Never A Dull Moment
Just finished watching "Never A Dull Moment" released by Walt Disney Pictures.
"Never A Dull Moment" was released by Walt Disney Pictures in movie theaters back in 1968, and is based on the novel, "The Reluctant Assassin" by John Godey, who is best known for "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three."
Now there always is a danger of looking at a movie through contemporary eyes; but I was absolutely shocked that this movie a G-rating. There is physical violence, a gangster is slapped around quite a few times and he bleeds openly from his mouth on camera - something I wasn't expecting to see in a G-rated Disney movie from the late 1960s. And Dick Van Dyke's character of Jack Albany actually does try to "spend the night" with the heroine of the movie in a manner that is "out of place" in a G-rated Disney movie of this era. Disney would only make a deliberate attempt to aim for adult audiences with PG Rated movies in the late 1970s with such movies as "The Black Hole," The Devil & Max Devlin," "The Last Flight of Noah's Ark," and "The Black Cauldron."
Dick Van Dyke stars as struggling TV actor Jack, playing gangsters in hokey weekly series. In a case of mistake identity, a gang member picks up Jack on a street corner thinking he is the out of town hitman he is supposed to pick up for a big job. Taking him to the home of the mob boss, Jack tries to escape. When he realizes that discovery of his true identity means his death, Jack dives into the role of his life, literally. His mistaken identity cover-up is hilarious as he really seems to relish his role as a tough guy, even scaring the other real gangsters. Edward G. Robinson does a marvelous job playing a mob boss that would secretly prefer to be a painter and steals famous art for his own enjoyment instead of to sell. When the real hitman shows up, Jack has to convince the gang that HE is the phony, and stop the robbery. His love interest in the movie is well played by Dorothy Provine.
Walt Disney Pictures was definitely aiming towards a more adult audience with this movie with it's covert suggestions of adultery between married people and even some hints of homosexuality - which again, are visible with contemporary eyes and mindsets.
"Never A Dull Moment" wasn't the breakthrough movie Walt Disney Pictures hoped it would be.
It's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie. It's a rather enjoyable Disney fare for that time period.
Recommended.
Four Stars.
"Never A Dull Moment" was released by Walt Disney Pictures in movie theaters back in 1968, and is based on the novel, "The Reluctant Assassin" by John Godey, who is best known for "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three."
Now there always is a danger of looking at a movie through contemporary eyes; but I was absolutely shocked that this movie a G-rating. There is physical violence, a gangster is slapped around quite a few times and he bleeds openly from his mouth on camera - something I wasn't expecting to see in a G-rated Disney movie from the late 1960s. And Dick Van Dyke's character of Jack Albany actually does try to "spend the night" with the heroine of the movie in a manner that is "out of place" in a G-rated Disney movie of this era. Disney would only make a deliberate attempt to aim for adult audiences with PG Rated movies in the late 1970s with such movies as "The Black Hole," The Devil & Max Devlin," "The Last Flight of Noah's Ark," and "The Black Cauldron."
Dick Van Dyke stars as struggling TV actor Jack, playing gangsters in hokey weekly series. In a case of mistake identity, a gang member picks up Jack on a street corner thinking he is the out of town hitman he is supposed to pick up for a big job. Taking him to the home of the mob boss, Jack tries to escape. When he realizes that discovery of his true identity means his death, Jack dives into the role of his life, literally. His mistaken identity cover-up is hilarious as he really seems to relish his role as a tough guy, even scaring the other real gangsters. Edward G. Robinson does a marvelous job playing a mob boss that would secretly prefer to be a painter and steals famous art for his own enjoyment instead of to sell. When the real hitman shows up, Jack has to convince the gang that HE is the phony, and stop the robbery. His love interest in the movie is well played by Dorothy Provine.
Walt Disney Pictures was definitely aiming towards a more adult audience with this movie with it's covert suggestions of adultery between married people and even some hints of homosexuality - which again, are visible with contemporary eyes and mindsets.
"Never A Dull Moment" wasn't the breakthrough movie Walt Disney Pictures hoped it would be.
It's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie. It's a rather enjoyable Disney fare for that time period.
Recommended.
Four Stars.
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