Movie Review: ****Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

This is a classic Disney with a shipwrecked family and pirates.  It lead to a creation of a tree house at Disneyland.  It featured adult actors as well as child stars.  Father (John Mills) and Mother (Dorothy McGuire) with there three sons, Fritz (James MacArthur), Ernst (Tommy Kirk) and Francis (Kevin Corcoran) make life as best as they can on a deserted island.   They find all they need, and a wide assortment of wild animals from several different continents.  They also rescue a girl from pirates, Roberta (Janet Munro).  This creates jealousy between Fritz and Ernst as they both vie for her attention.  Then there is the issue of

those pesky pirates, so the family prepares for them, but almost find themselves unprepared, as they had let their guard down for a day of recreation.

Movie Review: ****^Pollyanna (1960)

This is one of those great positive feeling movies, with Pollyanna (Hayley Mills, who looks for the good, and the preacher (Karl Malden) who is converted to this thinking.  It makes a big difference in the town, as it becomes known as the glad town.
This movies comes from Disney and also features:
Jane Wyman as Aunt Polly
Richard Egan as her love interest Dr. Chilton
Agnes Moorehead as crotchety old Mrs. Snow, who Pollyanna also converts
As well as Mr. Pendergast, played by Adolphe Menjou
And Kevin Corcoran portrays Pollyanna's young friend from the orphanage.
The town is moving to raise money to build a new orphanage.  they feel it is a civic responsibility.  The current orphanage is in Herrington Hall, and Aunt Polly wants to give money to remodel the kitchen.  She has money, and willing to do her civic duty.  However that is the point, Aunt Polly attends to her duty, but doesn't love people.  Pollyanna brings that love into her life.

Disney Movie Review: **** Old Yeller

This is the classic movie of a boy and his dog.  Travis (Tommy Kirk) is the man of the house, as his father (Fess Parker) goes on a cattle drive.  A stray dog comes on the scene causing a heap of trouble the first day his father is gone.  His younger brother (Kevin Corcoran) insists the dog is his.  At first Travis doesn't like the dog; but mother (Dorothy McGuire) insists that the keep the dog for his younger brother, Arliss.  Travis learns to love the dog, as he is a true cattle dog and saves Arliss from a bear, Travis from a from a new mother cow, and from the hogs.  Trouble brews the the dogs rightful owner (Chuck Connor) comes to claim him.  However Arliss is so intent on keeping the dog, the visitor trades the dog for a meal.  However there is "Hypothermy" [rabies] in the country.  In saving the family from a wolf, Old Yeller is infected.  A humorous aside is the character of Bud Searcy (Jeff York).  He instructs his daughter in gathering corn, "Make sure you get ears what is sweet and juicy."

Movie Review: ****Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus

Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus 1960, Walt Disney.  This movie takes me back to my youth.  This is a classic that never grows old with age.  I find this movie fascinating from the boy who finagles himself into a couple more peanuts, until he becomes the circus performing star on the horses.  Toby is portrayed by Kevin Corcoran, who was a common Disney Movie actor.  I like the girl, Mademoiselle Jeanette, and had a crush on her as a child.  She reminded me of my cousin.  However I was too young for her as I was only three when this movie was made.  The relationships Toby has with the other members of the circus is what makes this movie work. His immediate boss tricks him out of money which is rightfully his, and doesn't deliver his letter to him from his aunt and uncle.  Mr Stubbs, the monkey, throws his money away he has been saving.  The strong man befriends him and takes him under his wing, and protects him from the abuse the concessionaire boss has used on other boys.  On of the clowns becomes a good friend, Ajax the horse performer is jealous of him and treats him poorly, and the other horse performer Jeanette is loveable as the trick horse rider.  I recommend this movie.  It is a feel good show.

Movie Review: **^That Shaggy Dog

  The Shaggy Dog is a fun show, and the switch from man to dog to man is unpredictable which makes for some interesting dilemnas.  My only confusion with the show is with the young woman's father turning out to be a spy, no one really explores her feelings about it--I think she's suppose to just be OK with it.  This movie stars Tommy Kirk as the Shaggy Dog, Fred MacMurray as his father, and Annette Funicello as the girl interest  and Kevin Corcoran as the younger who prefers the dog.