It's hard to believe that this was made in 1967 -- it seems like something from the 40's. It's not bad, and young kids will probably like it, but it apparently was released with a big thud, and it's easy to see why. Greer Garson is as unbelievably elegant as ever, but she doesn't have a lot to do. MacMurray is okay, but no musical star, and you long for the days of "Double Indemnity" when you see the indignities he suffered in his later years. Leslie Ann Warren is as cute a button, and surely deserves better than John Davidson, who at least can sing, but not much else. Gladys Cooper provides some much needed edge and Hermione Baddeley some humor, but they have near-cameo roles. Tommy Steele provides the only real energy, but it just isn't enough.
What's more interesting is that this pablum is based on real people, and poking around on the internet I got a glimpse of what appears to be far more interesting and complex lives than you'd dream of from the movie. Apparently this Biddle was a decendent of the Drexels, who founded Drexel Institute and the investment banking firm that bore his name (and was far from the first important banker of that name). Also, these Biddles married into the Duke (of Duke University and "big tobacco" fame) more than once. The character played by Davidson in the movie died in 1923, having fathered 3 children (if I counted right) and his sister married his wife's oldest brother.
The Biddle father went on to become a colonel in WWI and then either his oldest son or he became a Major General in WWII. The father wrote a book on hand-to-hand combat which is out of print, but listed on Amazon.com. His grandson served as head of two U.S. State Dept. missions.
I'm sure that there are some fascinating stories in the history of this extended family given that I was able to find all this in about 1/2 hour using Google and looking in an encyclopedia. This has nothing to do with the movie, but it seemed related enough to put it in.
Anyway, get the movie for your kids if you are sick of "Mary Poppins". They'll like it and it will be a nice change for you.
What's more interesting is that this pablum is based on real people, and poking around on the internet I got a glimpse of what appears to be far more interesting and complex lives than you'd dream of from the movie. Apparently this Biddle was a decendent of the Drexels, who founded Drexel Institute and the investment banking firm that bore his name (and was far from the first important banker of that name). Also, these Biddles married into the Duke (of Duke University and "big tobacco" fame) more than once. The character played by Davidson in the movie died in 1923, having fathered 3 children (if I counted right) and his sister married his wife's oldest brother.
The Biddle father went on to become a colonel in WWI and then either his oldest son or he became a Major General in WWII. The father wrote a book on hand-to-hand combat which is out of print, but listed on Amazon.com. His grandson served as head of two U.S. State Dept. missions.
I'm sure that there are some fascinating stories in the history of this extended family given that I was able to find all this in about 1/2 hour using Google and looking in an encyclopedia. This has nothing to do with the movie, but it seemed related enough to put it in.
Anyway, get the movie for your kids if you are sick of "Mary Poppins". They'll like it and it will be a nice change for you.