The North Avenue Irregulars starring Edward Herrmann, Barbara Harris, Susan Clark, Karen Valentine, Michael Constantine
Super!
Typical of Disneys 1970s output, this squeaky-clean comic adventure about a group of church volunteers and soccer moms who take on local gangsters is packed with slapstick humor, sight gags, and nonlethal car crashes. Curiously enough, its based on the true story of Reverend Albert Fay Hill, who wrote a book about his efforts to stop mob-run gambling in his city. Edward Herrmann plays the fictionalized Presbyterian minister Mike Hill, a soft-spoken widower with two kids who ruffles the feathers of the dedicated church secretary (Susan Clark) when he organizes a group of women to help the Treasury Department catch the bookies in the act. The mobsters are more Damon Runyon than John Gotti: no one gets hurt and everything ends in a demolition derby free-for-all as the suburban-lady
volunteers play bumper cars with the mobsters. Theres a potentially fascinating story in there that Disney keeps a G-rated cap on (though seeing Karen Valentine swingin her booty under the cover of pounds of makeup and a little halter top is a surprise in a family film), but its a harmless little comedy enlivened by plucky performances by Barbara Harris and Cloris Leachman and a fun turn by Ruth Buzzie as a church elder with a CB-radio handle. --Sean Axmaker
Personal Review: The North Avenue Irregulars starring Edward Herrmann, Barbara Harris, Susan Clark, Karen Valentine, Michael Constantine
This film continues to delight each and every time I see it. How many truly funny "made for everyone" G-rated, yes G-rated films have we seen in the last 20 years? Even though I am 37, I did not see this film in theaters originally, instead, I caught it on TV in the early 80's and have been hooked ever since. This film is a prime example of lost film type: The Saturday Matinee family film, as well as being a great screwball comedy. It never had aspirations to be a summer blockbuster, just a slapstick, funny, no bad language, lots of site gags and a great ensemble cast to pass and hour and a half. The characters are a lot like the Brady Bunch trying to solve a crime and this lends to it's timeless and easygoing farce. Cloris Leachman shines (at age 52 when this was made in 1979 no less) while Mr. & Mrs. Delaney Raferty (Patsy Kelly & Douglas Fowley) offer the type of old school comic relief that just isn't found in modern films anymore. One of my favorite lines from this film is by Barbara Harris: "Mrs. Raferty we're lucky we aren't dead! I mean, we don't look anything like the Andrew Sisters!" That cracks me up EVERY single time. Summer blockbusters are fine, Transformers, teenage magicians, Vampires in the vein of 90210, but for good ole slapstick comedy and simple laughs, take a seat at North Avenue Presbyterian Church! (Fans: Another great Cloris Leachman screwball comedy of this same timeframe is "Scavenger Hunt", not by Disney, but another crazy laugh fest. Unfortunately it is not out on DVD at this time, but catch it if you can).
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