The Happiest Millionaire: Road Show Edition

Starring:Fred MacMurray, Tommy Steele, Greer Garson, Geraldine Page, Gladys Cooper, Hermione Baddeley, Lesley Ann Warren, John Davidson (II), Paul Petersen, Eddie Hodges, Joyce Bulifant, Sean McClory, Jim McMullan, William Wellman Jr., Aron Kincaid, Larry Merrill, Frances Robinson, Norman Grabowski, Joan Marshall, Jim Gurley
Director: Norman Tokar
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Reportedly the last feature to be personally shepherded by Walt Disney himself, The Happiest Millionaire is a stubbornly old-fashioned musical intended to build on the success of Mary Poppins, relying on songs and score from Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman, the studio's resident songwriting team responsible for the hits of Poppins. Despite that pedigree, and a cast headlined by Fred MacMurray, Greer Garson, Tommy Steele, Geraldine Page, and, in their screen debuts, Lesley Anne Warren and John Davidson, the would-be successor wound up a white elephant.

Released in 1967, a watershed year for youth culture and social upheaval, The Happiest Millionaire romanticizes Philadelphia's upper crust circa 1916. Its title character, Anthony J. Drexel Biddle (MacMurray), is a militant industrialist urging America's mobilization against Germany, and noteworthy for an eccentric lifestyle that includes his own bible study classes, martial arts training, and (in a lone nod toward any remotely modern social values) a readiness to empower his lovely, headstrong daughter, Cordelia (Warren).

Under Norman Tokar's busy but routine direction, the project does muster moments of charm, and packs its story line with enough twists to partly explain its excessive 144-minute length. But the unintended irony of paeans to capitalism and conservative politics in an era of Sgt. Pepper isn't masked by the Shermans' music, which is eminently forgettable, despite the game mugging of Tommy Steele as an immigrant Irish butler. Equally game is MacMurray, but as a singer, he's no Rex Harrison.

Amazon.com

Reportedly the last feature to be personally shepherded by Walt Disney himself, The Happiest Millionaire is a stubbornly old-fashioned musical intended to build on the success of Mary Poppins, relying on songs and score from Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman, the studio's resident songwriting team responsible for the hits of Poppins. Despite that pedigree, and a cast headlined by Fred MacMurray, Greer Garson, Tommy Steele, Geraldine Page, and, in their screen debuts, Lesley Anne Warren and John Davidson, the would-be successor wound up a white elephant.

Released in 1967, a watershed year for youth culture and social upheaval, The Happiest Millionaire romanticizes Philadelphia's upper crust circa 1916. Its title character, Anthony J. Drexel Biddle (MacMurray), is a militant industrialist urging America's mobilization against Germany, and noteworthy for an eccentric lifestyle that includes his own bible study classes, martial arts training, and (in a lone nod toward any remotely modern social values) a readiness to empower his lovely, headstrong daughter, Cordelia (Warren).

Under Norman Tokar's busy but routine direction, the project does muster moments of charm, and packs its story line with enough twists to partly explain its excessive 144-minute length. But the unintended irony of paeans to capitalism and conservative politics in an era of Sgt. Pepper isn't masked by the Shermans' music, which is eminently forgettable, despite the game mugging of Tommy Steele as an immigrant Irish butler. Equally game is MacMurray, but as a singer, he's no Rex Harrison.

Customer Reviews:

"JOHN! My alligators! Look at my alligators! JOHN!".......2007-02-12

Once upon a time I was involved in a discussion about favorite movies and someone said that their favorite film of all time was THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE. I had never heard of the film before. The person told me that the film was a corny Disney musical starring Fred MacMurray. After now having seen the film for myself, I agree that the film is kind of corny, but it is full of enough quirky and eccentric moments to make it beguiling.

Released in 1967 THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE was the first of a set of musicals that Disney produced in an attempt to capture the success of the highly popular MARY POPPINS. The studio had high hopes for the film. The movie was adapting from a popular (but now mostly forgotten) Broadway stage show of the same name that was in itself adapted from a popular memoir of the time, MY PHILADELPHIA FATHER. The same songwriting pair of MARY POPPINS was hired to write the songs and lyrics for the show. Tommy Steele was cast as the Irish butler who serves as a semi-narrator through parts of the show, Fred MacMurray was cast in the title-role of Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, the Happiest Millionaire, and the beautiful and talented Lesley Ann Warren of recent CINDERELLA fame was cast as Cordelia `Cordy' Drexel Biddle. To top it all off, the film was overseen by Walt Disney himself and was the last live-action film that he ever was involved with.

The film didn't live up to expectations. Initially it only made $5 million and the only Oscar nomination was for costumes. The movie was also apparently panned by critics at the time thus regulating it to the unknown status it has retained for sometime. There isn't anything outstanding about THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE and there isn't much of a plot. Yet, what the film lacks in substance it makes up for in charm.

Taking place in 1916 Philadelphia the movie is basically a story about a daughter's coming of age and the changing relationship between herself and her beloved father. Anthony J. Drexel Biddle was a real life eccentric millionaire who kept alligators in his mansion, led Bible classes that involved boxing, was trained in judo, and became an officer in the U.S. Marines when he was over forty to train young cadets in hand-to-hand combat. The movie begins with the arrival of the Biddle's new butler, John Lawless (Tommy Steele) straight off the boat from Ireland. Lawless serves as a pseudo-narrator through parts of the film. We first meet the Biddles through Lawless' eyes and from time to time he discusses with the audience about the events taking place on screen. Anthony Biddle's daughter Cordy (Lesley Ann Warren) is growing up and wishes to leave for school. Her father is opposed to the idea, but eventually consents. Cordy leaves and soon finds herself in love and engaged to a wealthy New Yorker named Angie Duke (John Davidson). These two love birds are madly in love, but Cordy is from Philadelphia and Angie is from New York and their families live in completely different worlds.

I found THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE to be enjoyable, but in a hit and miss fashion. The sets and costumes are quite lovely, the acting is decent, and the singing and dance numbers are reminiscent of the days of a beautiful by-gone era. I like Fred MacMurray and his role in the film and I got a kick out of Tommy Steele's performance as John Lawless. Actually, most of the cast is quite good. Yet, the film just doesn't stand out. Most of the songs are quite entertaining but other "Fortuosity", "Let's Have a Drink On It", and the bittersweet "It Wont' Be Long" there aren't any memorable tunes. There really isn't much plot to the movie and after awhile some of the antics seem repetitive. Instead of a concise, well-told story, the movie feels more like a series of scenes and sketches that are loosely connected by the relationship between the characters. Such a device often works well in a book, can sometimes be pulled off on stage, but usually doesn't make for a very good movie especially a musical.

THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE is a movie worth watching once. Though it doesn't really standout in any way, it can be seducing with its charm. It's not a movie I'll probably watch again for awhile, but I do want to read and research more about the real-life Anthony Biddle.

A True Story........2007-01-25

"The Happiest Millionaire" is not pleasingly perfect in every way. I enjoyed it, but I had to work at it. Some songs of humor. Quite surprisingly, Fred MacMurray, usually stoic (not showing emotion), is a good singer who can carry a high note for some time. His song with Greer Garson, at the end, is good.

The film is more interesting if you know that the film was based upon a true story; there really was a millionaire Mr. Biddle, who owned alligators which froze and thawed, ran a Bible study for reformed drunks, had a boxing ring, practiced Judo, smoked to cure his asthma, and had trouble keeping servants, until he hired a butler from Ireland, all in the book "My Philadelphia Father". Truth is stranger than fiction, so much so, the truth appears unbelievable in the film. When you compare this film to the generally bad television and films of today, it is entertaining. Musicals I recommend solidly ahead of this one are: Disney's "Summer Magic", the 1937 "Maytime", and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang".

The same Sherman brothers who wrote the songs for "Mary Poppins", and the same dance choreographer. However, I do not believe Walt was really involved, and you can tell the difference. Mr. Disney was involved in the immense challenge of starting Disney World, secretly buying up land in Florida, running Disneyland in California, planning a ski resort, running the Cal Arts school, running his animation studio, producing several other films, spending more time on vacation with his family, and dying in the advanced stages of lung cancer; he did not live to see this film released. The film is a comedy, with some silliness, needing better plot, more focus, and more grounding stability. The acting is often veiled and distant, with glimpses of joy. Tommy Steele is good as the singing, dancing, butler, puzzled by it all. The opposing wealthy family matriarchs (mother-in-law, grandmother or aunt) singing about their wealthy family being better than the other is funny.

This silly film with a weak script, and without depth, has some fun songs, and humor that is interesting if you know it really is a true story.

There are three formats on Amazon, two of the formats are 20 minutes longer. The third Road Show Edition, is twice as much money as the other two, apparently only for wide-screen. I recommend the cheaper longer version.

The Happiest Millionare is a Pleasure.......2007-01-04

"The happiest Millionare" was a big roadshow musical Walt Disney produced in 1967 following the smashing success of "Mary Poppins."
Lightning did not strike twice.
The film was dismissed by the critics, returned only $5 million to the studio, and received only a single Oscar nomination, for cotumes.
It is time to re-habilitate this fine work of entertainment.
Since Disney was a staunch Republican, it is no surprise that he chose for his source material, the antics of the Biddle family of Phildelphia at a time when there were few Democrats in Philadelphia, circa 1916.
The film boasts an all star cast which is worth the price of admission, or a dvd. Fred MacMurray, then at the height of his "My Three Sons" fame, stars as Tony Biddle, eccentric millionare who irritates the establishment from keeping live alligators in his house to Aunt Mary, a crusty old society matron delightfully played by Gladys Cooper. Greer Garson stars as Mrs. Biddle and is enchanting. There was always something very intiguing about Ms. Garson; her blend of warmth plus a littler daftness make for an interesting character. Tommy Steele is here in his first American picture and you either like him or you don't. His enthusiasm frequently goes over the top, and he is a little big for the screen, but i enjoy him and admire his great dancing ability, amply shown in this picture. Leslie Ann Warren and John Davidson are the young lovers the story revolves around. Looking at the picture now it seems they were stuck in a time warp-it could have been made in 1947 not '67. They give their numbers their all and they just don't do it like they used to. This can either entice a modern musical enthusiast, or turn off today's audience so wary and weary of musicals.
It is left to Miss Geraldine Page to walk off with the entire picture, and she doesn't even appear till into the second act. As Mrs. Duke, John Davidson's mother, Miss Page knows her way around a sound studio. She also knew that less IS more and is so stunning in her comic moments as your basic New York Society snob. However, the character is from North Carolina, so Miss Page is able to employ that classic accent, that had served her so well, in "The Happiest Millionare." Her costumes are a riot and her bitchy duet with Miss Cooper is a hoot in the "Bosom Buddies" tradition.
The look of the picture is drop dead gorgeous as befitted a big budget musical of the era. At 172 minutes, the picture may be a little long, especially for kids who were the original target audience. The ad campaign stated this was a show in the "Mary Poppins" tradition, and it is not. It is a grown up musical with nothing offensive for children. There may one or two too many numbers, and the score is nowhere near "Mary Poppins" but stick with it till near the end when Greer Garson and Mac Murray sing "It Won't Be Long Till Christmas." This was cut before the movie opened and was not on the original soundtrack. The cd has a different version of the song not from the film soundtrack, as a bonus. It is wistful, contented and a bit sad as is inevitible when parents are facing an empty nest.
And where, but in a Disney musical could you find a cuddly alligator named George. Tommy Tune and George do a show-stopping Act One Finale to a reprise of the film's best song, "Fortuosity," straight from vaudeville. A real treat.

Good fun.......2006-12-11

"The Happiest Millionaire" was Walt Disney's follow-up to his classic
"Mary Poppins".While the movie is not on that level,it is a lively,entertaining musical comedy that's much better than it's given credit for.And it's certainly more fun than some other late '60s
musicals like "Camelot","Star!",and "Sweet Charity".It has a lavish
production,an amusing A.J.Carothers script,a spirited cast,and a lovely Sherman brothers score.The best songs are the lovely "It Won't Be Long
'Till Christmas" and "Are We Dancing?".Fred MacMurray,Greer Garson,Lesley
Ann Warren,and Geraldine Page are very good.John Davidson is OK.But it's
Tommy Steele and Gladys Cooper who steal the show.All in all,this is an
enjoyable film that provides the audience with an evening of good fun.

The Happiest Millionaire.......2006-10-31

Get this movie while Disney still has it in print! Leslie Anne Warren and John Davidson's FIRST movie! Geraldine Paige almost steals the picture. Make sure you get the full version ... not the one that was cut.

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