the 70's and this is the only movie I have seen in the Herbie series and I fondly recall going to see Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo with my friends when I was about 12 years old and I thought it was such a cute movie and I really liked Dean Jones and Don Knotts and I recommend this movie. I see it is finally coming out on DVD. There is no information listed about if it's being released in widescreen or fullscreen but I hope it will include a widescreen version instead of just a pan and scan version!

Herbie even falls in Love
Not only is this Herbie Car alive and wins all the races, but now in this film He even falls in love , how Cute :)

Jim Dougles is back with a new Mechanic and they are off to France. A stolen gem ends up in Herbie and jewel thieves are going mad to get it. There are lots of funny people in this film , its great. Also 2 Race Car Drivers that give Jim a hard time , one in a Red Car , one in a Black Car.

Jim ends up falling in love with the Girl who drives the light-blue Lancia in the races the same Car Herbie falls in Love with , its so funny and sweat :) This has lots of cool and funny stuff in this movie, and the jewel thieves who seem to never get a break, I enjoy these Herbie films so much >

Almost as good as the Love Bug
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo is the third movie in the Love Bug series and overall the second best. It takes place 12 years after the Love Bug as Jim Douglas tries to make a comeback with Herbie and a new mechanic, Wheely Applegate. Along the way, two jewel thieves hide a $6 million dollar jewel in Herbie's gas tank which they try and retrieve throughout the movie. Another subplot has Herbie falling in love with a car driven by Diane Darcy, the only female driver in the Trans France race. While at times the subplots slow the movie down, it is still very enjoyable. The movie returns to the roots of the Love Bug with the story focusing mostly on the racing where Herbie Rides Again and Herbie Goes Bananas go off on their own stories. Both are decent but the racing story is missed. In Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo the racing scenes are very well done during the qualifying rounds and also the Trans Fran.

Dean Jones returns as Jim Douglas and gives another good performance as the driver who fully believes in Herbie and his ability now. Don Knotts plays Wheely Applegate, Herbie's mechanic, and is very good with several funny scenes. Jones and Knotts have good chemistry together throughout. Julie Sommars is pretty good as Dianne Darcy, Roy Kinnear and Bernard Fox are funny as the bumbling thieves trying to get their diamond back, Jacques Martin plays the police inspector with alterior motives, Xavier Saint Macary as Lt. Fontenoy, the police officer trying to solve the case, and Eric Braeden as Bruno, the driver who tries over and over again to prevent Herbie from winning the race. I hope that Disney puts this and many other classics out on DVD since it is harder and harder to find VHS copies of so many movies. The Special Edition DVD for the Love Bug was great and should not be missed. This is a really fun movie that is right up there with the Love Bug that shouldn't be missed for Herbie fans everywhere! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ghost story meets paranormal mystery in Disney's PG family spookfest, a rare kid-friendly scary movie that still manages to frighten. American girls Lynn-Holly Johnson (Ice Castles) and little sister Kyle Richards move into a secluded British manor cradled in a mist-shrouded forest, home to a ghostly guardian angel and a decades-old mystery that still haunts the place. Director John Hough (whose Legend of Hell House is a classic of supernatural suspense) delivers all the right shiver-inducing ingredients: flashes of light, whispers in the wind, eerie visions of a blindfolded little girl lost (the long-lost daughter of withered widow Bette Davis) reaching out from mirrors, as if trapped behind them. Though tame by today's bloody standards and a flop on its original release in 1981, this handsome little gothic ghost story has become something of a cult film for its suggestive direction, impressionistic imagery, and spooky sense of the unknown. Ages 9 and up, although more sophisticated younger kids should enjoy this. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (9)

It's great to have these on DVD
Just watched the Gunsmoke movie collection and all three movies are excellent. Return To Dodge is my favorite, but Last Apache is damn good too. All three movies hit the mark. Arness had seen better days, but his performance is top notch in all of these. He looks older than the mountains he rides past, but I liked him more as Matt in these movies than on the Gunsmoke show. The show was classic, but Arness' personality and character got better with age. Too bad all five Gunsmoke movies aren't in this set, but Return and Last Apache are the must haves for my collection. I agree with the critic who wished these were all in one box, but I'm glad to have 'em on DVD. This is a fantastic set.

Glad it's released....but
I'm so glad these Gunsmoke movies are being released on DVD. But, can someone tell me why this wasn't released as a 3 DVD set and not indivdidual DVD's. Like the "Sarah Plain and Tall" 3 movie saga. It was released with all 3 movies together in one case. I'm pretty sure most people are going to purchase all 3 movies of gunsmoke. I'm thinking "SPACE", "ROOM" to keep all these DVD's that are being released or have been released. Not everyone has all the space in there home for so many shows being released on DVD. To the manufactures of these movies: Next time do a survey to find out what people would like. I sure would of liked all 3 Gunsmoke movies in one case (jacket).

A Good Start........
I applaud the release of any Gunsmoke-related production on DVD, including this 1987 made-for-TV reunion movie. Gunsmoke, the longest running western, or drama for that matter, in TV history, was complex and textured and dealt with mature themes with unforgettable characters that became part of our culture. I grew up watching the series, which debuted as a half-hour black and white show, then progressed to one hour and eventually was filmed in color.

Gunsmoke richly deserves a serious DVD release of its episodes, not merely a release of a TV movie here or there.

Few need to be told what his western depicted, it's the story of Marshall Matt Dillon (played to perfection by James Arness), who tamed the lawless Dodge City, Kansas, not only with his gun but with his courage, sense of honor, justice and irreproachable integrity behind the badge.

Along the way, we meet Matt's friends, Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), owner of the Longbranch Saloon and Matt's long-time love, Doc Adams (Milburn Stone, and Deputy Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver) and later Deputies Festus Hagen (Ken Curtis) and Newly O'Brien (Buck Taylor.) Weekly guest stars represented the cream of the acting crop for decades!

While this TV-Movie reunites Arness, Blake and Taylor, much of the familiar Dodge landscape has changed: Matt has retired and lives as a mountaineer and O'Brien is Marshall. The plot centers around a continuation of a much earlier TV episode, with guest star Steve Forrest reprising his role as the villianous Will Mannon, whom Dillon had previously stopped and arrested.

Now released from prison, Mannon has returned to Dodge for revenge. He holds Miss Kitty hostage to lure the retired lawman back into town to die.

A suspenseful story, Arness' portrayal of Dillon in this TV movie was much less familiar than the TV version, giving Dillon a driven, haunted, almost tragic appearance of a man who had left -- or lost -- everything he had ever cared about. THis is definitely a different Matt Dillon.

The TV movie weaves clips from the episode on which it is based throughout the production.

Best of the return to GUNSMOKE movies
As only a casual fan of the original series I may not be able to compare and contrast this movie as well as some others but the producers of this tv film seem to have covered all their bases.

First of all the story was very well done. By basing the movie on one of the original tv shows the viewers were given a sense of continuity that some movies that are based on previous tv shows don't have. Also, the story itself, while not all that original, was well written and suspenseful. Out of the 5 GUNSMOKE movies that were made I felt that this one was the best.

Secondly, this movie did a fine job of bringing back the original cast members. Amanda Blake as "Kitty" and Buck Taylor as "Newly O'brien" helped to give this movie an authentic feel. Having said that it would have been nice if Dennis Weaver as "Chester" and or Ken Curtis as "Festus", both served as deputy under Marshall Dillon, had made an appearance in the movie.

Lastly, while the movie overall was a good one it seemed to me that James Arness portrayed Matt Dillon less like the character in the original series and more like the mountain man character of "Zeb Macahon" in his other western series HOW THE WEST WAS WON. Still this movie is a good view and those who like James Arness or GUNSMOKE will appreciate it.

A GOOD SAMPLE OF A 20-YEAR INSTITUTION
The "reunion" film only featured a handful of the actors who made "Gunsmoke" a staple for two decades: James Arness as stalwart hero "Matt Dillon," Amanda Blake as enigmatic and beautiful "Miss Kitty," and Buck Taylor as dependable deputy "Newly O'Brian. Flashback sequences feature Milburn Stone as cantankerous "Doc" and Ken Curtis as the always-amusing "Festus."

A rousing good entertainment, the movie also stars Steve Forrest as Will Mannon, a totally conscience-free villain seeking revenge on Dillon and a sexual dalliance with "Red," as her refers to Blake's character.

With exteriors filmed in Canada and a great score, "Return to Dodge" will make one pine for the days when the inhabitants of Dodge City ruled the television screens of America. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Take my advice...PLEASE! (See for all Herbie sequel DVDs)
Disney is NOT adding any features whatsoever for the Herbie, the Love Bug sequels. The only thing that could possibly be of any good quality within these discs would be a remastering of the picture and sound. Unless you've given up using your VCR or you are a collector, don't waste your time purchasing the Herbie sequels. Only the original movie, The Love Bug is worthy of it's "Special Edition" title.

The car....he ate my chicken!!!
Some of the other reviewers said this movies was bad. I'll just say it could have been better. Yes, I am one of those "diehard fans", but this movie really was funny.
The worst thing about the movie was definatly that kid. He was so freakin' annoying I wanted to slap him. As hard as possible. Also, the character of Pete Standcheck seemed a bit bland (he was easy on the eyes though :)). But there were so many eccentric personalities in the film that more than compensate for the one weak character.
Overall, it was a highly original and amusing film. Aunt Louise and that whacky captain provided many hilarious moments. The film ends without letting us see the race. If they'd only lost that stupid kid and let us see the race this film would have been much better.

Herbie is Awesome
Yes I Truely love all these Films. I thought this was a pretty neat and funny film and I thought the kid was cute. Even though he was a thief he was still good at heart. Yes he was annoying at least at first but Herbie believe in him and he turned out to help Herbie save the day.

The kid keeps picking peoples pocket's in the start if the film and ends up getting some film from these crooks. Also Hides in Heribe who helps him out from the crooks. He hides out in Herbie in the Boat and is found the the Car is taken away from Jim Dougles Nephew.

He pretends to like this girl's Daughter so the mother will sponer money for the race. Herbie gets thrown over in the Sea but later comes back the to Boy. The Crooks are waiting for the Boy when the Ships comes. It has a Bull fight seen and lot's of the same people that someone keep running into eachother and it's pretty funny.

I think this was a great film, the only things was I wish they would have shown the Race at the end I thought it would have been perfect with that. But the ending was cool and I like the song about the kid being a friend with Herbie it was pretty neat :)

The End Of The Road
The fourth and final instalment of Walt Disneys Herbie and easily the worst and most forgetable. Though there are some beautiful shots of South America along the way this merley proceeds to make up for the holes in the plot. Whilst Herbie Goes Bananas certainly has a few bright spots, the film as a whole is a rather nondescript affair which sees Herbie the Volkswagen Beatle car, with a mind of its own, rubbing bumpers with a gang of smugglers on their way to Brazil. The stars in the film include Cloris Leachman as Aunt Louise, Charles Martin Smith as Dave Smith, John Vernon as Prindle and Stephan W Burns as Pete Stanchek. Strictly for die-hard fans of the series.

Disney's fall from grace
Poor Herbie. The lovable little car with a mind and heart of his own deserves so much better than this. How could Disney pictures even greenlight such a production? Herbie went from "The Love Bug", one of the highest-grossing films of all-time (for that time), and the OUTSTANDING "Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo", to be thrown into this piece of trash. What bothers me the most about this film, besides an insanely annoying little kid who Herbie had no right in helping in the first place because the kid was a lousy thief, is that throughout almost all of the movie, Herbie is unrecognizable because of an unfortunate (and unnecessary) "plot twist" in the movie. "Herbie Goes Bananas", my friends, was apparently the beginning of a new Era of live-action Disney cinema -- the era of bad Disney live-action cinema which still continues on today, minus a few shining films such as "The Rocketeer" and "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids". One can only hope that when Disney Pictures finally wakes up and hires some talented writers, Herbie will return in a truly magical film once again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lonnie (Johnny Whitaker) has a dog he wants to train as a bird-dog, buthis father Harve (Earl Holliman) thinks the dog is not trainable and gives itaway. Lonnie teams up with his best friend Text (George Spell) to get the dogback in this straightforward Disney film. They name it Moreover and before long,they've managed to teach it a thing or two--enough to make it a seriouschallenger to Harve's own dog in a local bird-dog competition. Then amisunderstood joke leads to trouble, and the boys have to choose between loyaltyto family and their love for their dog. The Biscuit Eater isn't one ofDisney's top films; by contemporary standards it's slow, and the emphasis onhunting birds may upset young viewers. However, others may find its tale ofdetermination and racial harmony appealing. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

excellent movie, but terrible DVD conversion.
First, this DVD is clearly a translation from video, not film. There is no widescreen option. When playing on a high-resolution monitor or television, the scanlines are very noticeable. To top it off though, there are frequently visible artifacts in the movie, which are especially annoying when fading in and out of scenes. In fact, the volume name of the DVD is even misspelled - "BISQUIT_EATER"! I'm really surprised that Disney let this kind of shoddy work make it to market. It must have been a real fly-by-night translation service that they used.

Disney's Best Dog Film
In my opinion, this is Disney's best Dog film and my personal favorite of all Disney films. Based on a short story of the same title, Disney edits the film version to make it more fun for children, primarily by letting the dog live in the end of the film adaptation.

The Biscuit eater is a story of two boys, one black and one white, who jointly own and train the protagonist-a bird dog-with the hope of running it in the Grand National Field Trials at the Ames Plantation. Overcoming many obstacles, the dog and the boys persevere and learn valuable lessons along the way. There are beautiful images of the dogs pointing bobwhite quail and the subsequent covey rises.

The Biscuit Eater is also a story from the "Old Disney." Hence, critics who lament the direction the company has gone in recent years will love this older film digitally mastered on DVD.

warm and fuzzy
The story moves a little slow, but it is more like a slow hammock than a boring slow. Good family fare from a tough period for Disney in the grim years after Walt's death.

A Real Classic
Heartwarming and engrossing tale of two boys, one white, the other black, both poor and both determined to prove they can train a dog that their parent's think is worthless. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Texas cowpoke Lincoln Costain (James Garner) washes ashore on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and helps the widowed owner of a potato plantation (Vera Miles) turn her ailing farm into a thriving cattle ranch, despite the machinations of a sneaky local merchant (Robert Culp). The Castaway Cowboy has all the qualities of Disney's other live-action movies from the 1970s: a clear, straightforward story; serviceable, unfussy acting; a dose of ethnic stereotypes (in this case, the simple, happy-go-lucky islanders); a mixture of sentiment, slapstick, and modest adventure; and a cute, spunky kid, for whom the hero becomes a substitute parent. Garner's easy charm makes the proceedings pleasant enough, though the cultural chauvinism doesn't date well. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Entertaining little Disney comedy-western
In the early '70's, James Garner made two films for Disney studios, "One Little Indian" and "The Castaway Cowboy." Of the two, "Cowboy" is by far the best: a slight but entertaining little comedy-western co-starring the lovely Vera Miles (who was also in "Indian"). She plays Henrietta McAlvoy, the owner of a failing Hawaiian (known here as the Sandwich Islands) potato plantation whose native workers fish a nearly drowned deserter named Costain (Garner) out of the ocean. While Costain waits for a ship home to Texas, he hatches a plot to save the farm by turning it into a cattle ranch, using the Hawaiian workers as ranch hands. Of course, in Disney films of the era, there is always a villain, and "Cowboy" features Robert Culp as Bryson, a local businessman who romances Henrietta in order to get her land and when she won't sell, stoops to some nasty business to sabotage Garner's plan.

Everything is predictable and ends just like you think it might. Also quite predictably, Henrietta is a widow with an irrepressibly cute (i.e. cloying and obnoxious) preteen son played by "The Poseidon Adventure"'s young Eric Shea, who gives an even more annoying, don't-say-your-line-shout-it performance than he gave in the previous film. The only other performances of note are given by native Hawaiians playing the workers as stereotypes who exist merely as goofballs to be laughed at. (More about that later.) Only Elizabeth Smith as Henrietta's housekeeper escapes with her dignity intact, since she manages to make her character more than a one-note stereotype.

Finally, about Anchor Bay's DVD presentation. Even though the copy I received was in fullscreen format (instead of the advertised widescreen--grumble, grumble) I kept it because of the excellent remastered print and the addition of a cool copy of the original poster art from the 1974 release on the back of the scene breakdown card. I still would prefer widescreen, but at least the picture and sound are much better than the awful transfers Disney have been ripping us off with on its own lazy releases.

Now, a word of warning about the presentation of the native Hawaiian characters: if you are sensitive about racial issues and potential racism in the movies, you may want to steer clear of this film. The Hawaiian workers are stereotyped as lazy and undisciplined men-children who would rather swim and play than work. This fact may make the film as offensive to some as "Song of the South" is to African-Americans. However, the natives do become better, more competent workers by the end of the film, so proceed at your own risk!

Castaway Cowby--a great movie!
I really liked this movie!! The scenery was beautiful (of course, it's Kauai and that can't be helped!) and the story line was interesting with all the obstacles James Garner had to contend with to help this family establish a cattle ranch. It also had a great ending and the good people won! My kids even enjoyed it (ages 4,5, and 8), so I must recommend it.

Disney Should Be Ashamed!
Disney should be ashamed this movie is racist to it's core. I would not let little children watch this trash and have them believe that some of the earliest and greatest cowboys in the world were in fact bumbling fools on horseback that needed to be taught to rope and ride by the righteous white man.The Hawaiians
were taught how to be cowboys by Mexican cowboys and quickly became and still are some of the greatest cowboys and hello they pre dated the cowboys in Texas by 20 years.Why not tell the truth sometime DISNEY

Best of the 2
Garner made 2 movie for disney. if your on the look out for good family movie that are fun, no cursing or nudity, a little action and a little romance... you want Castaway Cowboy, CC not One Little Indian, OLI.

CC is a nice movie about a cowboy that ends up stuck on an island. He shows the nice widow woman how to start a cattle ranch instead of tring to far or fish.

OLI is very boring. Not one of my three kids stayed for the end. And isn't that the true test of a movie. It isn't totally what mom or I like, it is also what they will like enough to sit and watch and enjoy.

Good Flick
This is a nice family movie for all and it is a bit on the long side. Good DVD treatment from Anchor Bay. Let's hope they get more Disney films to release as Disney treats the majority of their classics in miserable shoddy full screen format. Kudos to Anchor Bay! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

U .N.C.L.E Deserves to be on DVD
Make no mistake about it - The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was one of the best - if not the best - TV series in the 1960's. And don't forget the TV reunion movies,(was there just 1, or 2?)one of which had George Lazenby spoofing his James Bond portrayal. Isn't it time the powers that be give all the U.N.C.L.E. fans what we want - a DVD release of this superbly written and acted series? Look at some of the stuff that's out now such as The Man Show and series which barely lasted one season and you have to believe the people in charge of issuing series are issuing what they want and not what the viewers want. C'mon folks, give us Napolean Solo (only Sean Connery is a better actor than Robert Vaughn) and let's not forget sidekick Ilya Kuryakin (Navy NCIS's David McCallum) and Alexander Waverly (Leo G. Carroll) who was just as good as James Bond's "M." U.N.C.L.E. fans are legion and don't deserve to be ignored any longer.

Tell me you are kidding, no "Man From U.N.C.L.E." in DVD???
Man, of all the t.v. series in DVD format, to do a search for: "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," to find nothing, not even a single episode or movie, is a huge shock and disappointment, to say the least. The person in charge of deciding which shows to put on DVD really blew it as in "No DUH." Most people who grew up in the 60's, grew up watching and loving the show. That would be the so-called baby boomers who make up a sizeable portion of today's purchasing population, your's included. So, what are you waiting for? What is the hold-up? This series is much better than "I SPY," "The Avengers" or even "The Saint" (even if they, too, are good ones) and you have them on DVD already. I still have to pinch myself, I gotta be dreaming, no Illya Kuryakin or Napoleon Solo? No Mr. Waverly or United Network Command for Law and Enforement, battling Thrush on our behalf??? Woe is me. I'm searching again because I gotta be dreaming this.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
OMG, WHERE is the DVD issuance of this GREAT Spy series from 1964-68? Come on, guys, this addictive program was the most popular TV series THROUGHOUT THE WORLD in the mid-60's, and even today has a huge cult following, loyal fan club base, and show memorabilia collector interest.
This is not just a nostalgic series for the 'baby boomers.' It is timeless for adults and kids alike. MFU sports thrilling around-the-world spy plots, tongue-in-cheek humor and an almost unlimited list of famous guest stars. As must also be noted, its second (and subsequent) seasons, filmed on the now defunct but expensive and gorgeous Kodachrome film, make this series an absolute delight for the eye. Color tints and saturations you do not see on programs filmed later into the 70's!
The writers, producers and directors of the series were certainly some of the most talented and innovative of the period. The show has amazingly well written plots (especially the B&W first season) and in fact even spawned many 'new' photography techniques in its time. These are noted as creative applications utilizing the then-new shoulder-hefted 'portable' film cameras. This program was one of the first such uses of these cameras.
Starring Robert Vaughn as secret agent Napoleon Solo, David McCallum as partner Illya Kuryakin, and Leo G. Carroll as U.N.C.L.E. Director Alexander Waverly, this series brought together three very talented actors to create a well-blended mix of character personalities. Week after week they would save the world, usually from the sinister menace of the evil arch enemy organization THRUSH.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is grand action adventure.
Granted, the series did begin to falter (just a bit) in its final 1967-68 season, but it was still fun to watch and certainly remained at the top of the 'quality' shows of the period.
A 1966-67 cross over spin off, the often times ridiculous Girl From U.N.C.L.E., was also quite popular. The GFU starred Stefanie Powers as agent April Dancer and Noel Harrison as agent Mark Slate. Again, Leo G. Carroll starred as the head of the U.N.C.L.E.
Work on these two series' was quite an accomplishment for the renowned Mr. Carroll, considering that he was not in the best of health at this time in his life. Shows were occasionally and graciously shot around his particular needs, but the producers weren't bothered; they were well aware of their good fortune to have such a respected actor.
In light of many 'garbage' shows being presently marketed on DVD, it is necessary to state that the fantastic Man From U.N.C.L.E. series needs to be given its long overdue consideration for DVD release.
And make certain to keep intact the closing credits, sporting the famous "We wish to thank the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, without whose assistance this program would not be possible."
Great stuff . . . right to the end!

Dated, But Still My Favorite Show
UNCLE is still my favorite show, even if it is dated (and even though I can now see how they re-used that red brick mansion over and over in many episodes). Recently, Film Score Monthly magazine has released two double-CD sets of original UNCLE music, and I've been reimagining the shows in my head as I listen to great, catchy music. I've waited since 1965 for real, original UNCLE music, as heard on the show. Yippee!

Why this show is not on DVD perplexes me. When it was released on tape, they didn't pick the best episodes, but the ones with the biggest guest stars. Bad move, but better than nothing.

For a 1960s show that's not in reruns, it still isn't forgotten. I recently heard Elvis Costello on a talk show describing a recording studio that was unexpectedly located in an old building. He said, "It was like 'The Man From UNCLE'". I could hardly believe my ears! See, people still talk about it. Please release it while we're still around to buy it.

Make My Days ... and Nights
As a long-time fan, I already own the tape set, but would still buy the DVDs in a heartbeat. Man from U.N.C.L.E. fans are still around -- in numbers that would surprise you. And we're not all over 40. My kids love the show, too. It's timeless -- funny, intelligent and features some wonderful co-stars.

I look forward to owning this set. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

2005 DVD REQUEST
I was born in 1970 and watched 'Eight Is Enough' on TV and in syndication (PAX TV) for most of my life. When I grew up I always wanted to live in a neighborhood like the Bradfords and have friends like Tommy with three or more hot, available, sisters...unfortunately, when I did grow up it was during the 80's and I lived in Texas. Needless to say, life was nothing like the television show and still to this day, I have yet to find a community or a group of people that are as cool as the ones portrayed in this show. The last of the 'Star Wars' saga is coming out this month in the theaters and back then the original 'Star Wars' movie had just come out and 'Eight Is Enough', a show which epitomizes the values of an era that has long come and gone has not been given a DVD release like 'The Brady Bunch' or 'The Partridge Family'. I liked 'The Brady Bunch' and 'TPF' but it always seemed fake to me like 'The Monkees' and I never really got into it like 'EIE'. If whomever is in charge of the rights to this show would put it out on DVD with a really cool 1970's-ish cover (NO DOUBLE SIDED DVD'S!!!) and some cool special features I'd buy it in a heartbeat, and be eternally grateful. It's a shame that in the time that we're living in we don't have more positive family role models on television, and instead have channel after channel of reality shows and military/cop dramas that aren't nearly as cool as 'Chips', 'Magnum P.I.', or 'Simon & Simon', in my opinion. Oh, also, release 'Simon & Simon' on DVD and I'll buy that as well. I love that show!!!

First Season (1977)
I can't believe that with the popularity of -- and push for -- family programming, this marvelous show isn't on the shelves available for purchase.I sure loved it as a young kid, and I would love to have this one in my home for the rest of my family to enjoy.

Even though Betty Buckley wasn't on the show until the second year as Abby, the first short season was a decent offering.Dick Van Patten as Tom Bradford was maybe one of the best TV dads on television ever.

The first year was so brief, so it would be great if whoever owns the rights would release seasons one & two TOGETHER (like the "Dallas" set).Betty Buckly, after all, was one of the best things to ever happen to this series.

01 - Never Try Eating Nectarines Since Juice May Dispense (3-15-77)
Elizabeth is arrested for drug possession, and David (played by Mark 'LUKE SKYWALKER' Hammil in this episode only - Grant Goodeve took over in episode 2) moves out on his own.
**The title of this episode is really just a clever way that Tom and Joan remember the names of all their 8 kids - Nicholas, Tommy, Elizabeth, Nancy, Susan, Joanie, Mary & David (from youngest to oldes)**

02 - Schussboomer (3-22-77)
Mary's single friend (who's also pregnant--GASP!) stays with the Bradford family and clashes with Tom.Apparently Diana Hyland who played Tom's wife Joan, passed away around the time this episode first aired, forcing them to eventually have the mother character die--and allow Betty Buckly to join the cast as the woman Tom would soon marry!

03 - Pieces Of Eight (3-29-77)
Tom and Joan argue when she insists on continuing her photography career while his newspaper is shut down by a strike.

04 - Women, Ducks & The Domino Theory (4-5-77)
Tommy gets stood up by his date, and Tom and David pretend to be interested in their annual hunting trip (Charlene Tilton gust stars).

05 - Turnabout (4-12-77)
David dates an older woman, played by Adrienne Barbeau (she played Bea Arthur's daughter on "Maude" and Oswald's mother on "The Drew Carey Show")

06 - Quarantine (4-19-77)
The entire family gets quarantined at the house, forcing David to run errands for them "on the outside."

07 - 'V' Is For Vivian (4-26-77)
Tom's sister (Janis Paige) comes to visit and annoys Tom by encouraging the kids too much.

08 - Hit And Run (5-3-77)
Tommy accidentally breaks a window at a church, Joanie meets a land developer who is in conflict with Tom, and Elizabeth lands three dates for the same high school prom.

09 - The Gipper Caper (8-10-77)
Tom's friend 'The Gipper' challenges the Bradfords to a game of touch football. ... Read more