Reviews

THE GOOD...first of all, I had a blast working on this film. Everybody was fantastic! Great memories! ( Thats my bee-hind walkin' by the camera at the beginning of this "film", lol...thanx for the comment Lesley-Anne!;-) I love & miss them all...now for THE BAD...I WAS THE ART DIRECTOR on this film and did a great job if I do say so myself, NOT assistant as it wrongly states!!!!!!!!!!!! ( Now, when I was hired on it started that way but as filming progressed I eventually was promoted, as the original Art Director Sandi moved to Production Design. ) I've got call sheets that prove it! This Kevin Doss guy didn't do jack without my stamp of approval! Not to mention he came in half way through shooting the film, So BIG mistake! I was also asked to play a bar patron by Director Don...and, if I do say so myself again, it's the best part of the film. BUT where in God's name does it say "AKA Plewshaw"!??? Are you kidding me!? Please take care of this misprint...the 1st "w" has got to go. Now for THE UGLY...the worst film I've ever seen. I'm sorry ya'll , cause I love ya. Everybody who was involved are the coolest, most wonderful people...but honestly, every film in the history of cinema is better. BUT if you want to see MY great Art Direction then watch it with the volume down & play "Dark Side Of The Moon"~ see if it syncs up...I still give it a 10 because I was Art Director!

In my opinion the greatest film ever made. Every Christmas Eve I go to my Mom's for a while then over to the Philpo's, where Mrs. Philpo makes me a batch of M&M cookies and then I go home and pop in the video with a frosty mug of milk to wash down the cookies. It is a Christmas tradition that will never die. I feel as though I've been transported to Framingham, Massachusetts where it felt like Bedford Falls in the early 70's as a kid. I guess I was about George Bailey's age when he saves his brother Harry from drowning in the pond. My Grandparents reminded me so much of Jimmy Stewart & Donna Reed that I swore the movie was about us. I felt like I knew everyone in the entire movie from Nick the bartender to Clarence the angel who gets his wings! A fireplace forever warms my heart every cold December when I watch this incredible masterpiece. No matter where in the world I may be, it's home. The 20th Century is nearing it's end and with a new millennium approaching "It's A Wonderful Life" should reflect what was good about the last 100 years. So put some logs in the fire, Mrs. Philpo's M&M cookie recipe and a frosty glass of milk! "No Gin tonight son"..."Awwwww".

Whether you play golf or not doesn't matter! The ability to laugh HARD is all you need to know. So this movie is not recommended if you require a resperator to live. I've made friends with total strangers just mimicking lines from this movie. If you don't like it, E-Mail me and I'll mow your lawn.

All the makings of a decent movie, at the time the world's most popular athlete and the world's most popular singer come together in a so-so movie. Namath's acting made Glen's Oscar caliber! I love Glen Campbell and that had a lot to do with the 8 rating I gave it. If Glen wasn't in it, I'd have given it a 3. If you can find the soundtrack, get it instead! Dom Delouise is in this movie if that helps your judgement and Kim Darby plays a weaker, pregnant Madie Ross(True Grit). Watch it anyway!

The Duke is an institution alone and definitely cannot be reached. This is the one movie that I would give a Martian who flies from outer space and wants to know, who the hell is John Wayne!? Glen Campbell once said his acting was so bad it made the Duke look good.(Wayne won his first and only Oscar) In fact, Campbell's performance was quite good in his acting debut and I truly believe that if he had not been in this movie it wouldn't have been as successful and just another "DUKE" movie. At the time(1969), Glen Campbell was the hottest star in the world. A top 5 variety show & 6 albums in Billboards Hot 100...Did you hear me, I said 6(including #1,...Beatles #2)! The opening song on True Grit is the perfect door that opens to another time. 1969 to be exact! I remember going to the Tennessee Theatre with my Mom, step-father & some neighbors and how the movie gives me such a warm, safe feeling inside to this day of a time growing up as a kid in the south( AT THAT TIME ).Although the movie takes place post Civil War it still feels post summer of love...in Montana. Kim Darby is really the main character and gives a perfect performance as Madie Ross, but the man who puts the spice in Grit is the late, great Strother Martin! Although in the movie for a total of 10 minutes,"classic" Strother is what he is,"the best damned character actor ever" and never at a loss for words. The bargaining scenes with Darby could be entered in a short-story movie at a film festival! Never ceases to crack me up. Bottom line, the perfect Sunday in the Fall movie & from my experience 40 years of age & up appreciate this movie alot more, don't ask me why I'm 37.