The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) Ellie Saves a Female (1961) User Reviews

Contains one truly priceless moment...

[lrrap · 7/10 · 15 November 2022]

Some commentators here (predictably) cite the harsh, "medieval" treatment by RG Armstoring of his daughter but, as he explains in his own honest, even eloquent way, his principal responsibility in life is to maintain his farm. His daughter Frankie is, presumably, his only child (the mother is never mentioned) and apparently the only means to cope with the grueling, day-to-day work that allows his farm to survive.

Forced labor? No, this was the traditional role that members of farming families were expected to fill; if the farmer had no sons, then the daughters did it. So deal with it, all ye overly-sensitive, "progressive" viewers; such was life in small-town, agrarian America of the day.

Having said that, there IS something awkward and even a bit crude about this script, which fortunately the cast and director treat with great sincerity in the crucial scenes.

The one moment that really stands out for me is the "revelation" (seen above in the IMDB thumbnail), where Ellie presents the "transformed" Frankie to Andy and Barney; the look on their faces...a bit awestruck..as they move toward the camera (with a lovely harp/vibraphone musical cue on the soundtrack) is touching and heartfelt; all comic silliness is forgotten for this one, magical moment.

The ending is a tad heavy-handed and, again, 21st-century PC viewers will groan, I'm sure. The Andy Griffith show was still searching for it's groove in this first season, but this episode provided a good example of the series at its gentle, sensitive best...if only for that one, special moment. LR.

Requires Historical Perspective

[[e-mail] · 8/10 · 21 February 2023]

Now this show is from around 1962, and operating a farm is nothing like living in the city where most of us who write these reviews have grown up or around. The previous reviews have captured the essence of this episode and why it deserves more credit than I (and others) have given it. But it deals honestly and fairly with the dilemma of a farm owner who has a lot of work to get done. Admittedly, I have not seen a farmer resort to his own daughter, but usually finds brothers and nephews if need be. Still, I'm sure this type of thing is not unheard of.

I'm thinking the neatness of the pat ending with Francis hooking up with one of the boys next door is that this is too complex an issue to resolve in 1/2 hour. But it's so AGS that the writers do such a commendable job as they do handling it. This is, after all, an entertainment.

Has a good feel to it.

[vitoscotti · 9/10 · 11 October 2022]

With Barney's and Andy's characters taking shape just about anything they do together is memorable, funny, and clicks. Simple teasing over Ellie's perfume sprayed on works very well. Strong casting of Farmer Flint (RG Armstrong) and his daughter Francis "Frankie" Flint (Edris March). Definitely not PC with the father lording over his adult daughter controlling her life. Then, Andy and Flint minimalizing female's work quality. TAGS not being PC is a component that adds to its greatness. Funniest scene is in the henhouse and barn with Barney looking for Frankie avoiding Farmer Flint and tangling with the farm animals. Frankie's revealing after her makeover is quite good.

Sweet story

[grp-75522 · 10/10 · 18 July 2020]

Frankie the farm girl longs to enjoy the feminine toiletries she sees in the drugstore and Ellie tries to help. Andy shows Frankie's dad that getting a son-in-law would mean getting a stronger farm hand, and Frankie could do work more suited to her physical strength.

Sends the Wrong Message

[zombiemockingbird · 5/10 · 8 August 2023]

I get it, it's supposed to be a story about a poor farm girl who has to work and feels bad because she can't have "pretty" stuff. There are a lot of problems with it, however.

Ellie is way too pushy and aggressive, sticking her nose into other people's business, unasked and unwanted, refusing to take no for an answer, and it makes her less likable.

I know what it's like growing up on a farm, you work hard, but it doesn't mean you don't still have a good time. Maybe her Father is kind of strict, but I don't recall ever hearing how old she actually is, or why there's no Mother in the picture, so we don't know their circumstances, and it's nobody's business but theirs.

This also reinforces the belief that you have to be "pretty" to get attention, instead of having a good personality, and being kind, intelligent, and hard-working. And the bit at the end, where the Father is now going to "use" his daughter to trap some young man so he has another farm hand, is just wrong.

Maybe this story could have been done better, but as it is, it just sends the wrong message.

Disappointing

[Hitchcoc · 3/10 · 27 November 2019]

Ellie really does get into things that aren't her business. Frankie, the young woman at the center of this longs for better things. Once she has her change, how is she used. Basically, her father, who at one time was cruel to her, now begins to prostitute her. Even at this time, this episode is an insult to women.