Leave It to Beaver (TV Series) The Book Report (1963) User Reviews

Shortcut to a Book Report

[MichaelMartinDeSapio · 8/10 · 20 April 2016]

Beaver has to write a book report on "The Three Musketeers" but, daunted by the book's length, has put off reading it until the last minute. Along comes putative pal Gilbert bearing the good tidings that a movie version of "The Three Musketeers" will be on TV that night. Beaver's brother and parents will be conveniently out of the house. All Beav needs to do is watch the movie and write the book report from that! ("It's not every day that a guy gets to do a homework assignment and watch a neat movie at the same time!") Beaver, to his credit, valiantly holds out against the onslaught of Gilbert's devious temptations. But Gilbert keeps thrusting the sword into the stone of Beaver's virtue and eventually prevails. A few days later, when Beaver commences to read his book report in front of class, it becomes obvious that there are a few not unimportant differences between the "Three Musketeers" of the Ritz Brothers and the "Three Musketeers" of Dumas. Like, for starters, Dumas' cavaliers never get pelted with chickens or catapulted by a windmill into a bail of hay.

What a stroke of genius to cast Mrs. Rayburn (played by the wonderful Doris Packer) as Beaver's teacher in this episode. A more aristocratically stern receptor for this burlesque book report could hardly have been imagined. Yet when Beaver is asked to stay after class, he and Mrs. Rayburn have a nice scene together (interestingly framed by the picture window) in which we sense not just Rayburn's sternness but her warmth and caring for Beaver - and her understanding of the mischief young people get themselves into.

In the final scene, we see Beaver in his room writing a new, authentic book report. The episode ends with Ward offering Beaver a paean to books and reading. Beaver looks unusually thoughtful as the episode comes to a close.

If Beaver knew his library then he would have know Masterplots.

[pensman · 8/10 · 7 June 2017]

Beaver is supposed to be writing a book report on The Three Musketeers and it's due in three days; Beaver managed to read chapter one so long ago, he can't remember anything. Beaver has to stay home and read instead of eating Chinese at Gilbert's. Wally can't sympathize with Beaver; he read the book, it's great. Gilbert stops by to see Beaver. Gilbert read his book, he's done. His parents got on his back as soon as the assignment was made, but Beaver can watch the movie on TV.

Beaver will be home alone. Can he be trusted to read the book or will he succumb to watching it on TV. When Gilbert stops over and that's it. But the movie is the one staring Don Ameche and the Ritz Brothers. Not the book. Too bad it wasn't an assignment on Alexander Graham Bell; he might have managed to get by with a biography assignment. Well, not really.

Beaver's ready to go. Did he learn anything about putting stuff off asks Ward? Sure did, again not really. Now Theodore gets to read his report to the class. Keep reading Beaver prods Mrs. Rayburn, who is "enjoying" hearing his rendition. You think that with the class laughing so hard, Beaver would begin to suspect he wasn't doing Dumas. Maybe, whispers Gilbert, Beaver should have read the comic book; I have to assume he was referring to the Classis Illustrated series. Theodore gets to remain after class. How can Mrs. Rayburn know kids cheat by reading comics, or dust jackets, or even watching movies; she's a teacher. Now he has to take a note home to Ward.

Wally has an idea. Get Dad talking about his days as a kid and then spring the note on him when he's in a good mood. Nothing kills a good mood like a note from a teacher when you are just about to graduate grade eight and start high school. We finish up with Beaver reading two books for reports and agreeing with Ward that reading is important. He does take some of the sheen off when Beaver concludes that without being able to read we wouldn't know what's on TV.

Here we are with Beaver about to go off to high school and he still falls for every ploy Gilbert comes up with. Pretty sure we will never see Theodore in an honors program in high school. I began a career teaching eighth and ninth graders, and they were by and large twice as smart and clever as Beaver. They were even better cheaters, but they got caught. After a long stint teaching honors in high school, I helped out a friend for a few years and agreed to teach some eighth-grade classes. Again, they couldn't figure out such an old man could beat them at cheating. It was almost a game, pitching the naïve tech wonders vs the sly crafty old techie. They couldn't figure out how I knew so much. We had great fun.

Hilarious Scene

[holdingourown · 9/10 · 4 December 2021]

This episode deals with the dangers of procrastination. Beaver put off reading a book for a report, and his friend Gilbert suggests he watch the movie to cut corners. By season 6, Beaver should know that Gilbert's advice is trouble, but he watches the movie, a comedic take, and writes his review on that.

This is one of the funniest episodes in season six. The scene where he reads his report to the class takes the cake!

I READ THE BOOK ON TV! DO I GET AN 'A'?

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 6 November 2023]

Many of us kids have pulled the same stunt Beaver pulled in this classic episode, or at least, have thought about it during an act of desperation!

His assignment is to read "The Three Musketeers," and time just passed him by. He now has to finish the book ASAP, but it's easier said than done, especially when you're Beaver, right? Not taking sides, but you have to admit. The famous Dumas novel is lengthy, some books, ranging from 400 to 700 pages. A herculean task, but that's his assignment.

Enter "I have a plan" Gilbert, who suggests Beave may be able to put it over everybody by simply watching the movie on tv! It's a profound idea, but a movie with the Ritz Brothers, who were a lot like the Three Stooges(!), is not what stern Mrs. Rayburn had in mind!

Goofy is as goofy does, especially when Beave has to read his report in front of the entire class.

You can only imagine how Hugh Beaumont directed this scene, probably telling Jerry Mathers to stand there and expect the worse with a smile?

The best thing to happen to Beave was to have a wise, old teacher like Mrs. Rayburn in his corner.

She knew the score, and while not necessarily impressed with the end result, perhaps remembered how it was when she was Beave's age. She also probably watched the same movie!

We all treasured those special teachers we had while growing up, who every once in awhile showed a bit of compassion to our bruised ego. Doris Packer was always spot on as Mrs. Rayburn. We loved her.

A must see for all us homework haters. Interestingly, the Three Musketeers was considered a daring book, actually banned by the Catholic church at the time this episode was filmed. The ban was lifted in 1966, but challenged again in 2015 due to sexual content. An amazing footnote.

This episode never gets old. SEASON 6 EPISODE 30 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2011 release.

The film referenced in the episode actually does exist

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 11 May 2024]

Beaver has a book report on "The Three Musketeers" due in two days. And even with this date looming, Ward has to command Beaver to drop his weekend plans and stay at home and read that book. Gilbert tempts Beaver with an alternative - the movie "The Three Musketeers" will be on TV on Sunday night at 8PM. It's not that Beaver isn't tempted by this, but his family being home would make this impossible. No doubt they would figure what he's doing - substituting watching the movie for reading the book.

But then, suddenly, both his parents and Wally have plans for Sunday night. With Beaver having an impossible amount of material yet to read, he gives in, watches the movie, and writes the book report based on the film. He gets about three sentences into his report the next day, before Mrs. Rayburn lets him know that the jig is up. Watch and find out how this concludes.

The film mentioned in the episode actually does exist. "The Three Musketeers" (1939) was a musical comedy misfire by Fox starring Don Ameche and the Ritz Brothers. The latter are an acquired taste. I would expect somebody Beaver's age, about to enter high school, to figure out that this plan would not work just by having read a couple of chapters of the book, seeing the ad for the movie, and having just a modicum of common sense. And what was Gilbert's motive for having Beaver go this disastrous route? It was too late to salvage the weekend. At least Larry Mondello usually had selfishness as a motive when he sent Beaver down the wrong path. Here, Gilbert is displaying an almost Eddie Haskell level of destruction for destruction's sake by giving his "friend" such bad advice.

All kids have tried something similar

[vitoscotti · 8/10 · 6 September 2021]

Gilbert stirs up more trouble. He plays Beaver like a fiddle. Funny scene Janet reading her monotonous review. Also, Beaver reading his movie version review delighting his classmates. The "Three Musketeers" is a very long book even given a lot of time to read it. Principal Mrs Rayburn (Doris Packer) really works well in season 6 as a teacher also.

Everybody watches television. Everybody!!!

[thejcowboy22 · 5/10 · 3 October 2018]

Another traumatic experience during my parochial school days at the Hebrew Academy. My fifth grade assignment was do a biography on any American President. The library was bombarded with my classmates which resembled the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The books were flying off the shelves and I found one dis-guarded book on the bottom shelf entitled "JACKSON". The life and times of Andrew Jackson. The book was rather thick, over 500 pages thick. I had about three weeks to read this historical account of "Old Hickory".Jackson's epithet "Old Hickory"was given during the battle of New Orleans by his troops claiming that he was tough as hickory wood. So much for trivial facts about our seventh President. I opened the book and after reading a few paragraphs I knew I was in trouble. Reading comprehension was never my strong suit but I tried to forge on. Flowery language and run on sentences were just to much for me to handle which leads me into my review of Beaver's book report episode. Beaver, (Jerry Mathers), under similar circumstances had to write a book report for school. Beaver picked a thick book entitled "The Three Musketeers". Beaver sat on the assignment and waited for the last weekend to read a thick bound adventure about the swashbuckling troupe from the 17th century England. Beaver's Father (Hugh Beaumont) noticed the hefty novel with concern. Stepped in and told Beaver to cancel his weekend fun and get going on his reading assignment. Beaver made little progress as each page of the Alexander Dumas depiction dragged on as the book grew larger and time grew shorter. Meanwhile Beaver's best friend Gilbert (Stephen Talbot) suggested that Beaver watch a television movie about the Three Musketeers on Sunday night. Simple,watch the show and then write a review of what you saw. This way you not stuck with a half read book in your hands. Will Gilbert's brainstorm idea fool Beavers Teacher Mrs. Rayburn? I particularly enjoy the parts played by veteran actress Doris Packer. Doris the elderly but wise principal/ eight grade teacher in this episode gives Beaver some enlightening information about educators he never though of.. Ms. Packer's works spans several decades and has appeared on many other television shows during the 50's and 60's. As for me personally I wasn't so fortunate with my Book report on Andrew Jackson. Not only did I not read the book, I copied information out of an encyclopedia and received a mediocre grade. My father found out by thumbing through the leather bound classic with difficult 17 letter words plus archaic phrasing. I possibly couldn't comprehend anything the author inscribed. My Father kept the book despite being overdue at the school library. My father used that book as a punishment assignment whenever I did something bad which was every other day. We kept that book for over two years. Whenever I was caught I can still hear my Dad yelling Jackson !

Remember, Everyone watches television. Everyone!!!

[thejcowboy22 · 5/10 · 19 April 2018]

Oh the dreaded book report assignments I had through my formative years. I remember in particular two books I wish I never found in the public library. One of them was Charles Dickens David Copperfield. The other was a lengthy book on the life of former President Andrew Jackson. After one page of David Copperfield I realized that English was most definitely my second language and reading comprehension was not my strong suit. Flowery vocabulary and run on sentences were the norm from our 19th century novelist Sir Charles. The other book Jackson was held over as my Father as continuous punishment made me read chapters "OUT LOUD' in my corner room as he watched re-runs of Mission Impossible in his whitey tighties eating an apple. If I did something wrong my Father's buzz word to get me to do something was simply "Jackson". Oh the joy of fine literature. Beaver Cleaver (Jerry Mathers) at the awkward age of 14 chose a book on the Three Musketeers. A novel written by Alexadre Dumas about A young d'Artagnon who travels to Paris to join the musketeers of the guard to fight injustices by the current regime. Beaver has been staling to start the assignment which was given by his eight grade Teacher/ Principal Mrs. Rayburn played by Doris Packer two weeks prior. With only two days left Beaver has a hefty book to read as his Father Ward (Hugh Beaumont) tells him to get cracking. Enter best friend Gilbert (Stephen Talbot) with some sound advice for the Beaver. Sunday Night a local TV channel will aired The Three Musketeers. Gilbert advises Beaver to stop struggling with the boring book and watch the show and Mrs. Rayburn won't be the wiser. Time is now the enemy and Beaver is panic stricken as he hardly put a dent in the book.The Cleaver's June and Ward conveniently go out on a Sunday Night while Beaver and Gilbert watch the Three Musketeers in it's entirety. Overnight Beaver becomes a TV critic but fails to realize Hollywood can change any piece of literature to conveniently please the masses. What are the odds that Beaver's teacher watched the same show? One more thing about the show is that it became a musical comedy and strayed away from the serious narrative. In Beavers's case to quote Sir Francis Bacon,"Some Books are to be tasted. Others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested." In Beaver case he got a huge case of indigestion.

Putting Things Off Till The Last Minute

[StrictlyConfidential · 5/10 · 23 January 2021]

(*Ward to June quote*) - "A father can use all the support he can get these days."

Beaver has the weekend to finish his book report on"The Three Musketeers".

At Gilbert's suggestion the two of them watch the musical version of the story on TV and this is the version that Beaver bases his book report on.

When reading his book report before his class, Mrs. Rayburn realizes that Beaver had not read the book and so she lectures him about this after class.