Yes, there are a lot of very entertaining moments in this third version of Damon Runyeon's "Little Miss Marker", and while color has been added, it's perhaps a bit too 60's in style to compare with the 1934 version which is practically perfect, a Shirley Temple vehicle where she's just a kid, not a Shirley Temple character. Claire Wilcox takes on the role of the abandoned little girl here, left with shady Lake Tahoe gambler Tony Curtis who has mob connections and must hold onto her until her father returns which as we know doesn't happen. So along with lounge singer Suzanne Pleshette, they must keep Wilcox out of the hands of the big boys, lead by the completely wasted Phil Silvers.
There are some genuinely funny moments, especially the visit to Disneyland towards the end which leads to a Keystone Cop like chase, going from the fairyland boat ride to the Swiss Family Robinson island to early Epcot. Disney sure has changed over the last 60 years!
Larry Storch is at his most annoying in this, and "Guys and Dolls" veteran Stubby Kaye returns to Damon Runyeon territory with nothing to do. The 60's jazz music is overused here and seems completely out of place. However, it's nicely filmed in Technicolor and the location footage makes the California of the 1960's look quite desireable.
It's ironic that the fourth version of this brought Curtis back in the Silvers part and utilized Walter Matthau in the role he plays here, previously played by Adolphe Menjou (terrific!) and Bob Hope (basically playing, who else, Bob Hope...) and Julie Andrews in Pleshette's part, earlier played by Dorothy Dell and Lucille Ball. This is a pleasant time filler that has its stars giving their all and looking like they are having a good time, but certain elements keep this from being a classic.
There are some genuinely funny moments, especially the visit to Disneyland towards the end which leads to a Keystone Cop like chase, going from the fairyland boat ride to the Swiss Family Robinson island to early Epcot. Disney sure has changed over the last 60 years!
Larry Storch is at his most annoying in this, and "Guys and Dolls" veteran Stubby Kaye returns to Damon Runyeon territory with nothing to do. The 60's jazz music is overused here and seems completely out of place. However, it's nicely filmed in Technicolor and the location footage makes the California of the 1960's look quite desireable.
It's ironic that the fourth version of this brought Curtis back in the Silvers part and utilized Walter Matthau in the role he plays here, previously played by Adolphe Menjou (terrific!) and Bob Hope (basically playing, who else, Bob Hope...) and Julie Andrews in Pleshette's part, earlier played by Dorothy Dell and Lucille Ball. This is a pleasant time filler that has its stars giving their all and looking like they are having a good time, but certain elements keep this from being a classic.