A Christmas Wish

source: A Christmas Wish

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"The Great Rupert" is a thoroughly ridiculous and silly film. I do NOT recommend you rush to see it. Yet, on the other hand, despite it being a rather trite film, there is a certain likability to it--mostly because the characters are so nice. The film begins with a strange man teaching his squirrel (Rupert) to do an insanely impossible dance number. Today, it's very obvious that George Pal used his stop-motion skills to animate this squirrel in most of the scenes but back in the day, it must have been pretty cool seeing a mega-talented squirrel! But, no one seem impressed by this amazing act and the man and his squirrel are tossed out of their apartment because they can't pay the rent. The guy lets Rupert go and Rupert sneaks back into the apartment. In the meantime, a family of actors moves into this apartment. There is no way they can afford the meager rent and their landlord isn't exactly an angel--so you assume they'll soon get tossed. But, when the lady of the house is praying for help, it soon arrives--in the form of cash that comes flying out of the ceiling. It seems that Rupert has found the landlord's hidden stash and he has decided to give it to the nice family. Naturally LOTS of complications arise--only to have everyone (even the landlord) live happily ever after thanks to Rupert. A silly plot, I know. But Jimmy Durante (the dad) is sweet and so is his wife and daughter. In fact, everyone but the landlord seems very likable. And, because of this likability, the film works on a basic level. Deep? No way...but mildly amusing.

Why isn't it? I have no clue. Some very fine movies, for no very good reason, simply seem to get lost in time. I suppose this is one of those. Well put together and with wonderful talent Jimmy Durante and Terry Moore shine. The stop motion animation used for Rupert is neat given the day in which this was made. Cute, silly, funny, sweet, campy, good natured family fun this movie made me, being the sentimental sap that I am, laugh until I cried. Given the very repetitious nature of Decembers television line up over the past several decades I don't know why someone doesn't latch onto this thing and promote it. But being able to view it at will on DVD makes it, well, what can I say? It makes it a wonderful life.