IMDb plot summary: As Sadie Hawkins Day approaches, Daisy Mae hopes to win the hand of Li'l Abner by catching him in the traditional race.
Directed by Melvin Frank. Starring Leslie Parrish, Stubby Kaye, Peter Palmer, and Howard St. John.
This movie is... a wild, weird ride, and it absolutely makes sense that it was modeled after a comic strip, because it brings all those elements directly into the film. The sets are mostly large flat painted backgrounds which, yes, is definitely paying tribute to the stage show, but also very much gives it a two-dimensional feel throughout, and the acting is... well, it's NOT subtle. These are the most hammed up performances I've seen in awhile. Sometimes it becomes way too much, sometimes it's just sort of endearingly ridiculous. The songs are pretty good, if a little forgettable, with solid character performances. (The film apparently just transplanted a lot of the Broadway cast, so the singing is on-point, not always the case with musicals.) It's almost impossible to know whether to recommend this or not. Or even whether I liked it. But I guess I always have to admire a film so determined to just... be itself.
How it entered my Flickchart:
Li'l Abner < Frank
Li'l Abner > The Professional
Li'l Abner < Run Lola Run
Li'l Abner > Annie (2014)
Li'l Abner < Dear Frankie
Li'l Abner > *batteries not included
Li'l Abner < Master Harold and the Boys
Li'l Abner > The Conjuring
Li'l Abner < The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Li'l Abner < Frida
Li'l Abner > Bandidas
Li'l Abner > Paint Your Wagon
Final spot: #2264 out of 3396, or 33%.
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