The annual "Sadie Hawkins Day" race , wherein unhitched women pursue hunky husbands, is rocketed with the news that Al Capp's "Dogpatch" has been determined to be the most unnecessary town in America; and, as such, it can be extinguished in a nuclear mushroom test cloud. Handsome hillbilly Peter Palmer (as L'il Abner Yokum) holds the answer to saving the town, in the "Yokumberry tonic" he drinks, to sustain his muscular frame. This is because Billie Hayes (as Mammy Yokum) makes it with berries from a "Yokum" tree found only in "Dogpatch". But, the drug has a side effect - it stifles sexual desire. Could this be why Mr. Peter has never let himself get caught by eye-poppingly curvaceous Leslie Parrish (as Daisy Mae Scragg)?
Coming at the end of 1959, this has got to be one of the sexiest mainstream musicals of the 1950s. Both the script and song lyrics are full of the kind of sexual innuendo routinely censored out of most movies. The performers' form-flattering costumes hug, plunge, and bulge. Mr. Palmer and Ms. Parrish head up a very attractive cast. The musical soundtrack isn't particularly tuneful, unfortunately; but, it's performed with great zeal. Choreographers Michael Kidd and Dee Dee Wood keep energetic feet stomping all over the garish, well-built stage set. And, Jerry Lewis has a fitting cameo. "Li'l Abner" may be the perfect high school musical primer with a raunchy subtext. "Appassionata von Climax" indeed.
****** Li'l Abner (12/11/59) Melvin Frank ~ Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish, Stubby Kaye
Coming at the end of 1959, this has got to be one of the sexiest mainstream musicals of the 1950s. Both the script and song lyrics are full of the kind of sexual innuendo routinely censored out of most movies. The performers' form-flattering costumes hug, plunge, and bulge. Mr. Palmer and Ms. Parrish head up a very attractive cast. The musical soundtrack isn't particularly tuneful, unfortunately; but, it's performed with great zeal. Choreographers Michael Kidd and Dee Dee Wood keep energetic feet stomping all over the garish, well-built stage set. And, Jerry Lewis has a fitting cameo. "Li'l Abner" may be the perfect high school musical primer with a raunchy subtext. "Appassionata von Climax" indeed.
****** Li'l Abner (12/11/59) Melvin Frank ~ Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish, Stubby Kaye