Description: LI’L ABNER, the beloved cartoon strip from Al Capp, takes place in the hillbilly town of Dogpatch, which is deemed the most useless community in America. When the city is chosen as a test site for A-bombs, its colorful citizens take up the good fight, with lots of fun and merriment.
Amazon.com: This is one movie musical that doesn't bother adapting its stage presentation for the big screen: Li'l Abner cheerfully uses brightly colored, patently fake backdrops and stage sets for its mythical setting. And why not? A movie musical based on a cartoon strip is about as far from reality as you can get. Al Capp's legendary comic about the hillbilly denizens of Dogpatch was brought to Broadway by the estimable comedy team Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, who also produced the movie. Along with sampling Capp's world (the pursuit of noncommittal Abner by Daisy Mae on Sadie Hawkins Day is a major plot device), the movie is a goofy record of 1950s attitudes and concerns--in fact, Dogpatch is threatened with destruction when the government wants to use it as an atomic test site. The actors' Broadway delivery has a deadening effect after a while, and some of the makeup is downright weird (think the Whos in the live-action Grinch). Gene de Paul's music is unmemorable, but Johnny Mercer's lyrics provide considerable fun, and the athletic dances are based on Michael Kidd's stage choreography. Plus, the movie honors Capp's eye for impossibly bodacious women by casting Julie Newmar as Stupefyin' Jones and Stella Stevens (her first movie role) as Appassionata Von Climax. --Robert Horton
amusingly political There are a couple of songs that are catchy sung by Stubby Kaye. The story is exagerated sexist, but funny.
Lil Abner Fun movie for the whole Family. Key word FAMILY. Everyone from 8 to 80 will enjoy this movie.
I'd druther this musical!! Al Capp could not have asked for more when his satirical masterpiece of a cartoon strip was turned into a musical. The songs are great fun the characters well cast and the satire is still apt now."The Country's In The Very Best of Hands" goes one song that still resonates now. My kids love this and so do I. More entertaining and in it's own way just as much of a social comment as 'Cabaret" or Chicago. Only lots more fun.Buy it!!
Nostalgic entertainment Great for a trip back to my childhood when I couldn't wait to read the daily installment of Lil Abner and see what the residents of Dogpatch were up to. Great fun for the whole family.
Great movie! If you don't know the Lil Abner story line you've missed a lot of fun. The DVD is absolutely terrific with great acting. A must for every DVD collection!
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