Disney Through the Years - The 1960s: Live Action Features
Welcome to the sixth of many parts to a series of feature articles focused on Disney movies.
Every month this year I am going decade-by-decade through the history of Walt Disney Company’s feature films. I will review each film from Walt Disney Animation Studios and rank them. I’m also doing an additional feature in the series that focuses on every live action film by Walt Disney Pictures. So, there are two features each month to keep an eye out for.
For more details on what is and isn’t included in this series be sure to check out the first entry that introduces the series.
So, the 1950s was when Walt Disney started producing live action movies for the studio. In that decade there were less than 20 live action films from Walt Disney Pictures. Walt seemed to double-down in the ‘60s, as there were literally double that of the ‘50s and it just grew from there. Only 18 of the 38 films from the 1960s are currently available on Disney+ and those are the films we’ll focus on. Because there’s so many films now my reviews will be briefer than before.
Now, for whatever reason, Disney+ recently removed the “Disney Through the Years” category in the Search tab. So, you can follow along on Disney+, but now you have to search for each title in the search bar.
Pollyanna (1960)
Disney started the decade with 5 live action movies. Only 2 of them are available on Disney+ and this was the third movie of 1960 after Toby Tyler and Kidnapped. Kevin Corocan (Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog) starred in 3 of them: Toby Tyler, Pollyanna, and Swiss Family Robinson. Here we introduce another child actor mainstay of the Disney oeuvre: Haley Mills.
Hayley Mills stars as an optimistic orphan who comes to live with her wealthy aunt, Polly Harrington, who basically owns the town (it is named after the family, after all). It’s a sweet family film that attracted girls and women who were previously inundated with swashbuckling adventures and westerns by the studio. Here was a story and character that many females could relate to. And it is fine and it is sweet. It unfortunately suffers from a 134-minute runtime when 104 minutes would do. The film drags. It also suffers a bit from simplistic characterizations and character arcs, as almost every resident in the town is designed to be a grumpy counter-point to Pollyanna’s optimism. And the ending, which I won’t spoil here, is questionable, as it suggests something with an overwhelming sentiment that doesn’t seem likely.
There are worse and less interesting movies by the studio than Pollyanna, but it’s certainly mid-tier Disney. The box office returns were similar: fine, but not as great as expected. Walt was disappointed that half his audience didn’t turn out for this one.
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
After the forgotten (and reportedly dismal) post-Civil War western, The Ten Who Dared, Disney ended the year with a fun family adventure that blew up at the box office. A somewhat faithful, if not inflated, adaptation of an 1812 German novel, Swiss Family Robinson is almost as fun as The Shaggy Dog the year before, but not nearly as timeless an adventure as 1954’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. While this tale of a family marooned on an island and harassed by pirates was one of the biggest family films of the ‘60s and inspired an attraction at Disneyland that lasted for 50 years, this film has apparently dropped into obscurity for today’s younger generations.
It certainly has its issues: Janet Munro (Darby O’Gill and the Little People) plays a love interest on the island that the older boys in the family fight over and just about every element of this character is disappointing: as soon as she’s revealed to be a young woman and not a 14-year-old boy (even that’s laughable), she immediately resorts to stereotypical squeamishness and serves largely as the focus of a love triangle. Speaking of those boys (Tommy Kirk and James MacArthur) they have moments of uncomfortable sexual entitlement. And then there’s the relationship with the animals the family discovers on the island, which is questionable at best. The highlight of the film may be when the family gives the island the Home Alone treatment (30 years before Home Alone!) in the third act.
This story has been adapted many times since on film and TV (Lost in Space is one of the most notable), all to varying degrees of success. This film isn’t as problematic as a couple of Disney’s ‘50s movies, but it has as many uncomfortable and questionable moments as enjoyable ones.
The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)
A college professor accidentally makes a scientific discovery, the process of which threatens his relationship with his fiancee. Fred MacMurray, Tommy Kirk, and Nancy Olsen return for this delightful comedy with Oscar-nominated special effects. It was one of the few black and white movies at this point by Disney. MacMurray is far different here from his roles in Double Indemnity and The Shaggy Dog. He’s affable, clueless, and incredibly scientifically myopic. The film does require characters to often refuse to listen to MacMurray’s Brainard. It’s mildly frustrating, but there’s too much family friendly fun here to enjoy to quibble.
The Parent Trap (1961)
The year 1961 was a busy year for Disney, as both the animation and live action studios released a combined total of 6 films that year. This was the third film. In case you aren’t familiar it’s about a couple of girls (both played by Hayley Mills) who discover they exist and are twin sisters while at a camp. They then plot to switch places so as to meet their respective parents (Brian Keith and Maureen O’Hara) and maybe figure out a way to get them back together. This film is over two hours long. I, at first, wondered why it needed to be 129 minutes long, but then I saw the movie. This film breezes by somehow and there didn’t seem to be a bit of fat.
Mostly, this film works. There’s a bit of ageism towards O’Hara, which is absolute nonsense, because she’s nothing less than stunning here. And we’re not really given any reasons why Keith’s father loves or should be with his superficial fiancee (Joanna Barnes) or his ex. Of course, they also breeze by the whole parents-splitting-the-twins-up-and-never-telling-them thing. But the film honestly overwhelms these flaws with enjoyable and endearing performances by its cast and a plot that keeps moving.
Greyfriars Bobby (1961)
This is a forgotten Disney film based on the true story about a terrier who was so loyal to his owner he stood guard over his owner’s grave until he too died 14 years later. It’s honestly a premise that sounds as heart-wrenching as Old Yeller’s climax and is a story we’d eventually see told again (albeit based on a completely different story) in the 2000s, Hachi. Only this one is a Scottish tale. The first half of the film works much better than the second half, which involves some nonsense about a trial over licensing fees. But that first 50 minutes of the 91 is amusing and endearing and makes the film worthy of rediscovery.
Babes in Toyland (1961)
Walt Disney Pictures ended the year with its first musical. Loosely based on a 1903 operetta, the film exists in a world where Mother Goose’s characters live together and tells the story of how one man plots to stop the marriage of Tom Piper and Mary Contrary for his own financial gain. The first half or so is sort of like Disney’s attempt at an MGM musical. Of course, the studio musical, which often took place on sets built in giant warehouses, were very popular in the ‘50s. They would continue in popularity in the ‘60s with My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and even West Side Story, which was released the same year as Babes in Toyland.
That first hour mostly works and is quite interesting and delightful. However, the film does divert off course with a Toymaker (Ed Wynn) and his assistant (Tommy Kirk) who really have nothing to do with the larger plot, but eventually get sucked into the shenanigans that leads to a climactic fight. It all feels like someone with a mental condition who begins telling you a coherent story until they start losing focus and suddenly you realize there’s talking trees, shrunken men, and a gunfight with toys and you’re left wondering at what point did it all go wrong? The scenes with Wynn and Kirk are delightful on their own terms, as both actors have become beloved additions to any Disney film at this point. But, as part of a story that was, until then, rolling along fairly well they just don’t end up gelling and mess with what could have been a tight and focused musical fantasy - and a delightful discovery.
Almost Angels (1962)
In 1962, Walt Disney Pictures released 6 live action movies. Only one is available on Disney+ currently and that is this one. This is an obscure little film about the Vienna Boys Choir and a group of boys in that choir. There is very little information to be found about the production of this film, but it certainly feels like another of Disney’s British productions. Given the cast is made up not of professional actors, rather members of the actual choir the performances are somewhat impressive. And there are moments that are fairly touching such as when a father, who disapproved at first of his son going to a music school, insists his son stay on despite his grades in arithmetic.
But the overall feeling of the film is flat and forgettable. It’s the kind of film that could be quite lovely if retold by the right filmmaker. As is, it will likely bore rather than enchant anyone who digs it up.
The Incredible Journey (1963)
Those who grew up in the ‘90s will be familiar with a film called Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey about three pets who travel hundreds of miles home. Well, it turns out Disney adapted that story 30 years before. Being as how the source novel, which was fairly new at the time, was Canadian this version is set in Canada.
In the 1950s there was a nature documentary film series by Disney called True Life Adventures, which followed animals with narration. The Incredible Journey is a bit like applying that feel to a narrative film. Majority of the film is narrated by The Arizona Cowboy, Rex Allen. This film has its charms, but one is left wondering if the film would’ve been stronger without the narration despite that not being a commercially-viable creative choice at the time. The ending certainly could’ve done without it.
That said, one thing this film emphasizes is the very real danger and low chances the domesticated animals have of survival across such a long distance of wilderness.
I’m not sure the remake, which made many changes from the novel, will be better than this one. But it’s likely livelier for modern audiences. As is, The Incredible Journey is a serviceable effort by Walt Disney Pictures.
The Moon-Spinners (1964)
Now this is an interesting discovery. Walt Disney had already produced family comedies, adventures, westerns, nature films, a musical, and British dramas. Why not a Hitchcockian thriller for preteens? The film stars an 18-year-old Hayley Mills as a young woman who travels to Crete with her aunt and gets caught up in a plot regarding stolen jewels and Eli Wallach.
The combination of Hayley Mills, Eli Wallach, Hitchcockian thriller, and Walt Disney is very intriguing. And it kinda works as a young adult thriller (it is based on a novel). But it has its share of poor dialogue and a questionable love interest.
Hayley Mills is virtually unrecognizable here for those used to Pollyanna or The Parent Trap, despite being only 3 or 4 years older. But she’s quite beautiful and her pending adulthood and maturation is addressed in the film in one or two scenes.
Eli Wallach had already starred in the westerns The Magnificent Seven and How the West Was Won, as well as The Misfits before starring in The Moon-Spinners. This was another two years before The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, which featured his most famous role. He certainly elevates proceedings here as the villain. As does Pola Negri, a silent film star who is virtually forgotten by modern audiences, but was pulled out of retirement by Walt Disney to appear in this film’s climax.
Overall, The Moon-Spinners won’t blow anyone away. But it’s certainly one of the more interesting discoveries of this era.
Mary Poppins (1964)
It’s very difficult for audiences aged below 50 to really understand how special a release this film was for Walt Disney Pictures. Most people grew up with a cherry-picked sampling of only some of the movies Disney released, giving the impression that a film like Mary Poppins was “typical Disney fare”. In actuality, when you consider the films reviewed above and even what immediately followed the release of Mary Poppins, it is quite staggering how magical and unique this film was.
Most people, when they think about or talk about this film, focus on the songs, the choreography, the animated sequence, and the performances by Julie Andrews (29) and Dick Van Dyke (39). All of those elements are truly remarkable and dazzling (I’d put the ‘Step In Time’ sequence up there with the best in the musical genre). But if the film were made up of just those components it would be a more memorable production than Babes in Toyland, yes, but no less superficial. What makes Mary Poppins truly remarkable is it features all of those elements previously mentioned, as well as themes on class and parenthood - and it handles both with such delicacy and tenderness. An entire essay on these themes in this film feels necessary to do them justice. But this was the first Walt Disney Pictures live action film to have real substance beyond the plot. And those two elements are what make it so emotionally resonant and why it truly is Walt’s crowning achievement.
Emil and the Detectives (1964)
Only four months after the release of Mary Poppins the studio released this German-set children’s crime film. And it is an incredibly baffling picture in that context.
The story follows Emil who is set off to visit his grandmother when money intended for her is stolen from his person. Emil ends up hiring a group of adolescent detectives to find the thief and ends up getting caught up in some bank heist. The film is tonally uneven, poorly acted, and includes cartoon sound effects and a wacky score. To go from Mary Poppins to this film is to experience creative whiplash.
Those Calloways (1965)
Set in Vermont in the 1920s, this drama tells the story about a family that desires to build something more for themselves and the flock of geese they see twice a year. This film starring Brian Keith, Ed Wynn, Walter Brennan, Vera Miles, and young Linda Evans and Tom Skerritt has a lovely story at the heart of it. But it suffers from a meandering, glacial script. It has its moments, but with more focus this could have been a memorable little gem.
That Darn Cat! (1965)
Disney+ skips right over Tommy Kirk’s last Disney film, Monkey’s Uncle, to Hayley Mills’ last Disney performance and Dean Jones’ first.
That Darn Cat! is about a male Siamese whose nightly routine through the neighborhood crosses paths with a kidnapping situation with a piece of evidence left on the cat. Mills is the cat’s caretaker and, upon discovering the evidence, goes to Jones’ FBI agent for help.
There are a number of supporting character plotlines here that intertwine with the main plot. Roddy McDowell (Planet of the Apes soon afterwards) joins Mills and Jones. Frank Gorshin (TV’s The Riddler soon afterwards) plays one of the bad guys. Ed Wynn makes a laugh-out-loud appearance in a scene or two. Elsa Lanchester (The Bride of Frankenstein and the nanny who quits in Mary Poppins) provides antics as a nosy neighbor and is probably the least-essential element of the film. All are mostly a delight. As is this family comedy.
The Ugly Dachshund (1966)
The next film was one that was a story about a Great Dane who grows up with a handful of dachshunds and thinks he’s one of them - and the husband (Dean Jones) and wife (Suzanne Pleshette) who own them. The film is a merciful 93 minutes. It starts out adorably. But after the second or third time the group of dachshunds get the Dane in trouble things get a little bit thin. The third act feels like the movie didn’t know what to do with the rest of its time and decided to go with a dog show. Add on top of that some dated Asian stereotypical humor and you’ve got a movie that steadily goes downhill. It’s a shame, because that first half hour felt promising.
The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967)
A wealthy family discovers they’re broke and the son (Bryan Russell) sets out to make a fortune at the California Gold Rush. The family’s butler (Roddy McDowall) chases after and the two get into several adventures.
The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin is mostly a pleasurable discovery. McDowall, who previously co-starred in That Darn Cat! and would star the next year in Planet of the Apes, is game and enjoyable. Karl Malden gives a rare performance as a scoundrel, a con man. Even Russell from Emil and the Detectives is fun most of the time when he isn’t getting Bullwhip into trouble.
The film does become a live action cartoon in its second half with sped-up camera effects and other visual gags, creating an inconsistent feel to the film. And the movie is one of those Disney relics that unfortunately features about 5 minutes’ worth of heavy casual racism, some of which for comedic effect (Disney+ apologizes for them up front). It’s a shame, because the film is otherwise a featherweight treat.
Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968)
After Bullwhip, Disney+ skips over the last few movies Walt Disney produced before passing away and to this early 1968 film about a man (Dean Jones) who accidentally conjures and befriends the ghost of the pirate Edward Teach (Peter Ustinov) the night he arrives in a small town for a coaching job.
We are in the thick of Walt Disney Pictures’ heydey, during which time the studio was known for harmless and fun family films. Blackbeard’s Ghost is certainly that and among the best of the bunch. Not that there’s anything to be expected of this film outside pleasant entertainment. Peter Ustinov’s performance as a yelping, soft-hearted, and proud Blackbeard is worth checking out alone. This was the fourth Disney film starring Dean Jones. He would be a staple in the studio’s ‘70s films, as well. Here he is a wonderful foil for Ustinov. It’s also a delight to see once again Elsa Lancester as one of the descendants of the pirate’s crew.
There is a sports subplot in the second half and all of the antics therein are amusing and enjoyable, but it is hard to shake the familiarity of the territory. The film would have been more interesting if it chose a different direction other than that of The Absent-Minded Professor. Overall, however, Blackbeard’s Ghost is a harmless delight 50+ years later.
The Love Bug (1968)
We skip to the end of the year on Disney+ with this film that had a limited Christmas Eve release before opening wider the following March. This film is about a race car driver (Dean Jones) and his mechanic friend (Buddy Hackett) who are thrown together with an autonomous VW Beetle. This kicked off one of the most defining movie series for Disney of the ‘70s with three sequels that followed. The visual of Herbie the Love Bug became, for a generation or two, one of the most instantly recognizable icons of the studio, on par with Davy Crockett, Mary Poppins, and the twins of The Parent Trap. It was one of the most financially successful live action movies for the studio in the ‘60s, earning more than Mary Poppins’ initial theatrical release.
As a film The Love Bug mostly works. It’s 108 minutes long when roughly 90 would do with a long race that extends antics beyond what is necessary. The biggest problem with the film is its borderline racist depictions of Chinese characters, a common issue, unfortunately, with the studio’s films in the ‘60s. One location on the race is called Chinese Camp and mentioned to be near an old mining trench, a reference to Asian slave labor of the past. The treatment of Chinese isn’t pervasive or as uncomfortable as previous films above, but it certainly doesn’t help what is light-weight family entertainment stand the test of time.
The Love Bug doesn’t hold up as one of Disney’s greatest live action films, but it’s a mostly enjoyable, if slightly overlong, romp.
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
Finally, we finish off the decade with its final release. This film is about a college student whose brain becomes a computer after a freak accident and may hold the key to his college’s victory at a quiz tournament.
So, based on that premise alone you kind of know what to expect. This movie starts out introducing the idea of computers replacing humans and veers off into a gambling ring and a quiz game that may provide financial benefits for his college. A remake that explores the potential of its premise would be worthwhile. As is we have a fun little novelty 15 years before computers became desk-sized units for personal use. Looking back on this film in the 21st century is somewhat fascinating since there is a scene that demonstrates the possibility of a computer placing a grocery order for delivery (uh… hello, Instacart!).
From what I can tell this was Kurt Russell’s first leading role, which brings about its own fascination. This movie would spawn a trilogy, the rest of which would release in the 1970s. We’ll find out if Disney+ includes them. It’s also worth noting that the college the film takes place in is the same as the one in The Absent-Minded Professor. No mention of Professor Brainard was noticed.
It’s somewhat silly, but no doubt enjoyable. A lovely discovery.
Overall, it’s fair to say the 1960s was a very inconsistent decade for the studio with high highs that included a legend (Mary Poppins) and fun, delightful family entertainment. But also low lows that included poorly constructed scripts and casual racism. It certainly isn’t without its rewarding discoveries.
It’s worth giving credit to those who were repeat players throughout the decade.
The first is director Robert Stevenson, who got his start working for Walt Disney Pictures in the 1950s with Johnny Tremain (1957) and Old Yeller (1957). He is an unsung M.V.P. of the studio, as he would go on to direct 17 movies - 5 of which are reviewed in this article - including The Absent-Minded Professor, Mary Poppins, That Darn Cat!, and Blackbeard’s Ghost. Three more of his films will be reviewed in The 1970s: Live Action Movies later on.
Hayley Mills starred in 4 of the films reviewed from the 1960s: Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, The Moon-Spinners, and That Darn Cat!. She starred in a total of 6 films for Disney and she practically grew up and matured as an actress during that time.
Tommy Kirk was a delightful teen actor who had a prominent presence in the early ‘60s after previously starring in Old Yeller and The Shaggy Dog with 9 films through 1965. He was personally fired by Walt, unfortunately, once it was discovered Kirk was gay. Three of his films are reviewed above.
Like Kirk, Kevin Corcoran also got started in Old Yeller and The Shaggy Dog and was consistently present in Disney’s films up until the mid-’60s. He starred in 7 films that decade, 3 of which are reviewed above.
Ed Wynn was a delightful presence in 7 of the studio’s 1960s movies, 5 of which are reviewed here, including Mary Poppins, Babes in Toyland, and That Darn Cat!. He had a way of doing a kind of double-take where he’d acknowledge a line of dialogue he heard one way, process it for a beat and then repeat that line with fright or shock on his face. Tommy Kirk was quoted as saying Wynn loved played Ed Wynn, the kind and daffy old man in the movies.
Elsa Lanchester was once known as the titular Bride of Frankenstein and for roles in The Bishop’s Wife and The Inspector General. Late in life she gave supporting performances in 4 Disney movies (3 of which were reviewed here): Mary Poppins, That Darn Cat!, Blackbeard’s Ghost, and Rascal.
The Ranking
Mary Poppins
The Absent-Minded Professor
That Darn Cat!
The Parent Trap
Blackbeard’s Ghost
The Moon-Spinners
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
The Incredible Journey
The Love Bug
Babes in Toyland
Pollyanna
Greyfriars Bobby
The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin
Swiss Family Robinson
The Ugly Dachshund
Those Calloways
Almost Angels
Emil and the Detectives
What are your thoughts?
How would you rank the decade’s live action movies? Which is your favorite?
Keep an eye out as we move on soon to the 1970s with its Animated Features!