A great period atmosphere filled with excellent physical details and a bouncy musical score that screams the 1930's makes up for the flaws of this family film that seemed rather dated in the turbulent early 1980's. it was a return to family films for Julie Andrews for the first time since "The Sound of Music", and interestingly enough, she takes a secondary part. Who better in 1980 to play the role of the cynical Sorrowful Jones than the rubber faced Walter Matthau who had been playing grumpy old men since he was a grumpy young man? This fourth version of the Damon Runyon story is sweet and enjoyable, but once the first fraction of family sought, it quickly disappeared.
In her only film appearance, Sarah Simpson is an instant scene stealer as the young tot who is left by her gambling father as a marker so he can go out and collect money that he owes Matthau. of course, daddy never makes it back, leaving the girl for math how to raise, and what day help of pretty horse owner Andrews, he begins to learn that underneath his W.C. Fields child-hating facade is a sweet sentimental man easily taken in by her charm, and equally enamored of the lovely Julie.
Demoted down to the role of the mobster, Tony Curtis (previously Sorrowful in 1962's "40 Pounds of Trouble") still shows his sparkle, commanding every moment he is on screen. Bob Newhart, Brian Dennehy, Lee Grant and Kenneth McMillan play smaller roles, but pretty much melt into the background anytime math out, Andrews and Simpson are on screen. It is a pleasant diversion but really nothing exciting, which explains why this has become a rather obscure footnote indeed careers of its stars. The abundance of films at the time with nostalgic themes also worked against its favor. It is still a pleasure to see you again after all these years, having gone to see it in its brief release that unfortunately word-of-mouth couldn't help. Today, fans of Matthau and Andrews have either forgotten about it or didn't even know of its existence. For them, then, it is a real treat.
In her only film appearance, Sarah Simpson is an instant scene stealer as the young tot who is left by her gambling father as a marker so he can go out and collect money that he owes Matthau. of course, daddy never makes it back, leaving the girl for math how to raise, and what day help of pretty horse owner Andrews, he begins to learn that underneath his W.C. Fields child-hating facade is a sweet sentimental man easily taken in by her charm, and equally enamored of the lovely Julie.
Demoted down to the role of the mobster, Tony Curtis (previously Sorrowful in 1962's "40 Pounds of Trouble") still shows his sparkle, commanding every moment he is on screen. Bob Newhart, Brian Dennehy, Lee Grant and Kenneth McMillan play smaller roles, but pretty much melt into the background anytime math out, Andrews and Simpson are on screen. It is a pleasant diversion but really nothing exciting, which explains why this has become a rather obscure footnote indeed careers of its stars. The abundance of films at the time with nostalgic themes also worked against its favor. It is still a pleasure to see you again after all these years, having gone to see it in its brief release that unfortunately word-of-mouth couldn't help. Today, fans of Matthau and Andrews have either forgotten about it or didn't even know of its existence. For them, then, it is a real treat.