SUMMER MAGIC
US, 1963, 110 minutes, Colour.
Hayley Mills, Burl Ives, Dorothy Mc Guire, Deborah Whalley, Eddie Hodges, Michael J. Pollard, Una Merkel.
Directed by James Neilson.
Summer Magic is the kind of film that Disney was making during the first half of the 1960s. Many of these were with Fred Mac Murray, The Absent-Minded? Professor, The Shaggy Dog. A number of them were also star vehicles for Hayley Mills. She had appeared in Pollyanna and The Parent Trap. Her other Disney films included The Moonspinners, In Search of the Castaways and That Darned Cat. Dorothy Maguire had also appeared in Disney movies including The Swiss Family Robinson.
The stars are all gathered together, along with Burl Ives, to present turn-of-the-century entertainment – which, probably, is more geared to a young female audience, an audience who might identify with Hayley Mills and the other teenage girls.
A widow moves to the countryside and is given a house by the kindly store-owner, Burl Ives. Their older daughter, Hayley Mills, takes the initiative and they transform the house – but there is a final surprise as the owner of the house is not old gentleman overseas but a young woman who has just finished college.
The film also features songs by the Sherman Brothers who were emerging at Disney Studios at this time and made a great impact with their score for Mary Poppins. Director is James Neilson who directed quite a number of Disney films including Bon Voyage, The Moonspinners.
1. An entertaining family film? The style of Disney in the 1960s? Looking back to the early 20th century?
2. The intended audience? Family – family values? Teenage girls and the central characters? The tone and style?
3. The country town, the house, countryside? The celebrations? Costumes and décor? The Sherman Brothers’ songs – for each of the characters, the way they were inserted into the plot?
4. The Carey family, mother and the children, in the old house? Their moving to the country? Nancy and her letters? Osh Popham and his kindness? The house, their moving in, Nancy and the organisation of everything for the renovation? The renovation itself? The family settling in? Part of the town? The help of Posh, the installation of Mr Hamilton’s mother’s portrait? The build-up to the ceremony, the dedication? The dance and the celebration? The unexpected arrival of Tom Hamilton – and the happy ending?
5. The family, mother and her kindness, consideration, wise advice to her children, especially about Julia? Being busy? Indebted to Osh – but not quite believing his optimistic stories? Nancy, her age, initiative? Leadership? Buying things at the store, friendship with Lallie Joy? Julia’s arrival, the tensions, her blurting out the truth, the reconciliation? With her brothers? The songs? Busy in town, busy at the house, the dedication? The picnic and meeting Charles Bryant? The encounter with Tom Hamilton and not knowing who he was? Finally dancing with him? Gilly, his age, playing the piano, songs? His friendship with Digby? Driving the car, the job? Peter and his hair, always picking at him, the haircut, Osh changing the clothes, his work clothes? The scenes with the dog and the comedy with the dog?
6. Julia, wealthy background, not wanted by the Ferguson family? Coming to the prairies, her snobbery, her stories? Fear of the countryside? Margaret’s care for her? Nancy and making her afraid? Meeting Charles Bryant? Digby? Julia and her attraction towards Charles? Charles Bryant, the teacher, young, in the town, friendship with the Careys?
7. Osh, the store, his optimistic stories, kindliness, making up stories, writing the letter to the owner of the house? His dealing with Mariah? Her scolding him? Her visits to the family? Osh and his theories, saving the day? The arrival of Tom Hamilton? Having to cope?
8. Happy families, old American families? A piece of early 20th century Americana?
