Summer Magic (1963)

67% User Rating

1h 50min

"THAT WONDERFUL HAYLEY! a-flitterin' in a romantic whirl of her own!"

Mother Carey, a Bostonian widow, and her three children move to Maine. Postmaster Osh Popham helps them move into a run-down old house and fixes it up for them. It's not entirely uninhabited, though; the owner, Mr. Hamilton, is a mysterious character away in Europe, but Osh assures them he won't mind their living there, since he won't be coming home for a long time yet. The children and a cousin who comes to live with them have various adventures before an unexpected visitor shows up

James NeilsonDirector

Cast

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Hayley Mills

Nancy Carey

Dorothy McGuire

Mrs. Margaret Carey

Burl Ives

Osh Popham

Deborah Walley

Julia Carey

Eddie Hodges

Gilly Carey

Una Merkel

Mariah Popham

James Mathers

Peter Carey (as Jimmy Mathers)

Peter Brown

Tom Hamilton

Wendy Turner

Lallie Joy Popham

James Stacy

Charles Bryant

Michael J. Pollard

Digby Popham

Norman Leavitt

Hank Champlin, the barber

O.Z. Whitehead

Mr. Perkins

Jan Stine

Tad Perkins

Harry Holcombe

Rev. Henry Lord

Eddie Quillan

Boston Mailman

Hilda Plowright

Mary

Reviews (1)

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r96sk

Rating 60%

July 17, 2020

Another one to put in the 'meh' category of live-action Disney. 'Summer Magic' isn't entertaining. You have Hayley Mills (Nancy), Burl Ives (Osh) and Dorothy McGuire (Margaret) all giving alright performances but most others things in this film are very plain. The musical numbers are forgettable, as is the overall premise and supporting cast under Mills, Ives and McGuire. I have most definitely seen worse from the studio, this is still at least watchable. Going back to the plot, it just feels a bit slapped together without much thought or solid connection. The film ends quite abruptly, too. 1963, it's safe to say, wasn't Disney's strongest year for live-action. This adds to the disappointments of 'Son of Flubber', 'Miracle of the White Stallions' and 'Savage Sam'. Here's hoping 'The Incredible Journey' will conclude their releases from these twelve months on a high.