Reviews (28)

Good John Candy, but not Great
I thought this movie was pretty good. I am a huge John Candy fan, so I will like pretty much anything with him in it. I don't think he really had a chance to shine in this one.

John Candy works as an air traffic controller. He works too hard and has to take a trip to Florida to cool off. His first day there he becomes arch enemies with the local snob sailboat captain. With a setup like this, it is inevitable that he have to defeat the snob captain in a sailboat race.

This movie is pretty predictable stuff, in my opinion. If you want maximum John Candy try Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or Uncle Buck. If you want a vacation movie, try National Lampoon's Vacation, or another good John Candy flick, The Great Outdoors. I find all of these more satisfying than Summer Rental, but I think Summer Rental is still worth watching.

The Likeable Loser
John Candy has always been an actor who I thought was better as a sidekick than as a lead (e.g. his role as Barf in "Spaceballs"). "Summer Rental" is the one leading role he did that is the exception.

In the movie, Candy plays Jack Chester, a stressed-out air traffic controller who takes his family on vacation to relax. They've rented a house at a beach in Florida. All Jack wants to do is relax and recuperate but everyone from his neighbors to his family conspires to make his vacation even more stressful than his job.

Candy is at his best when he is the likeable victim of life's difficulties. In "Summer Rental" he gets plenty of those difficulties and makes them funnier than most actors can.

Predictable, but Funny and Enjoyable
The plot here really doesn't matter; it's pretty predictable. This is a film that is enjoyable primarily because of the very funny and capable John Candy. Candy plays a harried air traffic controller, Jack Chester, who takes his family to Florida for a well-deserved rest. Of course, everything goes wrong.

Candy is at the top of his game here. He plays a likeable family man who feels that everything that goes wrong is his fault. He tends to take everything personally, and even though sometimes everything just goes wrong, he's not the author of all the mishaps.

He makes a turnaround when he meets the very funny Rip Torn, who plays Scully, a bar owner, sailor, and one-handed guy. The scene where Candy gets drunk and plays a very haphazard game of darts is hilarious (one dart hits the ceiling fan, another a barometer). Scully decides to show Jack Chester that he can succeed, and teaches him to sail. This leads to the climax race against the rich and smarmy Richard Crenna, who has a beautiful boat and a crack sailing team. Chester is in the race of his life, but he has a trick up his sleeve (so to speak).

I'll not reveal the outcome of the race, but suffice it to say, Jack Chester does OK.

Recommended if you want to laugh, enjoy yourself, and have a satisfying film-watching experience. I did.

OUTSTANDING
John Candy does an outstanding job in this movie, playing the part of Jack Chester, a burned out traffic controller who desperately needs a relaxing vacation. Too bad he doesn't get one!
Taking his family to Florida, he does not know the cabin he has rented is right next door to a public walk leading to the beach.
Living in Florida, I certainly know how busy those walks can be, and that only heightened the laughter for me, as Jack had to deal with 'walkers' everyday, who wanted a glass of water or to use the bathroom. Good Lord!
Add to that a budding teenage daughter, a neighbor who wants to show off her new 'breasts' and rich jerks who think they own the Florida beaches (oh yes,I have seen them as well).
This all adds up to a great movie, one that you will watch time and time again. Outstanding!

Summer Rental.
This movie was so funny! This was John Candy's first leading role was in this film by Carl Reiner, in which the comic actor played a stressed-out air traffic controller who takes his family on a Florida vacation and has to deal with arrogant, rich jerks. Candy is good in what is almost a straight part and Reiner keeps the tone in check so his star has an opportunity to show more than one dimension. Summer Rental is great, but it could still be much better. It is so funny, and all the jokes work, and his daughter in this movie is so HOT! You must see this movie. John Candy's just pure funny, an it...that he isn't with us anymore. Oh well at least Jim Carrey is still around. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This 1984 Carl Reiner comedy is one of the best film showcases of Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin's sundry talents. Tomlin plays a sickly spinster who is given the chance to transfer her soul to the body of another woman, and thus go on living. But the magic man who is supposed to make this happen goofs up and locks her spirit inside a bachelor lawyer (Martin)--or, more accurately, within the right half of the poor fellow's body.Suddenly, the swinging man-about-town is literally at odds with himself, unable to make a self-determining decision without a huge internal struggle. Martin's physical comedy, always remarkable, is absolutely inspired this time around, as he convincingly portrays a man split down the middle between opposing sensibilities. This is also one of the best films by Reiner, a filmmaker whose novel ideas are sometimes more striking than their execution.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Classic 80's Steve Martin
1984 found director Carl Reiner teaming up with old friend Steve Martin once again. "All Of Me" captures some of Martin's best physical comedy to date. Martin plays sympathetic lawyer Roger Cobb who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time... and gets crusty "just-dead" Edwina Cutwater's (Tomlin) soul dumped into him by accident... and the lunacy starts. Vicious Terry Hoskins (Victoria Tennant) is quietly evil to a tee. The majority of this film concentrates on Cobb dealing with his mixed feelings (his and Cutwater's), and trying to find the bumbling Prahka Lasa (played by Richard Libertini) so the lost soul of Cutwater can find it's final resting place. I remember this movie being hilarious when it came out and Steve Martin was one of the kings of comedy. While still an entertaining watch today (20 years later), it has lost a tad of it's luster. Three major flaws with this DVD, 1. The lack of absolutely no worthwhile extras on this DVD (comes with a trailer only), 2. Terrible MONO sound, 3. Full screen only... it's no wonder you'll find "All Of Me" in most stores on the bargain rack.

Must see
Simply one of the best movies ever made. As a romantic comedy it does very well, Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin operating in peak form. The soul-searching Martin brings a haunting power to the title song 'All of me', without performing it. I can't hear the song anymore without welling up.

They do it with mirrors
Be advised that this is a rather naughty movie for a PG rating; it probably would have earned a PG-13 had that rating been around at the time. That aside, this is a real gem. What you have is Steve Martin as a lawyer and jazz guitarist (he seems to learn a new skill for every movie), a dog named Bix, a creepy girlfriend, a blind saxophonist, a Tibetan swami, Lily Tomlin as a wacky rich invalid, an amazing and riotous courtroom scene, a New Orleans funeral band playing excerpts of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and "Oh Didn't He Ramble," a horse, a dented bowl, a bucket of water, and various and selected other props, all rollicking to an ending so happy it'll bring tears to your eyes. Crazy musicians! (BL, Tucker, GA)

One of my Favorite Comedies!!
This is one of my Favorite comedies of all time! It has the best cast ever for the lead characters, Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. As for the plot I am going to copy from what I have on a poster in my room of the movie:
"When rich, eccentric Edwina Cutwater died, a crazy guru tried to transport her soul into the body of a beautiful young woman. But the guru goofed, and Edwina's soul is accidentally taken over the entire right side of her lawyer, Rodger Cobb [Steve Martin]. He still controls what's left. Now, Edwina and Roger are living together in the same body. He's losing his job; He's losing his girlfriend. And he just can't seem to get her out of his system. No matter how hard he tries."
Well, there you have the plot...and now for the good part: The acting! Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin are two of my favorite actors of all time...and when I heard they were in a Comedy together I was suprised and amazed! So when I popped in the video I knew it was gonna be good. I'm not going to go into descriptions in detail of the movie because you'll just have to see it to believe me...and I know you won't be dissapointed! This is truly one of the best comedy's ever and with great performances by great actors, "All of Me" certainly can't be missed!!

Great performance
Proof that the Academy Awards don't care for comedy is Steve Martin's failure to get a nomination for his performance in "All of Me", as challenging a role as any in drama. Martin is brilliant in his portrayal as a man with two souls in one body. The story, cast, and laughs are first-rate. The DVD transfer is average and the choice of full-screen is, as always, disappointing. An essential purchase for Steve Martin fans, however. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

I can watch it over and over again
This is one of my favorite movies. I have watched it infinite times. This movie is funny and entertaining. I never get bored watching it. It's a story of a gym teacher who gets to teach summer school, and in order to get a tenure for next year he has to make the students pass their english tests, but they are students lacking motivation and skills. On the way to the test the story has a lot of sub plots, and very funny and memorable moments, with great characters like Chainsaw and Dave who love horror movies, Denise a dislexic girl, Larry an underage stripper, Pam (Courtney Thorne Smith) a surfer, and of course Freddy Shoop (Mark Harmon) and Robin Bishop (Kirsty Alley).

Harmless Fun
1987's Summer School is an underrated comedy from the 80's. The plot revolves around reluctant summer school teacher, Freddy Shoop (Mark Harmon), who is forced into the job after the original teacher hits the lottery. Shoop is a gym teacher and he must deal with a classroom full of typical high school misfits. Throughout the summer, Shoop's unconventional teaching methods get him trouble with the school's vice principal, but wins over the kids. The film is carried by the immensely likable cast. Mr. Harmon reactions to the student's quirks and miscues are perfectly timed and the students provide genuine laughs. Dean Cameron & Gary Riley are hilarious as shock meisters Chainsaw and Dave, Richard Steven Horowitz plays the perfect geek as Alan Eakain and a young Courtney Thorne-Smith is alluring as Pam House who develops a big time thing for Shoop. Kirstie Alley shows up as a love interest for Shoop. Summer School is a great, lightweight movie that is small on plot, but big on laughs and fun.

The Single Funniest Movie Ever
'Summer School' is truly the funniest movie in the history of film. You've gotta get past the 1987 styles and fashion, but once u do that...this movie is the great. Dave, Chainsaw, the pregnant surfer...ahh, you gotta see it to know what I mean. A cinematic classic. Its about time it came out on DVD. Go buy it now.

Don't wet your pants.....watch this...!
Brilliant and sooooooo underrated. I'm a huge fan, and I'm so glad it's finally on DVD!

Lots of fun!!!
Fun 80's movie. Good acting. Good directing. Favorite line from the movie: When the high school gym teacher (Mark Harmon) is told he has to teach summer school he says, "...but I'm not a real teacher!" The principal replies, "That's okay, they're not real students." ... Read more

Reviews (90)

"The New Phone Book Is Here!!, The New Phone Books Is Here!"
This 1979 debut for Steve Martin is one of comedy's greatest classics. This film definitley opened the door for people like Jim Carrey and all those types of comedies. This one will forever be the granddaddy of them all. Steve plays Navin Johnson, a white man who was brought up by a backwoods family who are black. Navin realizes he's not and sets out on his own to find his own life. It's one misadventure after the next. It's also one hilarious joke after another. Along the way he meets and falls in love with Bernadette Peters. There are also appearences by Carl Reiner, Jackie Mason, and M. Emmett Walsh. The movie is so slapsticky silly that it's hilarious fun to watch from beginning to end. I won't say what happens to our good old friend Navin. You'll have to see for yourself. If only the brilliant Steve Martin would return to this type of comedy. This film is pure comedy gold sent from comedy heaven. A definite must!!.

Too Funny
The Jerk is one of the most hilarious movies I've seen. The movie is about Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) who is a white boy adopted into a poor black family. He's a little "slow" and doesn't even realize he's white. The movie opens at his birthday where he's having his favorite "tuna on a white bread sandwich and a twinkie for dessert" dinner.
His problem is that he doesn't have rythmn, and late that night, he's listening to the radio when he hears "white" music, and finds that yes! he has rythmn!
So, Navin sets off to see the world, and a hilarous journey ensues - everything from a dog named sh*thead, assasination attempts to love to riches to insanity happens to poor Navin, but it's a great journey!
***** 5 stars for this classic Steve Martin comedy

If You Ever Need Cheering Up
Then this is the movie for you. That is, if you have any sense of humor whatsoever. There are so many funny, memorable scenes in this movie - like when he's standing right outside his parents' fence hitchhiking or when the guy is shooting at him - "These cans! He hates these cans!" "The new phone book is here!" "I'm somebody now!" The Jerk is one of the best comedies ever made. If you want to laugh, if you can laugh, buy or rent this movie!

Where's the widescreen version?
A classic but demand a widescreen version.

weirdly funny
Steve Martin shows a lot of comedic flair in this, one of his first films (he later tones it down and hones it in later works, which is all I had seen up to this point, so this was very strange in how over-the-top he is.)

Steve plaves Navin, a white boy adopted by a large loving African-American family, who honestly believed he would turn black on his 18th birthday (which is when his family reveals to him that he is adopted, although they had hoped he would figure it out beforehand.)

Determined to make his way out in the world, Navin takes on a series of unrelated jobs that turn out poorly --- gas station attendant (in which he demolishes a church), carnival employee (where he has his first carnal knowledge and his first romantic love -- with two very different women), and later becomes a billionaire through some very odd means.

But at heart, he's just a simple country boy who wants to fit in back where he came from. He's not a bum, he's a jerk! All he has are his friends and a thermos. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A classic without peer
The brothers Hocheiser make a solemn promise to their dying father that they will "never put their mother (Ruth Gordon) in a home." But brother Gordon (George Siegel) gets stuck with the old dingbat and she is wrecking his life. His law practice is falling apart, his sex life nonexistent, and he can't even hire a nurse to take care of the wacko. Then, suddenly, a nurse-- the girl of his dreams comes along, but mother has other ideas. This wonderful, creative, hilarious 1970 classic comedy directed by Carl Reiner with its gallows humor could not be made today. We have lost much of our artistic freedom to political correctness, commercial timidity and lack of creative talent. But don't take my word for it, ask Mel Brooks who has remarked that some of his movies could not be made today either. Fortunately we can get the video. The movie does require a somewhat offbeat taste to appreciate. Everything and everyone is in a kind of reality warp, the Hocheiser family, the Central Park muggers, the police, the nurse Louise (Patricia Van Devere). The movie is also comment on life in America in 1970, and on how family members manipulate each other with guilt. Finally, I like the ending the movie was released with, it really does work better artistically.

Hilarious Adult comedy!
One of Carl Reiners best! George Segal (Just shoot me) is at his best. Ruth Gordon(Any Which way but loose) steals alot of scenes though as George`s senile mother.This movie is a must see for everyone over the age of 18. I guarantee you`ll hurt yourself laughing.

Been there, done that
If you've ever taken care of an elderly parent, you've got to see this movie. Each time I watch it, I feel like I'm living it. The person who wrote this movie must have taken care of an elderly parent or relative. Totally hysterical. If you don't think it's funny, it's because you have taken care of any older person.

A VERY BLACK COMEDY....
George Segal is wonderful as Gordon the attorney stuck with his aging addled Mama. Ron Liebman is appropriately befuddled as the nerdish brother Sidney and Trish Van Devere (in her film debut) is strangely idyllic as Gordons' new girlfriend. But it's Ruth Gordon who's watchable here. She is fearless in her hilarious (and, yes, touching) portrayal of Mama. You never know if it's all an act to keep her son Gordon hamstringed or if she's really senile or ,by todays' standards, in the onset of Alzheimers'. She's such a skilled performer. Whatever the truth is, she's delightful to watch. This is a "bare bones" disc: no real extras except the trailer and the bizarre alternate ending ("Papa's here") which I won't describe. The film looks great and it is very tasteless in spots but nonetheless enjoyable if you're game. A must if you're a Segal or Gordon fan and a rare treasure of way-y-y-y off-beat black comedy.

Controversial Even Then
From the moment George Segal dons a gorilla suit and leaps on mom's bed, growling and beating a shaggy chest, whereupon mom (Ruth Gordon) delivers a paralyzing fist to his groin, the audience knows this is not a typical family relationship. In fact, the rest of the film elaborates hilariously on the mounting desperation middle-aged bachelor and attorney Segal faces as he tries to outwit the aged and addled Gordon, who turns his every stab at independence into humiliating defeat. Poor Gordon Hocheiser, he's facing a bleak future, unless something is finally done about mom.

This is a signature movie of the 60's, a companion piece to that other iconoclast comedy of the period, Harold and Maude. Only here, the counter-cultural message is less noticeable, limited pretty much to mock face-offs with a deranged army general and a marauding football coach. The screenplay is richly inventive, trading on the unexpected in often highly provocative ways. The film however belongs to Segal whose comedy instinct proves flawless, his hang-dog deadpan growing ever longer as the gallows grow ever closer. We want him to win, get control of life, and escape mom's clinging grasp. But can he.The film is not so much an attack on aged parents as a healthy plea for adult independence--old lady Hocheiser has few redeeming qualities while Gordon's irrepressible girlishness, unlike her role in Harold and Maude, resembles that of a demented kewpie doll. Admittedly, the movie is not for everyone, many scenes being as outrageous as they are funny. Yet the social commentary remains lively and incisive, and despite fashions of the day, retains a distinct relevancy. (Consider the old age home operated as a zombified warehouse by Paul Sorvino looking and acting like a mafia capo.) (My copy, incidentally, contains a humorously satisfying conclusion of a car exiting in long shot.) So, if you're curious about what even the permissive and freewheeling 60's found controversial, then take a chance on this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This is one of the best parodies of the '40s hardboiled detective genre,with a very clever conceit: weaving the plot and production design around memorable movie clips (The Killers, The Big Sleep, DoubleIndemnity, The Lost Weekend, White Heat, This Gun for Hire, Sorry, WrongNumber, Notorious). Steve Martin plays the cool Rigby Reardon, who tries solving an incomprehensible mystery with the assistance of Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Burt Lancaster, Fred MacMurray, Ingrid Bergman, and Ray Milland, among others. It's all silly hokum with Rachel Ward as the pretty moll and director-cowriter Carl Reiner as the nefarious villain. Miklos Rozsa takes us back to yesteryear with his lush score, and, fittingly, Edith Head handles the period costumes in her final production. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A Great Idea!
For the past several years, Steve Martin's comedies have been basically fun, mainstream outings ('Father of the Bride,' 'Parenthood,' etc.). A lot of people may not remember that early in his film career, Martin participated in a lot of experimentation and risk-taking. 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' was one of those early risks in which a story was constructed (sort of) around several classic film clips. Carl Reiner and Martin shot scenes designed to fit into those they borrowed from the classics so that their story of private eye Martin looked credible. The result is a very good idea that works for about half of the film. Martin spouts off some great one-liners and some pretty good sight gags, but the strength of the film is in it's tribute to the Golden Era of filmmaking, made even more memorable by the Rozza score and the Edith Head costumes (her last film).

The plot is really ridiculous and beside the point, but the movie is a lot of fun. I appreciated at the time and still appreciate the risks that Martin took with this and all his early films. I think that maybe 10 or 20 years from now, Martin films like this one, 'The Jerk,' 'The Man With Two Brains' and others will be seen as innovative and ground-breaking.

Inspired Genius
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid is one of those movies that are so jaw-droppingly brilliant that you can't believe what you're seeing.

While the acting is a bit stiff in places, and Steve Martin's occasional use of "dangerous words" doesn't fit with a 40's noir film, the premise and near perfect execution of intercutting old and new films is incredible. For instance, Steve Martin's character's name is Rigby Reardon. On the surface it has that alliterative "Sam Spade" quality so you chalk it up the pastiche. Later however, actors from the old movies refer to someone off-screen as "Mr. Reardon" or "Rigby," and you realize how things were set up from the beginning. Likewise, Rigby's reaction to the words "cleaning woman" seems like just an odd quirk at first - until later, when it gives him an excuse to strangle Bette Davis. The scene of Rigby and Alan Ladd sharing a plate of cookies is simply amazing.

The DVD skimps on extras, but as it's an inexpensive title you're still getting full value for your movie purchasing dollar. Don't miss the original theatrical trailer, though; I don't recall having seen it before and Steve Martin's narration as funny as anything in the film itself (who else could include "sliding" as a major reason to see a movie?).

If you're a fan of the old 40's detective/suspense films, you'll really appreciate this movie. If you're a newcomer to the world of film noir, the movies spliced in here (conveniently listed in the end credits) are some of the best. If you're just looking for laughs, the gags are spaced out quite a bit in parts, but that gives you an opportunity to appreciate the dramatic side of Steve Martin you don't always see.

Steve Martin and Carl Reiner should be very proud to have made this movie. You should be proud to include it in your DVD library.

My favorite Steve Martin movie of them all...
Steve Martin and Rachel Ward are almost too funny for words in this one. With this film, Carl Reiner did to 40's film noir what Mel Brooks did to Star Wars with his Spaceballs -- though I'd say that Reiner's Dead Men Don't far excels Spaceballs. This, as while Mel Brooks uses some great one-liners and sight gags in his send-up of space flicks, Reiner's brilliant pastiche of old clips from classic films (complete with Bogart, Cagney, Milland, etc.) cut together with Steve Martin acting against these scenes is simply astounding in its technical acheievement while being some of the funniest moments ever put to film. This is Steve Martin at his best and Rachel Ward is stunningly beautiful -- with her beauty punctuating her delivery of key scenes in a way that only compounds the comedy, as you'd never expect to see something like this in real life. When she removes the bullets from a wounded Steve Martin, you just have to break out damned near belly laughing. The whole effect works brilliantly and the writing, filming, costumes and acting all work together in a seamless work that is one of the most under-rated films of all time. Thanks for putting it on DVD, I'd about worn my VHS copy out over the years of playing.

Very funny creative movie.
I saw this film in Mexico City years ago. It was in spanish sub-titles. The Mexican audience seemed well aware of the film noir of the 40's gangster films...as they read the sub-titles, they were already laughing before I finished hearing the dialouge.

Yes, it is a very funny movie and Steve Martin is so over the top smooth, it is hilarious. There are some great lines in the movie you won't forget.

And just to see the beautiful & sexy Rachel Ward at the very peak of her incredible beauty, is worth the price of admission.

This is a gem, a sleeper.

It's just great.
It may not be Shakespeare, but if you've ever seen a play by that guy you know he can get pretty silly when he wants to. So watch this movie and feel like an intellectual, guilt free!
The movie is just one brilliant idea from beginning to end, never disappointing you. How many times I've watched something, thinking all along "If only they had managed not to spoil it..."
Well, these guys don't. If I ever need to smile, I have only to remember Steve Martin's exaggerated, cartoonish expression when he's punched in the face, Rachel Ward's sexy, ludicrous way of extracting bullets, or Steven's monologue with a pigeon about what dames do to men's hearts. Who needs Hamlet and a skull? That scene, by the way, was plagiarized one day by Robert Lowe on an episode of that White House show on t.v. .
I always thought Rachel was really an underestimated actress and it's consoling to see (and hear her Jessica Rabbit-like voice) in one of my all time favorite movies.
Carl Reiner was also in "Ocean's Eleven". He's practically unchanged from one movie to another, but in this one he's more convincing, I think.
Indispensable. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Meet Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin), the famous brain surgeon. Perhaps the name is not unfamiliar, though it is unpronounceable; the good doctor is the inventor of the celebrated "screw-top" method of brain surgery, in which the top of the skull twists off as easily as the lid of a pickle jar. The man may be a medical genius, but his talent for love leaves something to be desired, which explains his marriage to a gold-digging vixen (Kathleen Turner). Ah, but Dr. Hfuhruhurr may yet find true love, in the form of the disembodied brain he discovers in the lab of a mad scientist--David Warner, gone the Frankenstein route. (Lovely image:Hfuhruhurr in a rowboat, taking the brain out for a romantic ride on the lake.) Thus, in its own utterly goofy way, does The Man with Two Brains delve into the eternal dilemma of male indecision:does a man fall in love with a woman's body, or with her mind? Along the way, of course, there are gags both highbrow and very, very lowbrow, a mind-body split that might be why critics have tended to prefer the more sophisticated slapstick of All of Me (directed, like this film, by Carl Reiner) and Roxanne among the early Steve Martin outings. Still, this is one of Martin's funniest pictures, and a game Kathleen Turner, fresh off her Body Heat success, ably spoofs her own sultry image. The cerebral love object is voiced by Sissy Spacek. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Description

Suppose God personally chose you to spread His message to all humankind. That's what happens to supermarket manager John Denver in a graceful comedy blessed by George Burns in his best-loved role. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

God recruits agnostic man to spread His Message
George Burns and John Denver are a winning pair as God and the young middle class American guy who has trouble "believing", much less spreading the Good News. The "tests" Denver has for Burns to prove that he really IS God are hilarious. When Denver asks Burns to make it rain (on a sunny day), Burns does just that...but only inside of Denver's car! Eventually Denver does get the "message" and lives his life as a better person. -- This is a wonderful family movie, followed by a somewhat weaker, but no less sweet sequal (Oh God, Book II). A little 70s nostalgia doesn't hurt this film one bit. A winner!

CULT MOVIES 40
40. OH! GOD! (comedy, 1977) Jerry (John Denver) is an assistant-manager for a produce store. He's an honest man who has a wife and 2 kids. Just your normal kind of guy that is until God (George Burns) requests an audience with him. He has picked Jerry to carry his message of good will to an increasingly pessimistic world. But Jerry finds that people are difficult to convert, he even has trouble trying to make his family understand that God appears to him as a kindly old guy. His faith remains strong until his call starts to slowly filter through.

Critique: A surprise box-office hit when first released, it spawned other sequels that proved interesting ('OH! GOD! BOOK 2', 'OH! GOD! YOU DEVIL'). 81 year old George Burns shines as the perennial God, a role that he played with sweet abandonment. His deliveries of lines are perfectly executed. This God seems to have an answer for everything: on creating the world he quips; "to tell you the truth I thought about it for 6 days and did the whole thing in 1". What's most interesting is that the film takes an unbiased, non-religious look at our Creator. This God doesn't believe in religions or its leaders, and sees "human suffering" as being our fault (not his) since we perpetrate the acts. No wonder the very simple themes and in-jokes appealed to so many.

QUOTE: Jerry: "Sometimes, now and then, couldn't we just talk?" God: "Tell you what, you talk I'll listen."

Good movie, good commentary track
As much as I really like this movie, I wish there was a box set including the two sequels. The original is the best, easily, but with the amount of movie series coming to dvd it would only make sense to have the trilogy. "Oh God Book Two" is lackluster, for the most part, but "Oh God You Devil" is quite a corker (with George Burns playing a dual role as God and the Devil).

This is a low-key, laid back kind of movie. This might seem insufferably tame and sedate by many of today's young moviegoers, especially in light of manic "comedies" such as "Bruce Almighty" which had fun with religious-themed humor. But for those of us old enough to remember it- and to remember the sly wit of George Burns- it is a treat to revisit the movie in widescreen. The commentary track with Carl Reiner and Teri Garr is a winner, essentially as laid back as the movie itself but entirely satisfying. Speaking of Ms. Garr, she was quite a fox back in the day and looks great in this movie. God bless her as she struggles with MS.

It's been said before, but the ending of the movie gets a little gimmicky and could've been just as low-key as the rest of the movie. The 'special effects' and theatrics in the courtroom are a bit out of step with the rest of the movie. But otherwise, this one is a real charmer. Now, if only we could get the sequels on dvd too.....

Compelling View of a Very Personable God
When granted an interview with God, John Denver - an assistant manager at Food World, thinks that it is a practical joke by one of his friends. When the invitation turns up again in an unexpected place, it gets his attention - even though he doesn't believe in God.

George Burns plays wonderfully as God and the ensuing scenes where he convinces Denver that he is who he says he is have an enduring and endearing quality. His message is simple. God is alive. God cares. We have been given everything we need to make it work - and it can, if we want it to. Convincing the world, however, is another matter. From the religious editor at the LA Times who thinks Denver is just another fruitcake to Denver's boss at Food World who is offended that Denver would suggest that God would pick an unbelieving assistant manager instead of him, a man who has prayed with Billy Graham, no less, all the personalities come out. After an appearance on Dinah Shore, spaced out weirdos show up on his lawn and harass his kids and wife. Finally, a panel of religious experts agree to give Denver a set of questions that he could not possibly answer (they are written in Aramaic). After completing the questions, Denver delivers his package and a few choice words from God to a stereotypical televangelist (aka "God's Own Quarterback" - having delivered the benediction at this year's Superbowl). The film finally culminates in a courtroom scene where Burns, as God, gives a powerful delivery.

This film has some of the best writing. Burns has many humorous lines - it IS a comedy - but he also has some pretty profound and meaningful lines. In an obvious reference to the film The Exorcist, he comments on how easy it is for people to believe in the devil. But not God. He says that what we have here is some of his best work, that we should take care of it and appreciate it. He says that he knows how hard it can be in these troubled times to believe in God but, if it helps, we should know that he believes in us.

Classic 70's cinema -- weak DVD features
If you're reading this, you've probably already seen it and know it's a great movie. The DVD features are minimal (trailers, a list of awards, and George Burns' movies). Some deleted scenes or outtakes would have been really interesting, but there are none offered.

The commentary track reveals a few interesting things about the movie, but also rambles about non-related things. They admitted they hadn't seen the movie in a long time, so their commentary could have been better had they prepared.

Another weird problem: the music on the main menu is so distorted it sounds like it's being played through a cheap hand radio. But the sound on the movie is good.

If I could rate the DVD features separately, I would give them two stars. ... Read more

Description

Sample some of the greatest comedy ever aired on television with this side-splitting collection of the best episodes from the legendary, Emmy Award-winning Dick Van Dyke Show! Episodes include: Oh How We Met the Night That We Danced, My Blonde-Haired Brunette, 4*, The Alan Brady Show Goes to Jail. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Laura's Funniest Crying Jag; Don Rickles' 2-Parter; & More!
Are you ready for 4 more funny programs with the Petries and assorted neighbors and friends? If so, this 4th installment of "The Best Of The Dick Van Dyke Show" won't disappoint you.

The four episodes housed on this digital disc are ............

1.) "Oh How We Met The Night That We Danced" (From Season 1; Air Date: 10/31/1961).

2.) "My Blonde-Haired Brunette" (From Season 1; Air Date: 10/10/1961).

3.) "4-And-A-Half" (From Season 4; Air Date: 11/04/1964).

4.) "The Alan Brady Show Goes To Jail" (From Season 4; Air Date: 11/11/1964).

--------------------------

The video and audio shine brightly on this 4-episode "Best Of" disc! The black-and-white images are crystal-clear, with very little "noise" or other video distractions.

Menus: An "episode" menu comes on screen right away. There are separate "Chapter" listings for each of the four shows on the disc. A "Play All" feature is also included on this disc.

In addition -- A few special bonus features are also present here. ..... TV footage from the Emmy Awards, cast interviews, and a nifty bonus featuring Dick Van Dyke singing the show's theme song. Plus -- A "Meet The Cast" section of text "bios" and "The Ottoman Tripper" (a cool trivia game that features a funny video clip after answering the quiz question).

Here are some more details about this disc ...............

Subtitles -- None included.
Video -- Full Frame (Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1).
Audio -- 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono (English).
Paper Insert? -- Yes.
Packaging -- Keep Case.
DVD Region Code -- "Zero". ... Read more

Description

Sample some of the greatest comedy ever aired on television with this side-splitting collection of the best episodes from the legendary, Emmy Award-winning Dick Van Dyke Show! Episodes include: 100 Terrible Hours, Uhny Uftz, Never Bathe on Saturday, The Secret Life of Buddy and Sally. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Volume 3 -- Yep, It's Another Winning DvD Compilation!
Volume #3 in Image's "The Best Of The Dick Van Dyke Show" series of five single-disc DVDs digitally dishes up four more hilarious offerings from this landmark TV sitcom, which ran on CBS from 1961 to 1966.

Included amongst this disc's episodes is "Never Bathe On Saturday", which is one of the funniest episodes of any comedy series ever (in my humble opinion that is). :)

Here's this volume's list of programs (with air-date information) ..........

1.) "One Hundred Terrible Hours" (From Season 4; Air Date: 05/05/1965).

2.) "Uhny Uftz" (From Season 5; Air Date: 09/29/1965).

3.) "Never Bathe On Saturday" (From Season 4; Air Date: 03/31/1965).

4.) "The Secret Life Of Buddy And Sally" (From Season 2; Air Date: 11/28/1962).

---------------------------

A nice, funny assortment of Van Dyke Show entries indeed. These value-priced 4-episode "Best Of" discs are great for the Dick Van Dyke fan who doesn't want to necessarily collect *every* single episode via the also-available complete-season compilations offered through Image Entertainment.

These "Best Of" DVDs also contain some supplemental material, which is a pleasant surprise. Some interview footage is included here, as well as a short clip from another TV series starring Dick Van Dyke, "Diagnosis Murder", which has a "Van Dyke Show" tie-in.

Two additional "mini" extras on the disc are: "Meet The Cast" (text-only "biography" feature) and "The Ottoman Tripper" (trivia game).

Some more details & specs regarding this Best-Of volume:

"Play All Episodes" Option? -- Yes.
Subtitles? -- No.
Video Ratio -- Full Frame (1.33:1).
Audio -- 2-Channel Dolby Digital Mono (English).
Is There A Paper Insert? -- Yes.
Packaging -- Keep Case.
DVD Region Code -- "Zero".

If you get all 5 "Best Of" volumes, you'll have 20 of the finest sitcom episodes ever made. However, be forewarned --- purchasing these single-disc volumes will more-than-likely lead to the "I Want 'Em All" Syndrome. It's bound to happen after watching some of these well-written Van Dyke programs! You can try to resist buying them all (via the season sets), but it might prove futile. After all, a Van Dyke Show fan is only human ... right? :-) ... Read more

Description

Sample some of the greatest comedy ever aired on television with this side-splitting collection of the best episodes from the legendary, Emmy Award-winning Dick Van Dyke Show! Episodes include: What's in a Middle Name?, The Curious Thing about Women, All About Eavesdropping, One Angry Man. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Volume 5 Gives Us "Rosebud", A Boat In The House, And More!
Here come four additional "Dick Van Dyke Show" episodes for your edification and scrutiny. And you won't be disappointed. As with the other 4 volumes in this series of "The Best Of The Dick Van Dyke Show" from Image Entertainment, Inc., this fifth installment provides four excellent programs from the endearing TV situation comedy from the 1960s, plus a few bonus features tossed in for good measure.

Here are the episodes you'll see in Volume #5 ................

1.) "What's In A Middle Name?" (From Season 2; Air Date: 11/07/1962).

2.) "The Curious Thing About Women" (From Season 1; Air Date: 01/10/1962).

3.) "All About Eavesdropping" (From Season 2; Air Date: 10/23/1963). **

4.) "One Angry Man" (From Season 1; Air Date: 03/07/1962).

** = This episode is included in the "Season Two" boxed set from Image; but it actually aired during Season 3. It, however, was filmed at the end of the show's season-two production schedule. And, since the Image boxed sets of the series are arranged by "Production Order", it means "All About Eavesdropping" is included in the Season Two collection.

--------------------------

Picture quality reigns supreme on these re-mastered DVD versions of these Van Dyke episodes, and a more-than-adequate audio signal is achieved via the disc's 2-channel Dolby Digital soundtracks (in original Mono).

Bonus Material ...... "Rehearsal Footage" and Emmy Awards footage. A "Play All" feature is also included, along with a text "bio" section ("Meet The Cast") and a short trivia game called "The Ottoman Tripper".

Plus -- There's an additional bonus hiding as an "Easter Egg" on this disc. It's an original TV commercial for "Kent Cigarettes", featuring Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke on the set of the Van Dyke Show. To get to the Egg, go to the Chapter Menu for the episode "What's In A Middle Name?", and "Left Click" while the "Opening Titles" chapter is highlighted. This will take you directly to the hidden TV commercial, without another remote-control keystroke required.

More disc information .................

Video -- Full Frame (1.33:1).
Audio -- English Dolby Digital Mono.
Subtitles? -- No.
Paper Insert? -- Yes.
DVD Region Code -- "Zero".
Packaging -- Keep Case.

These four episodes are all winners in my DvD book. You'll find out why Ritchie's middle name is "Rosebud"; you'll see Laura's "curiosity" produce some hilarious results; and in the classic "Eavesdropping" episode, you'll see the funniest game of "charades" ever filmed! ... Read more

Description

Sample some of the greatest comedy ever aired on television with this side-splitting collection of the best episodes from the legendary, Emmy Award-winning Dick Van Dyke Show! Episodes include: The Sick Boy and the Sitter, Big Max Calvada, Coast-to-Coast Big Mouth, Dear Sally Rogers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

4 Banner Episodes, Including The First Show! Plus The Pilot!
Image Entertainment has produced five single-disc "Best Of" volumes of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" for fans of this timeless 1960s situation comedy who might not want to dive head-first into the more costly full-season DVD boxed sets.

Each one of these five separately-available DVDs contains four Van Dyke Show episodes. Now we all know that these type of "Best Of" dealies are not going to please everybody. Each fan has his or her own "favorites" list. However, in the case of "The Dick Van Dyke Show", it'd be hard to get a "bad apple", in my opinion. Nearly *all* of the 158 episodes during the program's 5-year duration on the air are "favorites" as far as I'm concerned. Overall, I think fans of the show should be pleased with the episodes that Image has selected from the Van Dyke Show archives for these five "Best Of" DVD-Video discs.

This first volume has the following episodes ...........

1.) "The Sick Boy And The Sitter" (From Season 1 [Premiere Episode]; Air Date: 10/03/1961).

2.) "Big Max Calvada" (From Season 3; Air Date: 11/20/1963).

3.) "Coast-To-Coast Big Mouth" (From Season 5; Air Date: 09/15/1965).

4.) "Dear Sally Rogers" (From Season 5; Air Date: 02/23/1966).

---------------------------

Picture quality is virtually perfect for all the above episodes, thanks to the great-looking Film-to-DVD transfers used by Image and Paul Brownstein Productions.

There's even a batch of "Bonus" features on each of these "Best Of" volumes, making these value-priced discs even a better bargain! ..... Extra bonuses for Volume 1 include the complete "Pilot" episode for "The Dick Van Dyke Show", called "Head Of The Family" -- which stars Carl Reiner as Rob Petrie. There are also some interview clips with members of the cast and crew, plus a video clip (in color) from the 1966 Emmy Awards telecast.

Plus: There's a text "bio" feature ("Meet The Cast"), along with a trivia game ("The Ottoman Tripper"). In addition, this disc contains a "Play All" option, for continuous playing of all four episodes back-to-back.

More data about this DVD..............

DVD Region Code -- "Zero".
Subtitles -- None.
Aspect Ratio -- Full Frame (1.33:1).
Audio -- Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English only).
Insert? -- Yes.
Packaging -- Keep Case.

So, if you have a hankerin' to watch Rob & Laura and the rest of the gang from "The Dick Van Dyke Show", but don't want to invest in the full-season sets, then pick up one or two (or better yet, all five!) of these nicely-done discs featuring "The Best Of The Dick Van Dyke Show"! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Fatally Funny: A Parody Of The 90's Classic Thrillers
This movie was on tv about a week ago. I could not stop laughing. The comedy is top notch in much the same lines of The Naked Gun/Leslie Nielson movies. On DVD, the experience must be as hilarious as its original release in 1993. Armand Assante (yes a serious actor in a comic role really works although they could have easily used Leslie Nielson for the part) stars as the victim of the scheming Lola (Sean Young) who will stop at nothing to see his marriage ruined. Like the title suggests, the movie is a cross between Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. Those were the two most standard thrillers during the early 90's period. Both films starred Michael Douglas as the target of a scheming and obscessed woman. The laughs keep on coming as the obvious parodies are executed. I.E. the famous Interrogation Scene in Basic Instict, the murder in the bath tub and the cooked rabbit in Fatal Attraction. Also on here are parodies of Sleeping With The Enemy starring Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin, a 1991 thriller about a husband who is obscessed with his own wife and who likes to have his own things in the house arranged his way. This movie is really great comedy and really will take you to the 90's. The 90's is long gone and many were too little to remember everything in detail. But it was a time in which movies were full of thrillers. I wish they had made a spoof of "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" on this film too. It was a time of laughing at criminals and their schocking crimes. Remember the Melendez Brothers ? Remember Lorena Bobbit ? And let's not forget the secret plotting of Tonya Harding against Nancy Carrigan. All this happened in the 90's. This was the time of the O.J. Simpson trial after all. I really recommend this movie. Many can easily dismiss it as cheap comedy but there are some genuinely comic moments, such as Armand Assante and Sean Young's lovemaking scene, the final part of the movie is funny too. A must have for fans of comedies of the 90's.

Bad Reviews? I Don't Know Why...
This movie was slammed by critics. The most common review of this said that there was 'just too many jokes' in it. I watched it with a critical eye, and thought it was a really fun movie.

I didn't laugh out loud with tears running down my face, but did spend the entire run time giggling at the antics of all the characters. The cast consists of several Serious Actors (Kate Nelligan, Armand Assante) who play their parts as though they were in a drama. To me, those are excellent comedic acting skills. It's when actors play for laughs that they are not funny.

You might not be tickled by this one if you aren't familiar with the 'film noir' and detective film genre. If you are a fan of those, you will laugh as you recognize all the devices in those films over-used to good effect in this one.

I had a good time watching it...give it a try!

Wonderfully funny movie
Love this movie! After watching it on TV for the umptenth time, have decided to buy the DVD. It will be great to pull off the shelf for a good time! It's a humorous compilation of several good thriller/suspense movies, with a 1950-60s backdrop. Love the scene where they call recess during the courtroom trial.

If you like Airplane, you'll howl at this gem of a movie
This brand of comedy is not for all, but if you like Airplane, Naked Gun, etc., then you'll love this movie. Some like this type of humor only with Leslie Nielson as the lead, but Armand Assante pulls this one off superbly as the dragnet-type of detective who happens to be a lawyer. Sean Young is terrific in her role as Lola, a scheming femme fatale. The movie spoofs other movies, but even if you don't catch them all, the humor is nonstop and, in some cases, hilarious enough to chuck your popcorn all over the floor...

Good film, finally on DVD, but... in full screen?!?
No, thanks. The commentary and outtakes are a perfect addition, but the film's being in awful full screen format ruins it immediately. I'll wait for a real, widescreen version, even if it's without the extras. ... Read more

Description

Sample some of the greatest comedy ever aired on television with this side-splitting collection of the best episodes from the legendary, Emmy Award-winning Dick Van Dyke Show! Episodes include: Where Did I Come From?, That's My Boy?, It May Look Like a Walnut, October Eve. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Best Of" Volume 2 = Walnuts, Baby Confusion, And Flashbacks
This second volume in Image Entertainment's "Best Of" series of DVDs serves up four more memorable episodes from one of the greatest TV shows of all-time: "The Dick Van Dyke Show".

Watch the following four eps. in glorious restored and re-mastered Digital clarity ..........

1.) "Where Did I Come From?" (From Season 1; Air Date: 01/03/1962).

2.) "That's My Boy??" (From Season 3; Air Date: 09/25/1963).

3.) "It May Look Like A Walnut" (From Season 2; Air Date: 02/06/1963).

4.) "October Eve" (From Season 3; Air Date: 04/08/1964).

--------------------------

These four episodes are, without fear of (much) argument, four of the all-time best that this great 1960s TV series has to offer. Each one resides in the "classic" drawer, IMO.

Image has even seen fit to include some bonus material here, which consists of: An Emmy Awards video clip; cast interview snippets; a 23-minute "Making Of" featurette focusing on the "Walnut" episode; a "Meet The Cast" section (which consists of text-only "mini-bios" for the cast members); and a cute extra called "The Ottoman Tripper", which is a 1-question trivia game. If you select the wrong answer to the question, you're taken to a film clip from the opening titles of the show where Rob trips over the living-room ottoman. A correct guess affords you a clip of Rob sidestepping the ottoman. A "Play All" option is also included.

NOTE: On Image's season boxed sets, three of these four episodes have Audio Commentary Tracks (all except the "Walnut" ep.). However, those star commentaries have *not* been included for this single-disc version of these episodes. So, if you want to hear any Commentary Tracks, you'll have to get the full-season sets.

Video quality is outstanding for these shows, with the Dolby Digital sound garnering equal praise.

Some additional info regarding this disc .............

Video Aspect Ratio -- 1.33:1 (Full Frame).
Audio -- DD 2.0 English Mono.
Subtitles? -- No.
DVD Region Code -- "Zero".
Insert Included? -- Yes.
Packaging -- Keep Case.

It's oh so very hard to pick a "Best" among these excellent "Best Of" volumes that Image Entertainment has released for fans of the show who want to collect just *some* of the great shows from Dick Van Dyke's series. But if I were *forced* (at gunpoint) to choose just one of the five discs to buy, I might just have to go with this "Volume #2". Four LOL-inducing episodes, all with a high re-watchability factor built into each one. You can't go wrong when you select any of the shows on this DVD! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Carl Reiner, who paired with Steve Martin in The Jerk, takes another rewarding gamble in Sibling Rivalry, matching comic actress Kirstie Alley with a screwball tale of mistaken identities, three sets of siblings, and a pesky corpse. Alley plays a neglected wife encouraged by her sister (Jami Gertz) to have a fling; when she does precisely that with a handsome stranger (Sam Elliott), he not only dies in bed but turns out to be a long-lost brother-in-law. Further complicating matters is a salesman (Bill Pullman) who thinks he inadvertently killed Elliott's character, plus a lot of doctor jokes (Carrie Fisher plays a bullying gynecologist married to a protologist) and a deadpan cop (Ed O'Neill). The screenplay's comic complications take a little too long to reach critical mass, but when they do, Reiner masterfully controls the essential screwball timing and Alley, Pullman, Gertz, and screen veterans John Randolph and Frances Sternhagen thoroughly deliver. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A Family Tree Becomes A Family Bush
I found this movie so funny and mind-bending. About a woman, Marjorie Turner, who is so bored with her husband, Harry Turner, is persuaded to have an affair by her sister, Jeanine. Marjorie does, indeed, have the affair (which is against her character): Unwittingly, with her husband's brother, Charles Turner Jr. Talk about loving someone to death! A salesman, Nick, enters the hotel room, with the body under the covers. He tries to install vertical blinds, and they fall on the head of the dead chap. Nick thought that he killed Charles. He manages to call Marjorie, to tell her about the news of the death of what he thought to be her husband. (Marjorie tripped over Nick's blinds, things spill out of her purse. She hurries into the lift before Nick discovers her wallet.) Both of them find themselves in a sticky-wicket. Neither can contact the officials (for Marjorie's husband and his family are doctors, and Nick's brother is a policeman.) So they try to make it appear that Charles committed suicide. Brothers and sisters of Marjorie, Harry, and Nick all get involved somehow or another. It's difficult to give details without confusing you (as I said, it's mind-bending) and/or giving out too much information. Kirstie Alley is Marjorie Turner; Bill Pullman is Nick; Scott Bakula is Harry Turner (who, by the way, looks absolutly gorgeous with longer hair and beard at the end); Sam Elliot is Charles Turner Jr.; Jami Gertz is Jeanine; etc. Three families intertwine so much that they are no longer family trees, but a family bush! Enjoy!

Sibling Rivalry - A Family Tree Becomes A Family Bush
I found this movies so funny and mind-bending. About a women, who is bored with her husband, is persuaded to have an affair by her sister. Marjorie does have an affair: unwittingly, with her husband's brother. Talk about loving someone to death! A salesman, Nick, enters the hotel room, with the body under the covers. He tries to install vertical blinds, and they fall on the head of the dead chap in bed (Charles Jr.). Nick thought that he killed Charles. He manages to call Marjorie, to tell about the news of the death of what he thought to be her husband. Both of them find themselves in a sticky-wicket. Neither can contact the officials (for Marjorie's husband [Harry] and his family are doctors, and Nick's brother is a policeman.) So they try to make it appear that Charles committed suicide. Brothers and sisters of Marjorie, Harry, Nick, all get involved somehow or another. It's difficult to give details without either confusing you or giving too much information away. The cast is good. Kirstie Alley as Marjorie Turner; Bill Pullman as Nick; Scott Bakula as Harry Turner (who, by the way, looks absolutly gorgeous with longer hair and beard at the end); Sam Elliot as Charles Jr. Turner; Jami Gertz as Marjorie's sister, Jenenne; etc. Three families intertwine so much that they are no longer family trees, but a family bush. Enjoy!

Horrible
I'll make this review quick: This movie was so awful that I seriously contemplated jabbing my eyes out with a rusty fork so that I would no longer have to watch it. The acting is ok, but for the people in the movie (especially Kirstie), it's very below par. The plot is convoluted and stupid, and by the time 1/4th of the movie has passed, any interest or concern for what happens to the characters is replaced by a concern for how much longer the film can possibly continue. Save yourself the money and time that I will never be able to get back: don't watch this movie.

A funny little Movie
This movie has some scenes in it that make you laugh until you cry. Kirsty Alley's character who is a bored wife of a Doctor has a crazy fling with Sam Elliott's character. She thinks it's a one night stand until she finds out he is her husband's brother returning to the US after being away for years. When her brother-in-law dies of a heart attack in the motel room, the movie takes off as Bill Pullman a nerdy blind salesman tries to help her make it look like her brother-in-law committed suicide. Carrie Fisher plays a snotty Sister-in-law. A Great cast and a funny movie.

Rolling on the floor laughing
There are not many movies I can watch 6 times and enjoy every
time. Kirstie Alley, Sam Eliott, Ed O'Neil, and Carrie Fisher
are all at their best, and this commedy does not hold back any
opportunity to score laughs. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great - But where's the rest!
It's good to see DVD on DVD. The quality of this DVD is decent, however, I'm not sure how or why they chose the six episodes. "The Night the Roof Fell In" and "Never Name a Duck" are the two best on the DVD. I would have preferred more of the classic episodes such as Ghost of A. Chanz, or Coast to Coast Big Mouth. Looking forward to the entire 158 episode set to be released. In the mean time, this one will do!

great show, poor copy
there's no question that The Dick Van Dyke Show will always be a landmark in Television Comedy. The stories and characters are as timeless today as when the show premiered 40 years ago. Our only complaint about this Canadian DVD is that the quality is not very good. It seems to be copied from 16mm prints, rather than the original film. It's also only 6 episodes. We have heard that the authorized anniversary edition of all 158 episodes is being released soon and it will be great to see DVD on DVD.

Chasin' crumbs of carrots!!!
This DVD is a mere sprinkling of what the actual series has to offer it's fans. Although the quality is far better than the typical VHS copy (from cable) that we are all used to, it's still far from the quality that is possible. It is a real novelty to be able to choose what episode you want with a click from the remote, and not have to edit out commercials etc. Don't expect any extras from this DVD. There are NONE. Then again, this show has always withstood the test of time and technology by having a brilliant story performed by brilliant actors. No glitz, just glamour.

Quality Entertainment
This show never fails to make me smile and any collection would be worth purchasing. I've heard they're going to be releasing all 100some episodes soon, but until then this is the best you can do.

Oh, Rob.......
I agree with all of the reviews, in that I would like to have seen many, many more episodes. The Dick Van Dyke Show is absolutely the best way to get that "feel good" feeling. An added bonus is that I can watch it with my children and not cringe wondering what sexual inuendo will be next. The worst thing "Nick at Night" ever did was removing Dick Van Dyke from it's rosters. THIS is classic television! ... Read more

Description

One low cost for two zany comedies, "The Man With Two Brains" and "My Blue Heaven" starring Steve Martin! ... Read more