Reviews

My fellow commenters have done a lovely job of summing up the wonderfulness of this movie.

But I don't think enough has been said about Maria O'Brien.

She is the daughter of the late, great Edmond O'Brien, and she is off-the-hook funny in this movie.

I knew her "whackamolehthip" was laying it on thick, and I'm just a gringa with a good accent. And then she drops the accent when talking to the stage manager: "I need red and green gels for my entrance...."

"Applause, applause, applause...."

Maria O'Brien is brilliant.

She should be as famous as her father never was.

I was a big fan of Laugh-In, even though I was just 5 or 6, and half the jokes sailed over my head. Which means I'm old enough to remember PSAs pitching the payroll savings plan, which went into US Savings Bonds. But this one is striking, as it mentions the troops (in Vietnam), and that this is a way to show them your support. It was made in 1968, well before public sentiment turned against the war.

It's a pretty soft sell, mentioned in passing, but it's notable in light of our more recent wars. During the World Wars, bonds were heavily pitched, and everybody with a little extra change at the end of the week was encouraged to contribute to the war effort.

These days, we're not asked to give up anything, at least not by our government. I think it's kinda sad.