Summer Magic
By Jane Louise BoursawAverage User Rating:
MPAA Rating: G
This 1963 Disney classic stars Hayley Mills as Nancy Carey, a teenaged girl whose family moves from Boston to a little town in Maine after the untimely passing of her father. Ever the optimist, Nancy writes to the kindly Mr. Popham (Burl Ives) and single-handedly convinces him to rent the family a charming, if run-down, house for a mere $60 a year. Through hard work and Mr. Popham’s generosity, the Careys fix up the house and find life in rural New England quite pleasant. But their perfect world has a few glitches – notably, an absentee landlord, Mr. Hamilton (Peter Brown), who knows nothing about the family’s rental agreement, and Nancy’s pretentious cousin, Julia (Deborah Walley), who arrives for an extended visit. Except for one outdated scene where Nancy and Julia discuss how to emphasize their femininity at the expense of hiding their real selves (my, how times have changed!) this charming tale, now on DVD, features great songs, an all-star cast (including Dorothy McGuire as Nancy’s mother), and a nostalgic look at an innocent time. This movie is great for all ages, but especially kids 7 and older. 110 min. 1963.
