PamelaShort
Knowing my love for older movies, my mother gave me the DVD titled A Chrismas Wish. I was leery as to whether I would enjoy this colorized and retitled film. What a pleasant surprise this adorable film is. The story begins during the holiday season, with out of work vaudevillian actors the Amendola family, Jimmy Durante, Queenie Smith, and daughter Terry Moore renting a small ground-floor dwelling from skinflint Mr. Dingle, Frank Orth who lives with his wife Sara Haden and son Tom Drake. The previous tenant had a very talented dancing squirrel named Rupert, who unknown to the Amendola family moves back into their room. The stingy landlord hides his money routinely in a hole made in a baseboard, which he believes is safe, but it actually is the home of Rupert who throws the money out of his nest. While praying for badly needed new shoes for daughter Rosalinda, Mrs.Amendola is shocked as money comes floating down landing on the floor. The Amendola's are overjoyed celebrating Christmas with all the trimmings. The money keeps coming and so does the charm of this story. Jimmy Durante is at his comical best, Queenie Smith is very sweet, beautiful Terry Moore and Tom Drake fall in love in this very delightful movie. I am not a fan of colorized films, but I appreciate that this film is at least available to enjoy, and I do every Christmas season.
bkoganbing
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.
johnc2141
I Had seen the great Rupert on a religious channel that has been showing all the great Christmas movies like scrooge,and the bishops wife.and i loved it.its somewhat a Christmas movie about a family led by the great Jimmy Durante.and a squirrel named Rupert that shares the same household.the great Rupert also stars the dazzling and beautiful; Terry Moore(mighty Joe young)who i think looks great in this movie,playing jimmy Durante's daughter.if you like sentimental comedies,you will love the great Rupert.i totally recommend it.if you spot it on DVD buy it.i hate myself for passing it up as a dollar movie a while back,but i see it again I'm grabbing it.although I'm not sure its a public domain movie,its well worth repeated viewings,I'm not giving away the plot.no spoilers here.all i can say is watch it,you will love it.and its the first movie produced by the late great George Pal.10 out of 10.
Kenneth Eagle Spirit
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.
AD
