My family and I watched this last Christmas. My wife found the DVD in a cut-out bin and bought it, vaguely recalling the movie from her childhood. Our mouths were hanging open through most of the show. We couldn't believe what we were seeing. Fred Gwynne, one of the finest actors of his generation, attempted to bring a sense of dignity to his bumbling angel. But he had so little to work with. The script was pretty weak and somewhat disturbing. And although I appreciate the pioneering video work that was attempted, the film is a visual mess.
The one saving grace of this production is the hauntingly beautiful ballad that Gwynne sings, Once Upon Another Time. That one song makes the movie worth tracking down. And Tony Randall has a lot of fun with his amusing number, "You're not real." Those were two oases in this otherwise difficult-to-watch production.
Lan O'Kun, the songwriter, showed a lot of promise with some decent songs. There was also a heavyweight cast. But the "book" and the direction were too weak to carry the rest of the show. Perhaps if the musical had been done once upon another time....
The one saving grace of this production is the hauntingly beautiful ballad that Gwynne sings, Once Upon Another Time. That one song makes the movie worth tracking down. And Tony Randall has a lot of fun with his amusing number, "You're not real." Those were two oases in this otherwise difficult-to-watch production.
Lan O'Kun, the songwriter, showed a lot of promise with some decent songs. There was also a heavyweight cast. But the "book" and the direction were too weak to carry the rest of the show. Perhaps if the musical had been done once upon another time....