Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Konterr Brilliant and touching

Stephan Hammond It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

bmbdsm A young Irish man, fresh off the boat, immediately scores a job as the butler in the home of millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle. The Biddle home is no ordinary home- Biddle runs Bible classes in his home, keeps alligators in the conservatory, and is preparing to help with the war. His lovely young daughter, concerned that the goings-on in the home are keeping her from finding a beau, announces her desire to go to boarding school; reluctantly, Anthony lets her go. She comes back with a fiancée-Angier Duke, of the New York Dukes. Biddle gradually warms up to the engagement, and make plans for an elaborate wedding. But the young lovers didn't count on their families having a bitter argument between them. Will they ever find happiness amidst the troubles? This fine musical (somewhat reminiscent of "You Can't Take It With You", IMO) is known for being the last film produced by Walt Disney before his death. With the success of MARY POPPINS, Disney decided to gather some of the POPPINS team to try and recreate it's success. Unfortunately, the film didn't do as well as hoped, and the film was cut to try and make it more popular (the complete roadshow print is available on DVD). That is unfortunate, because the film is a pure delight from start to finish. The score by the Sherman Brothers is a lovely one, full of showstoppers (my personal favorite being the love song "Are We Dancing?"). An all-star cast delivers great performances, including Fred MacMurray, Greer Garson, energetic and ever-grinning Tommy Steele, Geraldine Page, and Lesley Ann Warren (CINDERELLA) and John Davidson in their film debuts. The production and costume design is impeccable, and remind one of the classic MGM musicals of the day. Check this one out; it is fun for the family, and you are guaranteed a great time! Recommended. 10/10.

UponMidnightDreary This is an absolutely wonderful movie. It's difficult, if not impossible to find movies like this anymore. Tommy Steele is wonderful as the understated, humorous butler and everyone else plays their roles remarkably. Based off the real life story of Anthony Biddle, it is wonderfully heartwarming and genuinely funny. You won't find sex or special effects beyond the stopping of the film to show one of the pet alligators taking a "bite" out of a broom, and the film is all the better for it. I've loved it since I was in middle school and am in college now and still love it just as much. It is one of my favorites and is the most quoted film in my family!

chrisbishop5000 I remember coming across this film in "Halliwell's Film Guide 2006" and it appealed to me merely because its running time was staggering and it really isn't like Walt Disney to make hugely long films like this. I told my mother about it and she saw to it that I got it on video. It came from America and the actual video was amazingly old but still going strong after at least twenty years of being used. I secretly hoped I wasn't going to be disappointed because, according to the Halliwell's guide, "The Happiest Millionaire" was drearily inept (I don't know what it means but it certainly sound pretty bad) and was full of boredom but OH how they were wrong! In my mind, it most certainly was NOT drearily inept - bloody hell! What do they want?! They're only films not life-changing events! It was such a happy movie and I was so pleased and frankly relieved that I wasn't going to be let down. So many people are happy in this 145-minute film; vivacious, strong-minded Cordelia is happy (who also loud and excitable), the timid but determined Angie is happy (because of his dreams in "Detroit"), the gentle, kind-hearted John Lawless is happy (happy to be Irish and being the new butler of a wealthy family), Mrs Worth is happy who is also very kind to Mr Lawless at the opening when he arrives at the home of Anthony Drexel Biddle, who is the star. Ironically, Mr Drexel Biddle is not such a happy person but more like a middle-aged man who pursues sympathy and fears for her daughter and is emotionally drawn to her - although, he does have a good sense of humour and excellent one! When he keeps saying "What's Wrong With THAT??!!" all the time, treating his alligators like pet dogs and grumbling at the no-nonsense Englishwoman Mrs Mary Drexel (Gladys Cooper) and she, too, is funny. In the Uncut "Roadshow Edition" of "The Happiest Millionaire", which runs for nearly THREE HOURS, there is an Intermission/Entr'acte included and the ending is a lot more extended than what I saw in the cut, 1980s video. As we know, Cordelia separates with Angie when she learns that they were to live near his stuck-up, insensitive mother after their honeymoon but reunites with him at the prison and they go off to Detroit after all. After they leave, we see Anthony and his wife back at the mansion where it's quiet and there's no more liveliness now that Cordelia has left with her man, his wife sings "Let Them Go" to help him realize that his daughter is not a little girl anymore but a young lady and is now old enough to live her OWN life and I think it ends there (I'm not fully sure as I've only seen that version once).This is more-or-less like a version of "Father of the Bride" because in that the father can't let go of his daughter who is no longer a little girl only this is much more charming, much happier and has more story lines than just that one. Sadly, "The Happiest Millionaire" is horribly underrated from what I've heard from other critics across the world. YOU MAY LIKE TO KNOW: Cordelia Drexel Biddle was a real person and wrote a book about her life called "My Philadelpia Father".

mntwister I am not sure why some of the people disliked the film so much. The musical score by the Sherman Brothers is first class, the casting excellent, and the story moving. It seems to me those who review films like this in the negative really can't sit down and be entertained for a few hours. One doesn't always need a deep movie....a person can watch this film and feel good when it's over, and to me, that's what film is best at.I just watched for the 6th time the dvd of the roadshow edition, and it is much better than the edited version. The ending was too abrupt before, and now we have not only an extra song, but a much better climax, that of a grand musical.Leslie Ann Warren and John Davidson make their screen debut, and both are perfectly cast. The soundtrack on the dvd has been restored and sounds wonderful, especially in scenes with an orchestra, and the picture quality is very good for the period.The best thing about this film is the score of the wonderful Sherman Brothers. Songs like FORTUOSITY,ARE WE DANCING, I'LL ALWAYS BE IRISH, DETROIT, NO DILLY DALLY, THERE ARE THOSE are much under-rated. This is an excellent original musical score.Highly recommend for kids, families, and grown ups with a child still within.