The Great Rupert (1950)

When i started seeing this movie I did not really have any idea what it was. But I was met with a scene with an old man playing music and a squirrel dancing. As I may be a bit crazy and love fantasy and adventure so I could see this movie go in interesting ways.But just as getting ready to follow the squirrel it took back seat in the movie to something that was a bland love story and I think maybe comedy. (not sure as I never laughed. But they did look like it should be funny)So would I recommend this movie? Yes if the 10 minutes the squirrel was in the movie to the whole movie. Otherwise no. After the 10 first minutes nothing really happens with the squirrel. It is only there a few short scenes. In my opinion none of persons in the main body was very likable or interesting.

Originally known as THE GREAT RUPERT, this is a charming tale about a talented squirrel (that would be Rupert) who lives in the attic of a down and out family of struggling vaudevillians, and who accidentally helps them gain wealth and prosperity during the Christmas season. The vigorous Jimmy Durante is a lot of fun to watch as the well-meaning father who sings, and he's got a couple of silly "so bad they're funny" lines that made me laugh, though it's too bad he wasn't given more. Terry Moore (MIGHTY JOE YOUNG) is his young daughter who falls for Tom Drake (MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS). This is a somewhat charming, if not great, family film to watch for the holidays. Rupert the Squirrel is brought to life via George Pal's animation. **1/2 out of ****

The Great Rupert besides being the first feature film of master Puppetooner George Pal is a pleasant, gentle, and innocuous family comedy about the innocent antics of a very smart squirrel and the changes he wreaks in a neighborhood. Ironically enough no one knows he's the responsible party right up to the highest levels of government.Rupert who is an animated squirrel courtesy of George Pal is a trained rodent by animal trainer Jimmy Conlin, but who can't sell the act to agent Chick Chandler and because of that he's evicted for lack of rent payment by landlord Frank Orth. As luck would have it another group of vaudevillians, the family Amendola which consists of Jimmy Durante, wife Queenie Smith and their daughter Terry Moore. Mainly because Orth's son develops big eyes for Terry, he rents them the place without a deposit nor hopes of getting one.But Rupert returns to his nest in the roof of that house and he causes miser Orth's fortune to fall upon the Amendolas, it's where the old skinflint stores his loot because he doesn't trust banks. Remember we were not too far from the Depression when many banks failed.I can't go any farther, but suffice it to say it all works out financially and romantically in the end. Along the way Jimmy Durante provides us with a couple of numbers in his unique style.The film is timeless in its humor, but it does show the age of the fashions involved. It probably could be remade today, I can see Steve Martin in Jimmy Durante's part.But not with the Schnozz.

Why isn't it? I have no clue. Some very fine movies, for no very good reason, simply seem to get lost in time. I suppose this is one of those. Well put together and with wonderful talent Jimmy Durante and Terry Moore shine. The stop motion animation used for Rupert is neat given the day in which this was made. Cute, silly, funny, sweet, campy, good natured family fun this movie made me, being the sentimental sap that I am, laugh until I cried. Given the very repetitious nature of Decembers television line up over the past several decades I don't know why someone doesn't latch onto this thing and promote it. But being able to view it at will on DVD makes it, well, what can I say? It makes it a wonderful life.