LI'L ABNER, the beloved cartoon strip from Al Capp, takes place in the hillbilly town of Dogpatch, which is deemed the most useless community in America. When the city is chosen as a test site for A-bombs, its colorful citizens take up the good fight, with lots of fun and merriment.
This is one movie musical that doesn't bother adapting its stage presentation for the big screen: Li'l Abner cheerfully uses brightly colored, patently fake backdrops and stage sets for its mythical setting. And why not? A movie musical based on a cartoon strip is about as far from reality as you can get. Al Capp's legendary comic about the hillbilly denizens of Dogpatch was brought to Broadway by the estimable comedy team Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, who also produced the movie. Along with sampling Capp's world (the pursuit of noncommittal Abner by Daisy Mae on Sadie Hawkins Day is a major plot device), the movie is a goofy record of 1950s attitudes and concerns--in fact, Dogpatch is threatened with destruction when the government wants to use it as an atomic test site. The actors' Broadway delivery has a deadening effect after a while, and some of the makeup is downright weird (think the Whos in the live-action Grinch). Gene de Paul's music is unmemorable, but Johnny Mercer's lyrics provide considerable fun, and the athletic dances are based on Michael Kidd's stage choreography. Plus, the movie honors Capp's eye for impossibly bodacious women by casting Julie Newmar as Stupefyin' Jones and Stella Stevens (her first movie role) as Appassionata Von Climax. --Robert Horton
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
OLD FASHIONED MUSICAL GRAD C+:
Quality of DVD excellent.
As an old-fashioned musical there is something missing from the entire production to make it a true classic that would warrant watching it many times like SINGING IN THE RAIN or SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. Political theme still surpirisingly timely. Boy meets girl etc. concept cute. Leads talented. I think what's missing is inspired innovative choeorgraphy - lots of box and circle formations and bouncing up and down which is actually boring to watch. If you've seen just... more info
Singin' & Dancin' in Dogpatch:
Musical: From Broadway to Hollywood
Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake Al Capp's classic comic strip about the bizarre residents of the hillbilly town of Dogpatch was brought to life in this delightful 1959 musical, adapted from the Broadway stage hit. Lyricist Johnny Mercer and composer Gene de Paul contributed many bouncy tunes that were sung by Peter Palmer as Abner, Leslie Parrish as Daisy Mae and the incomparable, show-stopping Stubby Kaye as Marryin' Sam. The plot... more info
amusingly political:
There are a couple of songs that are catchy sung by Stubby Kaye. The story is exagerated sexist, but funny.
Lil Abner:
Fun movie for the whole Family. Key word FAMILY. Everyone from 8 to 80 will enjoy this movie.
