The Happiest Millionaire

I just bought the DVD roadshow version of this film, as I had seen it as a teenager and thoroughly enjoyed it....this is the complete 3 hour version with prologue, intermission, and exit music; although it has been panned through the years, I have always thought highly of it...it is based on the memoirs of Cordie Biddle, who is the daughter of Anthony Biddle the highly conservative and inventive head of the Biddle household..there are some wonderful actors including Fred MacMurray as the patriarch, Greer Garson as his wife, Gladys Cooper (in I believe one of her last roles) as Cordie's grandmother, and of course Leslie Ann Warren, and John Davidson as the younger romantic interest....If there is a complaint, I would have to say there is too much time spent on the romance of the two younger players, and whatever happened to Paul Petersen, and Eddie Hodges, who are only in ONE scene as the brothers of Cordie....their scenes must have been left on the cutting room floor if they indeed had anymore!!! This is an early 20th century piece, with wonderful costumes, decor, and settings of the period, and lilting music for the most part...and as others have said Tommy Steele as the butler STEALS the show with his singing, dancing, and commentary on the goings on throughout the story. I have on order the movie "Half a Sixpence" which Tommy originated on the stage in London; am looking forward to this film also...I think we all miss the family oriented musicals, and movies of this time period; they are so easy to view and so enjoyable...One final comment; what a wonderful way to end the movie with Fred MacMurray and Greer Garson doing a duet on "Let them Go" a poignant ballad on their feelings of dealing with the empty nest syndrome...this was added for the roadshow version I believe, I don't recall it in the original version....Does anyone know whether Greer Garson's voice was used in this; I wasn't sure if she was a singer or not....at any rate I would recommend this film to any one...

This picture has some excellent songs written by the same team of song writers that wrote the award winning songs for Walt Disney's MARY POPPINS. The opening number of "Fortousity" is a delight. Although this movie is based on a true story about Cordelia Drexel Biddle, I would recommend it more as a lighthearted and fun movie for the whole family.

When I was a boy, I'm in my 40s now, my mother would get Disney albums in the mail. They contained music from the soundtracks of movies. Consequently, I was familiar with the songs long before I had seen the films. 'Happiest Millionaire' was one of them, but I have never seen the movie until 2004 when I bought it on DVD, and it was fantastic!

The version on the disc lasts close to 3 hours. It is a 'Roadshow Edition,' and that is entirely enjoyable. It begins with a music overture. In the middle of the film is an intermission, and after the movie is over, there is another musical medley with the word 'Exit' on the screen. That must have been there to remind people to leave the theater!

I see that on IMDb it gets an average rating of 5.5. Maybe that comes from the shorter, lesser cuts of the film. This restored edition is much better than that. My children loved it, too! They were literally glued to the screen for the duration of the movie.

This is easily the most musical of any film I have ever seen. That is one of the reasons the movie is so entertaining. Tommy Steele looks as if he is having a lot of fun, and that feeling is contagious.

'Happiest Millionaire' was released in 1967, the year after Walt Disney died, but he loved this film. The music is by the Sherman brothers, the same duo who gave us the unforgettable tunes in 'Mary Poppins.' I think it is sad that these kinds of films are no longer made. The great family oriented musicals are gone. Can anyone recommend 'Moulin Rouge' or 'Chicago' to their children?

And yet, this is not necessarily a kids' movie. Walt Disney had the genius to understand that things need to appeal to everyone. That was the inspiration behind Disneyland.

Out of four stars, I rate this: ***

Despite a phenomenal cast, "The Happiest Millionaire" really never takes off.

This is probably because the star of the film should have been butler Tommy Steele who begins the picture on a high note with the clever tune Fortuosity. Steele is toothy and with that broad smile, he could easily captivate audiences. Unfortunately, he soon falls into a rather supporting role to an eccentric Biddle family.

Fred MacMurray is all right for the part but his monotone voice is annoying at times. As his wife, Greer Garson, is wonderful. She depicts that regal elegance that made her so famous through the years. She is just an older, elegant version of Mrs. Miniver and all the other great roles she had in the 1940s.

Gladys Cooper is a rather tame Auntie here. Cooper was always at her best when she was an upper class mean person. The upper class is certainly there but where is her usual nastiness? Ditto for Geraldine Page. Page as Lesley Ann Warren's prospective mother-in-law causes mayhem as she usually did in pictures. This being a musical comedy, her usual frustrations are missing and we could have used them there.

Enough with the alligator scenes already. MacMurray and family wear their bible shirts and practice boxing. MacMurray is anxious for the U.S. to be prepared for World War 1 and he urges President Wilson for this preparedness.

The big surprise of this film is that all our players could carry a tune. I thought that the argument scene between Cooper and Page would have been exacerbated.

The film falters as we have seen the bar-room brawls and social fights among the upper classes in society before.

I remember the first time I saw this terrific film. I was nine going on ten and living in Westchester County, New York, at the time. "Happiest Millionaire" was the Christmas attraction at Radio City Music Hall that year [1967] and it was a delight! The performances, particularly those of Tommy Steele, Fred MacMurray, and Leslie Ann Warren are all bursting with effervescence and energy, and the Sherman brothers' songs, if not up to their work on "Mary Poppins," (But, then, what could be?) are consistently pleasant and enjoyable. As the last complete film that Walt Disney was to oversee before his death, it's one of his best latter-day works.

Which is why I find the critical drubbing it's taken over the years, particularly Leonard Maltin's in his book "The Disney Films," so hard to understand. "Happiest Millionaire" is what many family films try to be today, rarely succeeding. I was given a video of it as a present recently and found it just as enjoyable as I did 32 years ago, if not more so. Plus, living in the Philadelphia area as I do today, there's the historical interest, as well.

In short, "Happiest Millionaire" was great in 1967, and even better today. If you can see it, by all means do. You'll be in for a rare treat and a hidden treasure from the Disney vaults!