Summer Magic
by James Neilson
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Burl Ives, Deborah Walley, Dorothy McGuire, Eddie Hodges, Hayley MillsDirector: James Neilson
Brand: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.75:1
Running Time: 110 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-05-03
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Product features:
- The past beckons in this enchanting and nostalgic tale. The irrepressible Haley Mills stars in a lighthearted Disney film about young love, mysterious family secrets, and small-town summer nights. When financial ruin forces the Careys to leave Boston, their teenage daughter Nancy (Haley Mills) hatches a plan to resettle them in a tiny New England hamlet, with hilariously delightful consequences fo
Movie Reviews of Summer Magic
Movie Review: Disney Magic
Summary: 5 Stars
When Disney studios brought together a talented cast, a simple but effective script, and their family oriented production values, the result was often magic. Such was the case with this film, one of Hayley Mills' best.
When we join the movie the Carey family is under difficult times. Margaret Carey's (Dorothy McGuire) husband has recently passed away. Stock investments made by Mr. Carey have added to the family's fiscal woes. As Mrs. Carey struggles to figure out how the family will survive, headstrong Nancy Carey (Mills) has taken matters into her own hands by writing to Mr. Ossium "Osh" Popham (Burl Ives in one of his best roles) to ask whether a certain yellow house was available for rent. That Nancy exaggerated the extent of the family's financial need is temporarily overlooked, but not forgotten. Mr. Popham is more than happy to help the family and invites them to move into the yellow house for a modest rent.
The yellow house turns out to need a fair amount of work to make it livable, and Osh, who is also the owner of the local general store, continues to aid the Careys as they make improvements. We soon find out that Osh has not communicated with the owner of the house, Tom Hamilton (Peter Brown), with respect to all the various happenings related to the yellow house, and we know that at some point there will likely come a reckoning.
Adding to the family oriented fun is younger brother Peter Carey (Jimmy Mathers), who finds a creative way to get his hair cut, and then adopts a dog for the family. Cousin Julia Carey (Deborah Walley) is forced to move in with the Carey's due to financial circumstances with the family she has been living. That well-to-do family and their lifestyle causes a lot of stress in the financially strapped Carey family as Julia tends to mention them far too much.
Other supporting cast members include Una Merkel as Mariah Popham and Michael J. Pollard as Digby Popham. Michael also appeared in an episode of the original "Star Trek" television series.
The movie is somewhat anachronistic as feminism is equated with hiding your true self, particularly in the quest for seeking a husband. Yet, with that same definition of feminism we see strong female roles for Dorothy McGuire and Hayley Mills, so the relatively archaic attitude towards feminism is tempered somewhat.
As with any Disney movie, the realities of life are not completely ignored, and the long-absent Tom Hamilton finally shows up. While the difficult issue of what Mr. Hamilton will do with a family that has become somewhat of a squatter in his house, the ending does provide hope that all will turn out well in spite of Nancy's fears of the "yellow peril."
This movie has a few brief moments that may tinge on unsuitability for younger audiences, but parents should be able to explain those situations. Otherwise, I consider this movie suitable for families including even the youngest children. This movie is a winner that any family will find to be an excellent addition to their video collection.
Summary of Summer Magic
Features include:
?MPAA Rating: G
?Format: DVD
?Runtime: 110 minutes
This classic 1963 Disney film features child icon Hayley Mills as Nancy Carey, a teenage girl whose family moves from Boston to the New England countryside as a result of their father's untimely passing. Nancy writes to the kindly Mr. Poppem (Burl Ives) and single-handedly convinces him to rent the family a charming, if run-down, house for a mere $60 a year. Ever the optimist, Nancy brims with excitement at the family's new life, but this "perfect world" has its problems--notably an absentee landlord who knows nothing about the Carey family's rental agreement. Through hard work and Mr. Poppem's continuing generosity, the Careys fix up the house and find life in the rural Maine town quite satisfactory. Things become tense when their cousin Julia arrives for an extended visit, but eventually Nancy and Julia grow from one another's experiences and become good friends. You'll never guess what happens when the absent landlord returns unannounced during the family's Halloween housewarming party!
One section that may sit poorly with modern audiences features Nancy and Julia discussing how to emphasize one's femininity at the expense of hiding the real you--an indication of how much American thinking has changed in a relatively short period of time. Nevertheless, this is a charming tale featuring toe-tapping ragtime music, wonderful songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman including "Summer Magic" and "The Ugly Bug Ball," and the incomparable talents of Mills and Ives. Take a trip down memory lane and don't forget the kids. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi
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