LI'L ABNER

US, 1959, 113 minutes, Colour.
Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish, Stubby Kaye, Howard St. John, Stella Stevens, Julie Newmar, Robert Strauss.
Directed by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank.

Li'1 Abner is a musical comedy version of the popular and celebrated cartoon strip by Al Capp. The screenplay is by the stage musical writers Norman Panama and Melvin Frank (writers and directors of many comedies and musicals over several decades). They have decided to present the film as a re-creation of the stage version with its stylised sets and 'studio-bound1 atmosphere. They considered that this corresponded best to the style of the comic strip. The music and songs are by Johnny Mercer and Gene de Paul who wrote Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (of which this film is reminiscent - and it also reminds audiences of the humorous western parody Red Garters). Choreography is by Michael Kidd (also associated with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) .

The cast is quite engaging: Peter Palmer as a Christopher Reeve- Clark Kent look-alike, the archetypal naive American hero, handsome and with ‘wall-to-wall teeth’; Leslie Parrish is an attractive Daisy Mae. Stubby Kaye has a good role as Marryin' Sam and Howard St. John is excellent as General Bullmoose. A young Stella Stevens is the femme fatale Apassionata von Climax and statuesque Julie Newmar is a distraction for the men as Stupefyin’ Jones.

The film re-creates the atmosphere of the hillbilly town of Dogpatch, uses the stylised costumes of the comic strip and retains many of the humorous names including Earthquake Mc Goon, Evil- Eye Fleagle, Romeo Scragg, Senator Phogbound, Moonbeam Mc Swine, Mayor Dawgmeat, Rassmussin T. Finsdale. While the film has a focus on the hillbilly way of life and memories of the Confederacy, it was topical insofar as it centred on the use of Dogpatch as a target for nuclear bomb-testing, the most useless town in the U.S.A. The tongue-in-cheek irony of the stance critical of nuclear tests is more relevant in subsequent decades. The film is a musical of the '50s, not always to the taste of modern audiences - but it is entertaining and ironical.

1. The popularity of the cartoon strip: situations, characters, talk, behaviour? Comedy? Social and political content? Americana?

2. An attractive musical version? The use of the techniques of stage - transferring satisfactorily for cinema use? Sets, costumes, songs, choreography, ways of speaking, humorous names? The tradition of the American musical comedy? The western musical comedy?

3. The '50s and American interests and themes: the Cold War, peace, prosperity, pride? The irony of Dogpatch and the hillbilly way of life, memories of the Confederacy and the Civil War, the style of the South? The contrast with Washington, military power, nuclear tests, right-wing capitalism, greed? The irony and comment on America of the '50s? Later relevance?

4. The place of the songs and their illuminating characters and situations: If I Had My Druthers, the romantic songs for Abner and Daisy Mae, the hillbilly way of life and the history of Dogpatch: Jubilation T. Cornpone; the political irony - The Country's In The Very Best Of Hands; the song for General Bullmoose; the marrying songs for Stubby Kaye's Marryin' Sam? The vigorous choreography: glamour, homespun style, athletic dancing?

5. Dogpatch and the hillbilly world? The atmosphere of the South? The story of Jubilation T. Cornpone and his failures during the Civil War? The caricatures of the people: the men as weedy, the women as statuesque and beautiful? The hillbilly mother and father with Mammy and Pappy Yokum? The Mayor and his conduct of the meetings and his gavel? Work, laziness? Mammy and the touch of the witch with her visions? Sadie Hawkins Day and the race for the women to catch the men? Naivety and shrewdness? The ironic patriotism?

6. Abner as hero - big, handsome, rather self-centred, naive, pleasant? His fishing, sleeping, his reaction to his mammy and pappy? His being dosed with the formula of Yokumberry Tonic? His response to Daisy Mae - interest and lack of interest (and the later explanation of the potion)? Sadie Hawkins Day and his not getting caught? His emphasis on American loyalty - saluting the flag etc.? A pleasant spoof of the handsome American hero?

7. Daisy Mae and her being lovelorn, wanting to catch Abner? Her place in the town? The attentions of Earthquake Mc Goon and the announcement of the marriage? Her sadness? Going to Washington, the dance, wanting to rescue Abner and agreeing to marry Earthquake Mc Goon? The humour of all Earthquake's scungy relatives turning up for the wedding - and its being called off? Earthquake Mc Goon as the strong man - and not well-liked in the town? Romeo Scragg and the relations?

8. The picture of the men as acrobatic dancers - but as weak and weedy? Their being tested in Washington? The use of the potion? Their becoming the Mr Universe types? The song highlighting their self-centredness - and the wives wanting them as they were? The spoof of the American male image? Self-centred? The irony that the girls were all presented as beautiful and glamorous - despite the rags? The humour with Julie Newmar upsetting the men as Stupefyin' Jones?

9. The satire on right-wing capitalism? General Bullmoose, his office, his associates, Apassionata von Climax and her story? Their adulation? Self-centredness? Lack of scruple? His using Evil- Eye Fleagle (and liking the man because his green clothes were the colour of money!) Plans, use of Abner, use of Yokumberry Tonic, the tests? Apassionata chasing Abner in the Sadie Hawkins Day race? General Bullmoose being caught by the rebound of the spell and confessing the truth and being arrested?

10. Dogpatch and its traditions, Jubilation T. Cornpone, Senator Phog-bound and his not visiting the town for 18 years, his crooked associations with Bullmoose? Considered by the Pentagon as the most useless town in the U.S.A.? The attempts to find something essential - and the humour with Yokumberry Tonic, and its not being essential?

11. The opening up of the nuclear issues? The parody of the radio flashes and the announcements from both Washington and Moscow? The arguments against using Nevada for nuclear tests? The interruption to American industry at Las Vegas? The radio-active dust falling on the gambling tables? Dogpatch and their pride on hearing that they were to be bombed? Their not having anything essential? The ironic comment on nuclear tests, victims? The presentation of the military and authorities? The danger and being blasted off the face of the earth? The film's comment through comic strip humour on nuclear issues?

12. The marriages, Marryin' Sam and his various rates for marriages, his marriage-broking, his giving the history of Dogpatch, the wedding for Daisy Mae and Earthquake, his stalling, the relatives arriving, the happy ending and the lovers united? The tradition of the American musical comedy - with political touches?