Review of The Happiest Millionaire (1967) by Luke J — 30 Jun 2007

Let's make one thing perfectly clear. I am giving this a six not because it really deserves it technically, but because I want it made clear that I do [i]like[/i] this movie, even though it isn't technically very good.

What's wrong with it? Well, let's do a brief recap first.

Fred MacMurray is millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, our title character. In fact, he's not all that happy through the majority of the movie, so I suppose it really ought to be the wackiest millionaire or something. After all, his only daughter, Leslie Ann Warren (probably best known as Miss Scarlett from [i]Clue[/i]), is marrying John Davidson, who is, in fact, a game show host. (Well, the actor has been. Worse, however, is that the character is the scion of a tobacco fortune!) Also, John Davidson has a really obnoxious mother.

It's a busy, busy movie, full of alligators and a charming Irish butler and screaming maids and so forth. Greer Garson, too, looking [i]far[/i] too dignified for the whole thing. She is, of course, the only one who is. Fred MacMurray sold his dignity to Disney long since.

So why do I think this isn't a good movie? Surely, lack of dignity isn't enough, right?

This movie clocks in at an amazing 172 minutes including overture, entr'acte, etc. That's nearly three hours--easily half of which is musical numbers, and easily half of those are too long and unnecessary.

I [i]like[/i] some of the songs. "Let's Have a Drink on It" is one of the best songs in the Disney movies of the era. "There Are Those" is clever, dry, and witty. Naturally, "It Won't Be Long 'Til Christmas" is one of the best songs, and it was cut from the original release! The remaining songs are, for the most part, too long and not interesting enough. They just go on and on, whether we want them to or not.

I do really like this movie; after all, there is such thing as a fast-forward button if it all gets too much. But it should have been edited in script form when someone realized how long all the songs would make it!