Movie Review: **^No Deposit, No Return

This is a sweet little Disney take on O. Henry's "Ransom of Red Chief" except in this case it is a brother and sister, and they are running away and happen to take the same cab as a couple safe-crackers who are getting away after a botched robbery attempt.  The mob is pressuring our robbers for money (Don Knotts and Darren McGavin).  Don Knotts where he is nervous, rattling his hot chocolate cup with a spoon, remembering the sirens.  The noises he makes are hilarious.  He then ends up in a construction project with a bucket on his head, and is saved by a crane.  Who knows how he got out there, but it had to do with saving a skunk which belongs to one of the kids.  This movie has a theme similar to "Savannah Smiles" except in this case it is the mother (Barbara Feldon) who has neglected her children (Kim Richards, Brad Savage).  The kids send a kidnapping note to grandfather, hoping to get money to travel to Hong Kong to see their mother over Easter break.  Grandfather (David Niven)  knows where the kids are, but is enjoying the peace and quiet of there being someplace else rather than with him as they tend to destroy his home.  Instead it is our small time crooks who suffer.  Of course when the mob steps in to take over the kidnap things take a change for the worse.

Movie Review: ****Savannah Smiles (1982)

This is a movie about a seven year old girl who runs away from home by climbing into someone's car, and two convicts on the run whose car it is.  They don't realize it, but they are accused of kidnapping because they want to make sure they get the reward offered for her.  It has the flavor of O'Henry's "The Ransom for Red Chief" but with a few twists.  Our convicts, Alvie and Boots (Mark Miller and Donavan Scott) are bunglers.  Boots breaks Alvie out of prison just before he makes parole, he gets him a rabbit but Alvie is upset when he discovers it's road kill.  Alvie responds, 'It's fresh meat."  With the girl the next day, they take on the parenting role, something she didn't get from her parents who are too busy with meetings and business.  Her father is running for Senate.  This cute conversation takes place:
What do you want for breakfast?
Savannah: Chocolate milk, cocoa puff, buttermilk, chocolate strawberries, peaches, Wheaties, chocolate bananas, pancakes, sausage, toast, oatmeal - apple, and bacon.
This movie is filmed in Utah and there are many familiar scenes including Liberty Park and Bridal Veil Falls.  Cameo roles are portrayed by Pat Morita, a priest and Peter Graves, a private investigator.