The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Courtship Of Eddie's Father" was made in 1962 and released in movie theaters in March 1963. It's a mix of romantic comedy and drama, with a good blend of sad but poignant moments and funny ones too (including a few 'fall-on-the-floor' segments of hilarity). And the "through-the-eyes-of-Eddie" ending is just perfect.
Most of the really funny scenes in the film are supplied by 8-year-old Ronny Howard, who makes his way through a rollercoaster of emotions in the movie, and still stays on the rails of "believability" while doing so, IMO. He's very funny at times in "Courtship", and also is able to turn on the water works as needed too. I, myself, have never seen a better child actor up on the screen (big screen or small), although 11-year-old Dean Stockwell's performance in 1947's "Gentleman's Agreement" would rank pretty high in that category as well.
Ronny Howard made "Courtship" during a break in the filming of his TV series, "The Andy Griffith Show", on which Howard played "Opie Taylor" (probably the cutest kid ever on TV, especially during Season 1 of that popular and endearing sitcom). I'm guessing that this movie was filmed sometime between seasons two and three of the Griffith Show.
The intelligent and snappy script for "The Courtship Of Eddie's Father" dishes up several funny lines for Ronny ("Eddie Corbett") to speak, some of which you certainly are not liable to find residing within any script of Ronny's Andy Griffith television series. Such as when Eddie asks his father ("Tom Corbett"; played very nicely by 46-year-old Glenn Ford) the following question:
"Dad, what do the numbers mean after a lady's name? It says here {in this magazine} '40-18-35'."
To which Glenn Ford then replies (having his curiosity most definitely piqued by the robust measurements Eddie just relayed): "Holy smoke, who's that?!"
~LOL!~
By the way -- Those eye-popping measurements were said by Eddie in the film to be those of Jayne Mansfield. Per data I can find, those stats are about right too. According to one online source, Jayne's shapely figure is said to have averaged a head-turning "40-21-35.5". (Tom Corbett was right -- "Holy smoke" indeed!) :-)
Other spirited and precocious dialogue spoken by young lad Edward in this film include references to "big busts", "my sugar man", and a remark about "girls not looking so good from behind". (Ronny, then, must have never wandered over to the set of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" during his tenure as "Opie", in order to watch Mary Tyler Moore. His "from behind" evaluation would be permanently erased from his mind if he had done so.)
~wink~
"Courtship" offers up a splendid and (ahem) well-rounded cast. Besides the two leads of Ford and Howard, there's also the never-lovelier 28-year-old Shirley Jones as the woman next door, plus Stella Stevens, Dina Merrill, Jerry Van Dyke, and Roberta Sherwood.
It's nice to be able to see Jerry Van Dyke here in a role where he doesn't have to portray a clumsy and stuttering wimp-like character. Don't get me wrong, though, Jerry's one of the best "wimps" in the business. No offense. But it's nice to see him in a different, more assertive part for a change, which he plays here as "Norman Jones" (a playboying disc jockey at the radio station where Ford serves as Program Manager). Heck, he ends up with Stella Stevens as a mate; so he certainly can't be called a loser here.
Also watch out for Ronny Howard's real dad, Rance, in a small part as a camp counselor. Rance pops up in a lot of his son's TV shows and movies, often showing up in bit parts on "The Andy Griffith Show" too.
Ronny's brother, Clint, age 3, also has a cameo in "Courtship" (in the birthday-party scene). And "Miss America 1955", Lee Meriwether, has a small role as a secretary/receptionist.
There's a good chemistry in "Courtship" amongst the characters (between Ronny and Glenn and also between Shirley and Glenn). And the delicate subject of losing a wife and mother to sudden death is dealt with honestly and openly throughout the film, producing some heartfelt and realistic scenes between Ford's character and Ronny's.
The "dead fish" scene might have been a tad bit over-the-top, IMO, but what that scene, more than any other, demonstrates in this movie is Ronny Howard's remarkable acting abilities as an eight-year-old boy. The tail-end of that emotional "fish" scene has Ronny shivering and partly crying in a manner that truly makes the viewer believe he has just been through a traumatic experience. (See the Season-Four "Andy Griffith" episode "Opie The Birdman" for another excellent example of Howard's considerable acting chops. He's great there too.)
This movie was filmed with a good deal of tender loving care it seems to me. The colors are rich and luscious and the movie's sets exude an "upper class" kind of quality. The Corbett's plush-looking apartment is probably one that a lot of people would be willing to fork over some serious cash for even today. (Housekeeper "Mrs. Livingston" {Sherwood} even remarks in the film: "There are women who would marry you this very minute for the equipment you have in this apartment".)
I enjoy movies that were made during this particular time period (1950s/1960s). You can almost soak up the era in which the film was made right through the screen, and nestle down comfortably into it.
I had never realized before getting this DVD that this motion picture was filmed in a super-wide "scope" aspect ratio (2.35:1). Heretofore, I'd only seen the film in a Full-Frame (1.33:1) TV format. I imagine many DVD buyers have had similar experiences, where a particular film's original screen shape is totally a mystery until purchasing the movie on the better-quality DVD format.
I didn't know what I was missing (literally) until seeing the film in its intended Widescreen shape. After seeing any movie in its "OAR", it's difficult to tolerate anything less (again, literally). Any pan-and-scanned, Full-Frame version is bound to be second-rate by comparison. And "Courtship" is no exception.
Warner Home Video brought "The Courtship Of Eddie's Father" to DVD with the release of this disc in May of 2003; and they've done a very good job on the film transfer here (IMHO anyway). It isn't what you'd call an absolutely "perfect" DVD print though. A few speckles of dust and dirt appear here and there; and a few places could be honed-in to better razor-sharpness. But, overall, this anamorphic DVD print is clean, with nicely-saturated colors. Many scenes ooze ultra-rich color, with red showing up particularly bright and handsome here.
The DVD has a few Special Features attached. Not too many; but some. There's a three-person Audio Commentary Track, which is nice. The three female leads all participate in the Commentary (Shirley Jones, Dina Merrill, and Stella Stevens).
There's a Theatrical Trailer for the film as well. And it's kind of a "special" trailer, in that it's the "Hollywood Preview Engagement" trailer for the movie (which was only seen in selected theaters around the country). The trailer is in Anamorphic Widescreen here and looks quite clean. It runs for 2:56. Audio for the trailer is in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono.
The only other bonus items are some text-only production notes and a one-screen list of credits for the cast and crew.Other Info About This DVD:
Audio is Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono (both English and French Mono tracks provided).
Video is Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1).
Subtitles are available in three languages (English, French, Spanish).
Menus are anamorphic and static in design. Theme music plays under Main Menu.
30 total Scene Selections (Chapters).
Snap Case (cardboard type) box, with nice-looking artwork. (Looks like original poster art used for the cover.)
--------------------
There's nothing really out-of-this-world spectacular about "The Courtship Of Eddie's Father". But I enjoy watching this film a good deal. The interaction between the characters is both well-done and inspiring. This is just a pleasant, clean, charming, fun, funny (and sometimes sad) movie.
A recommended DVD purchase (even if you're not "40-18-35"). .... Gee whiz, I wonder how such a 'healthy' woman can walk without falling over? Must be quite an adventure. ;)
Bye.

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The film that started the classic TV series. Although he's only seven, Eddie's got it all figured out. He wants his father, a widower, to get remarried - to the girl next door. Unfortunately, she's not one of the women that his dad's been dating. Sweet family comedy.

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Frost/Nixon (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Frost/Nixon is a riveting historical drama, based on the play by Peter Morgan. Morgan wrote the movie's screenplay, as well as screenplays for "The Queen," and "The Last King of Scotland." The controversial 1977 Frost/Nixon interviews are dramatized here, and Frank Langella's superb performance as the disgraced former president, Richard M. Nixon, is worth the price of a movie rental alone.
Richard Nixon resigned from the office of the presidency on August 9, 1974, rather than face impeachment by Congress for his role in the Watergate scandal, and subsequent events. He was the only US president ever to do so. The film shows real footage of the Nixon family, leaving the White House and boarding a helicopter - the first step in a journey which will take Mr. Nixon into exile.
David Frost, (Michael Sheen), a British celebrity talk show host, watches this event on television and decides that an interview with Nixon would be just the thing to relaunch his waning career. He pursues the project for some time and winds up financing it out of his own pocket, while searching desperately for backers. Creepy literary agent Irving "Swifty" Lazar, (Toby Jones), negotiates the deal. Nixon agrees to do more than 20 hours of on-camera interviews with Frost, and will receive $1 million or more in fees and profits for the sessions. He is in serious debt. He has huge legal bills and back taxes to pay and needs the money. Under the terms of the contract, Nixon will have no control over content of questions or editing, and will not see any of the questions in advance. Of course, he can always refuse to answer questions, but he will have to do so in front of a huge audience.
Frost is a most incongruous choice for interviewer, as he has no journalistic experience and is known for being an entertainer and playboy. Yet he manages to upstage major TV networks with their top-notch interviewers, like Mike Wallace, Walter Cronkite, and David Brinkley, and get the gig. Nixon, after almost three years of silence, out of the public eye at his home in California, looks to the series of interviews as an opportunity to vindicate himself and resurrect his very tarnished image. He believes that Frost, a lightweight, will not ask the tough questions, and allow him to forward his own version of his time in office and Watergate.
Frost brings British John Birt, (Matthew Macfadyen), with him to California, to direct the production. They hire radical researcher James Reston, Jr., (Sam Rockwell), who wants Frost to play hardball and try Nixon in the public eye. TV producer Bob Zelnick, (Oliver Platt), signs onto the project also. Caroline Cushing, (Rebecca Hall), Frost's gorgeous girlfriend, accompanies the team. Nixon takes note of her beauty on several occasions. He rattles Frost, before the beginning of one session, by asking if "he had done any fornicating" the night before. I have never known anyone else who is capable of using such terrible language, frequently, and remain in a formal stance while doing so. However you look at him, RMN is a very formal man...he never looks relaxed - in real life or as played by Mr. Langella.
Nixon has his own team. US Marine officer Jack Brennan (Kevin Bacon), a Vietnam veteran, is Nixon's most loyal fan, and Diane Sawyer, (Kate Jennings Grant), is a consultant and assistant. Nixon tells Frost at the get-go, "I shall be your fiercest adversary. I shall come at you with everything I've got. Because the limelight can only shine on one of us."
Ultimately, forty-four million viewers turned-out to watch Richard Nixon go head-to-head with David Frost, about a third of the U.S. viewing public at the time. Director Ron Howard brings the tension and drama of this event to the screen...and then some. He focuses more on the psychological aspects of the characters rather than on the politics involved - to great effect. Howard explores each man's insecurities and the enormity of their egos. He really captures the intensity of the interview sessions, including shots of Nixon mopping perspiration from his upper lip with a handkerchief.
I was somewhat disturbed by one scene, a contrived midnight telephone call that Nixon, who had been drinking, makes to Frost. As so much of this film is accurate, or mostly accurate, the insert of a purely fictional event, is powerful but misleading. Mr. Howard took dramatic license too far in this instance.
Again, Mr. Langella's portrayal of Richard Nixon is stellar. Two monologues, in particular, stand out as exceptional. The final interview scenes, with close-ups of Mr. Nixon's/Langella's face, of his thoughtful, almost poignant expressions are phenomenal as he admits that he, "let the American people down."
This is a film which brings much depth to the event which it portrays, and to the characters involved. As a baby boomer, who clearly remembers Watergate, and the events surrounding it, I was riveted to the screen. Highly recommended.
Jana Perskie

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From Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard comes the electrifying, untold story behind one of the most unforgettable moments in history. When disgraced President Richard Nixon agreed to an interview with jet-setting television personality, David Frost, he thought he\'d found the key to saving his tarnished legacy.But, with a name to make and a reputation to overcome, Frost became one of Nixon\'s most formidable adversaries and engaged the leader in a charged battle of wits that changed the face of politics forever. Featuring brilliant portrayals by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon is the fascinating and suspenseful story of truth, accountability, secrets and lies.

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Willow (Special Edition) (1988) Review

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(More customer reviews)What do you get when you have George Lucas AND Ron Howard, both famous for their work in the movie-making industry, producing and directing this movie? You've got it, a fantastic, rollicking fantasy-adventure!
The evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) has for years been searching for the baby who, according to an ancient prophecy, will end her reign of terror. Taking all the pregnant women, she searches each and every baby when one day, the sacred girl is born. But before Bavmorda could kill her, a faithful midwife takes the child away from the castle. When she realizes she is being pursued, she lets the baby drift away on a river. The abandoned girl is found by a Nelwyn named Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis). But Willow quickly finds out that the baby is being tracked down Bavmorda's armies, including her daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) and General Kael (Pat Roach). Willow sets out to the crossroads to give the baby back to the Daikini, or the big humans. He finds out though through the magical Cherlindrea (Maria Holvoe) about the baby, Elora Danan (played by both Ruth and Kate Greenfield) and the prophecy about her. Willow, with the companionship of swordsman and warrior Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and Brownies Rool and Franjean (Kevin Pollak & Rick Overton), they go to seek help from sorceress Fin Raziel (Patricia Hayes).
A totally charming movie, "Willow" will be one of my favorite movies to watch for a long time. Though people must be warned that though it is rated PG, it's more like PG-13 in some areas and I strongly suggest that adults watch before their children do.
Everything is wonderful about the movie, from the directing, the acting by the whole cast, an enchanting plot, pretty good special effects, and plenty of humor and action. There's humor that is witty, sarcastic, and laugh-out-loud funny. Val Kilmer as Madmartigan and the two Brownies gets plenty of great lines. Yet at the same time the movie is pretty serious with all of the battles against good and evil, and Val Kilmer is a great swash-buckling swordfighter and handles the sword pretty well.
And this DVD isn't called "Special Edition" for no reason. Though it may not have as many special features as many recent movie special editions, "Willow" will satisfy you. 1) Commentary by Warwick Davis, 2) Willow: Making of an Adventure Featurette, 3) Featurette: Morf to Morphing, 4) Behind-the-Scenes Still Gallery, 5) Theatrical Teasers and Trailers, 6) 8 TV Spots, and a few more. One thing you must watch is the 'Making of an Adventure Featurette'. Looking at an older Ron Howard with his mustache certainly was a little shock to me after seeing him play Opie on the "Andy Griffith Show" and acting in "Happy Days". One part that was fun about it is when they were talking about the love scenes in the movie. Val Kilmer admits that whenever he had to kiss Joanne Whalley, afterwards he always forgot his lines and no matter how many times they had to do it, he never got it right. They were married after making the movie but unfortunately, they were divorced later on.
So if you are thinking about getting "Willow", I strongly recommend that you watch it! Enjoyable for the whole family, if your children are old enough to handle some parts of the film. And if you have a chance to check out the quotes and trivia page on Amazon, I suggest you do because you can find out all sorts of things.

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From legendary filmmakers George Lucas and Ron Howard comes one of the most beloved fantasy tales of all time. This groundbreaking film features stunning special effects, dazzling action and a classic battle between good and evil. When young Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) finds an abandoned baby, he is suddenly thrust unto an adventure filled with magic and danger. According to an ancient prophecy, the sacred child is destined to end the reign of the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). Now, the only a single swordsman (Val Kilmer) at his side, Willow must overcome the forces of darkness that threaten to destroy anyone who stands in the Queen's way!

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Happy Days - The Third Season (1974) Review

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(More customer reviews)This, in my opinion, is the best season of Happy Days. The writing was outstanding and Henry Winkler was at his peak. THIS is the season that should have ranked as the #1 show on television (it finished at #11, season four is the one that reached the top). There is one problem with the DVD though. Certain episodes (very few...I think) are edited. One of my all-time favorite scenes is missing. It is the end tag of the episode titled "Fonzie's New Friend". This is where Fonzie does the limbo. But it's gone....why? I also noticed a couple of edits here and there on one or two other episodes. The sad thing is that this is probably the only form these episodes will ever be released in. Yet, we won't ever be able to see certain parts of some episodes. Sad.
On a lighter note, I recently had the opportunity to see the Happy Days house when I was in Hollywood. Of course this was just used for the exterior shots, but it hasn't changed much. If you're ever out there and you're interested in seeing it, it's easy to find. I can't give you the house address here (especially since people actually live there) but it's easy to research on the internet.

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"Happy Days" was set in the 1950s in Milwaukee, the heart of middle-class America, and told the story of the Cunningham family. Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) ran the local hardware store and Mrs. Cunningham (Marion Ross), like all good TV Moms, spent her time in the kitchen. Their son, Richie (Ron Howard), hung out at Arnold's Drive-In with his pals Ralph Malph (Donny Most) and Potsie (Anson Williams), trying to be as cool as the coolest greaser in town, the Fonz (Henry Winkler). Richie's sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), tagged along whenever she wasn't at her friend Jenny Piccolo's house. The Cunninghams also had an older son, Chuck, but he mysteriously disappeared after the first season.

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Happy Days - The Complete Second Season (1974) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is really irritating! This show (at least in the early years) is as good as any show ever was! The fact that the studio is too cheap to pay for the rights to the music is ridiculous! To add insult to injury the picture and sound go from very good to bargain basement quality during some episodes?! I think everyone who bought this or any other show that has been altered should return the shows for a full refund. Let the cheapskate studio eat the loss instead of making the fans digest this SH**!

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Happy Days was set in the 1950s in Milwaukee, the heart of middle-class America, and told the story of the Cunningham family. Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) ran the local hardware store and Mrs. Cunningham (Marion Ross), like all good TV Moms, spent her time in the kitchen. Their son, Richie (Ron Howard), hung out at Arnold's Drive-In with his pals Ralph Malph (Donny Most) and Potsie (Anson Williams), trying to be as cool as the coolest greaser in town, the Fonz (Henry Winkler). Richie's sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), tagged along whenever she wasn't at her friend Jenny Piccolo's house. The Cunninghams also had an older son, Chuck, but he mysteriously disappeared after the first season.

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Happy Days - The Complete First Season (1974) Review

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(More customer reviews)How can it possibly be thirty years already since Happy Days first premiered? That fact makes a guy feel very old, for I can't imagine having grown up without Happy Days; fortunately, being able to watch these classic episodes brings back great memories that almost make me feel young again. As a little kid growing up in the 70s, Happy Days was - without question - the show. I was trying to be Fonzie - strutting around, giving thumbs up, and saying Heyyyy! all the time - even before I learned to read. The show remained a constant presence in my life throughout the 1980s, as well, as it was a staple of after-school programming (back before all the talk shows took over). The first season's episodes were never really my favorite - mainly because a lot of changes were made at the start of the second season, Richie was a little wild that first year, Joanie was still a few years away from babehood, Fonzie was basically just a peripheral character, and - let's face it - there was just way too much Potsie in these early shows. In the first season, Potsie was the second-most important character, although Howard and Marion came on strong in the last half of the season.
Richie really wasn't a clean-cut paragon of virtue in Season One. In the very first episode, he set out to go "All the Way" with a girl who had a "reputation." Over the course of the next fifteen shows, he came home drunk (accompanied by a stripper) from a Marine's bachelor party, got arrested after he snuck out of the house to attend a drag race, put himself through "The Deadly Dares" in order to join The Demons, used a fake ID to get into a strip club, lost his band mates' money in a poker game, came close to leaving home with a bunch of beatniks, almost got a tattoo to impress a girl, and almost got himself into a rumble with The Dukes. Of course, he learned important lessons from all of his adventures - except the lesson that he should stop going along with all of Potsie's hare-brained schemes and plans. There are some truly classic moments in these first 16 episodes, such as Fonzie selecting Richie (in drag) to dance at the sock hop, Richie's first drunk in "Richie's Cup Runneth Over" and Richie's blind date with a really tall girl in "Because She's There."
The gang's all here for the most part, but Ralph Malph is just a jokester you see at Arnold's or parties/dances, and Fonzie is largely just the local king of cool. Both characters' presence tends to increase as the season progresses, but the only real character development we see of Arthur Fonzarelli comes when Fonzie decides to go back to high school in "Fonzie Drops In." Then, of course, there's Chuck, the infamous oldest son of the Cunninghams who simply disappears after this first season. The question is not really why his character was purged from the show with such Stalinist diligence; instead, it's why was he ever there to start with? He did nothing on the show except dribble a basketball.
It's interesting to see how the show became a little more serious as the first season drew to a close. While thoughts of making out with girls were never far from Richie's mind, we witness a rather poignant example of growing up when Richie and Howard square off over the beatnik way of life, see the show take racism head-on in "The Best Man" when Howard has his black army buddy's wedding at his house in spite of his neighbors' protests, and take a moment to reflect on the dangers of the nascent Cold War and the A bomb back in the 1950s.
I hope this Happy Days Season One collection sells like hotcakes because I want all of the other seasons ASAP. I like the next few seasons better, but a lot of fans probably have a special love for these early episodes. If you're a rabid Fonzie fan, don't expect to see the Fonz you know and love in these first season shows, though - there are only glimpses of the central character he would become. Keep in mind, as well, that there are only 16 shows in this first season - Happy Days debuted on January 15, 1974. There are also no extras whatsoever included on these 3 DVDs, a fact which is quite disappointing. Frankly, that means this collection is overpriced. At least we have the episodes themselves, though - and that is a treasure in and of itself.

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Set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 1950’s, HAPPY DAYS revolves around Richie Cunningham and his family and friends.A "wholesome" young man, Richie is a Jefferson High School student who would do anything to get a date and he spends plenty of time with his friends at Arnold’s, the local burger joint.Contrasting with his wholesome nature is Arthur Fonzarelli, best known as Fonzie, a rough-around-the-edges motorcycle riding high school dropout famous for his slicked hair, leather jacket, and the catchphrase "aaayyyy!"Fonzie is a regular around the Cunningham house, with Mrs. Cunningham doting on him and Richie turning to him for advice on how to attract girls.

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Happy Days - The Fourth Season (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Whomever wrote that this set was missing orginal music obviously hasn't watched it. I've heard songs that were replaced in even the sydicated versions. In fact the usual Parmount disclamier "music has been changed for this home entertainment version". is nowhere to be seen.
If there's anything missing here it's very, very minute.
I've been jumping around as far the episodes go and from what I've seen this the one of the most complete sets yet. In the episode "shot in the dark" the scene where Mr. C offers Richie a lifesaver after the basketball game is here. That's largely been cut out of sydicated airings.
As far the episodes if you're reading this you're probably already familiar with them! From what I recall this this season Happy Days was the #1 show on TV so there's plenty of classics here.

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Happy Days was set in the 1950s in Milwaukee, the heart of middle-class America, and told the story of the Cunningham family. Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) ran the local hardware store and Mrs. Cunningham (Marion Ross), like all good TV Moms, spent her time in the kitchen. Their son, Richie (Ron Howard), hung out at Arnold's Drive-In with his pals Ralph Malph (Donny Most) and Potsie (Anson Williams), trying to be as cool as the coolest greaser in town, the Fonz (Henry Winkler). Richie's sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), tagged along whenever she wasn't at her friend Jenny Piccolo's house.

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The Andy Griffith Show - The Complete Fourth Season (1960) Review

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(More customer reviews)Paramount is really putting out these TAGS seasons quickly. Keep them coming UNCUT (INCLUDING THE COLORED SEASONS PLEEEASE). After reviewing the episodes, I don't consider season four as one of their best. There are not many stand-out episodes, but there are not many poor ones either. This season marks the last we'll see of Gomer, the first we'll see of Goober, plus returns of the Fun Girls, the Darlings, Malcolm Merriweather, and Ernest T. Bass. Five of the episodes are often listed among TAGS top 20 fan favorites, although they are not favorites of mine. Here's what you get:
Opie the Birdman: All TAGS seasons opened with a story about Opie, and this one may be the most famous one (and usually a top 10 fan fave). Opie tries to raise three baby birds (Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod) after inadvertently killing their mother with a sling-shot.
The Haunted House: This episode inspired Don Knotts' film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Is it just the moonshine or is there a haunted house in Mayberry?
Ernest T. Bass Joins The Army: I'm not a fan of Ernest T. but for those who are, this set offers two of his episodes. This one has him trying to join the Army so he can get a uniform.
The Sermon For Today: A visiting preacher comes to Mayberry and preaches a sermon of taking it easy (probably the last thing that needed to be preached in Mayberry). The folks take this sermon in an entirely different direction. Usually a top 5 episode.
Briscoe Declares For Aunt Bee: The Darlings are back and Briscoe decides to court Aunt Bee. Bee is not so keen on the idea.
Gomer the House Guest: Gomer loses his job at the filling station and moves in with the Taylors.
A Black Day For Mayberry: This is one of the funniest TAGS episodes ever (in my personal top 20 list). An armored truck filled with gold is expected to arrive in Mayberry. It's supposed to be a guarded secret but, when it arrives, a crowd of people with a banner "Welcome Gold Truck" is there to greet it.
Opie's Ill-Gotten Gain: I could never understand how Helen could make such an error but, she gives mediocre student Opie straight A's by mistake. Andy is so proud of Opie's report card that, when Opie finds out his real grades, he's afraid to let his pa down.
A Date For Gomer: Thelma Lou wants to find a date for her plain cousin. Andy and Barney decide on Gomer and they each explain to the other how "nice" their blind dates will be.
Up In Barney's Room: Barney is caught cooking in his room and his landlady, Mrs. Mendelbright, evicts him. Barney becomes further agitated when he learns "Mrs. Bendelmright" is about to marry an old codger who just arrived in town.
Citizen's Arrest: This ep. is usually listed among TAGS best. I don't really like it that much. Gomer makes a "citizen's arrest" on Barney for making an illegal u-turn. For PR reasons, Andy insists Barney write himself a ticket. Barney becomes so angry he resigns. Barney acts like a real jerk in this one.
Opie And His Merry Men: Opie and his friends get some bad ideas about law enforcement from a hobo.
Barney And The Cave Rescue: Thinking Andy and Helen are trapped in a cave, Barney organizes a rescue mission. A good example of Andy doing whatever he can to help his deputy save face.
Andy & Opie's Pal: Opie is jealous when Andy pays special attention to Opie's new friend.
Aunt Bee The Crusader: A local farmer is about to be evicted and Aunt Bee organizes a protest: "Just like the tree that's standing by the water, we shall not be moved." This one is one of my favorites.
Barney's Sidecar: Barney gets a motorcycle and sidecar and endangers the lives and sanity of the Mayberry residents. A top 5 episode on most TAGS fan favorite lists.
My Fair Ernest T. Bass: Andy tries to pass off Ernest T. as a sophisticated fellow at a high society party. Includes the famous line "How do you do Mrs. Wiiiiley" and Barney's observation of the women at the party: "Fly a quail through here and every one of `em would point." A top 10 episode on most fan favorite lists.
Prisoner Of Love: A female jewel thief pulls at Andy and Barney's heart strings while she's incarcerated in the Mayberry jail.
Hot Rod Otis: Otis and wheels do not mix.
The Song Festers: The revelation that Gomer has a beautiful singing voice jeopardizes Barney's solo.
The Shoplifters: Weaver's department store is being robbed blind and Barney spends the night there and works under cover as a mannequin to crack the case.
Andy's Vacation: Andy is supposed to be relaxing reading the National Geographic but, with Barney and Gomer in charge, there is no rest for the weary, even when Andy camps out in the woods.
Andy Saves Gomer: Andy saves Gomer from a little fire in the filling station and Gomer is so appreciative, Andy can't get rid of him.
Bargain Day: Clara convinces Aunt Bee to buy tons of beef from a meat wholesaler, bypassing her friendly butcher. When her freezer breaks down, she panics over the cost of repairing it causing Andy's famous advice: "Call the man!"
Divorce, Mountain Style: Charlene Darling Wash divorces husband Dud and comes into town hoping to snag Andy as her new hubby.
A Deal Is A Deal: Opie and his friends get stuck selling worthless salve, but Barney and Gomer have a plan.
Fun Girls: The Fun Girls are back and Helen and Thelma Lou are jealous. Goober makes his debut and this marks the only episode where Gomer and his cousin Goober appear together. Goober also shows off his impersonation of Cary Grant: "Judy, Judy, Judy"
The Return Of Malcolm Merriweather: The Brit on the bike is back and tries to make Aunt Bee's life easier...maybe too easy.
The Rumor: Another episode where Barney starts the Andy getting married rumors; this time to Helen.
Barney and Thelma Lou, Phfftt: Barney makes a remark that he has Thelma Lou in his hip pocket. When she hears about his, Thel dates Gomer to make Barney jealous. The kiss a girl you have to get married thing is really silly. Not one of my favorites.
Back to Nature: Barney brags to Opie's camping buddies about what an expert man of nature he is and then gets lost in the woods with Gomer.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Where Gomer leaves Masyberry and Jim Nabors' new sitcom begins.

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Named as "one of the greatest television shows of all time" by TV Guide, The Andy Griffith Show featured the adventures of some of the most well-known and beloved characters in television history. All 32 episodes of the classic fourth season are here. The entire gang is back, including Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith), who does his best to raise his son Opie (Ron Howard) with the help of his beloved Aunt Bee (Francis Bavier). Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) and everyone’s favorite gas-station attendant Gomer (Jim Nabors) are back too, and Season 4 features the first appearance of Gomer’s immensely popular cousin, Goober (George Lindsey). So come on home to the little ol’ town that everyone remembers and re-live all your favorite moments.

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The Andy Griffith Show - The Complete Second Season (1960) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)**About the forced commercials on Disc One: On my DVD remote I merely pressed the >>I (next) button and skipped them one by one, it takes a couple of seconds but is able to be bypassed by my player. Hitting the MENU or FF won't do the trick though. Another easy way is if your DVD player has a "Last Memory" button; just before an episode ends or during the theme credits press Last Memory, and then turn the DVD player OFF. When you press "On" again, the player will resume at the end credits and from there you can select Menu:)**
This is when the series (almost) begins for me. I love the first season don't get me wrong (4 stars), but they seemed to try a bit too hard with the accents and the characters were just finding themselves, but I guess that's the way it's supposed to be. Then in Season 2 they ease the accents, the characters begin to form and all is almost there. This season has many more episodes I consider "classic" or "near classic" but we are not quite up to the Helen Crump "era" and to me THAT is the Andy I love.
Here's the Episode Guide for Season 2 PLUS mini review:
33. Opie and the Bully***
34. Barney's Replacement**** (near classic)
35. Andy and the Woman Speeder***
36. Mayberry Goes Bankrupt***
37. Barney on the Rebound**** (near classic)
38. Opie's Hobo Friend**** (near classic)
39. Crime-Free Mayberry**** (near classic)
40. The Perfect Female***** (classic)
41. Aunt Bee's Brief Encounter***.5
42. The Clubmen***** (classic)
43. The Pickle Story**** (near classic)
44. Sheriff Barney**** (near classic)
45. The Farmer Takes a Wife**
46. Keeper of the Flame**** (near classic)
47. Bailey's Bad Boy**** (near classic)
48. The Manicurist**
49. The Jinx**
50. Jailbreak***** (classic)
51. A Medal for Opie**** (near classic)
52. Barney and the Choir***** (classic)
53. Guest of Honor**
54. The Merchant of Mayberry****.5 (NEAR classic!)
55. Aunt Bee the Warden**** (near classic)
56. The County Nurse**** (near classic)
57. Andy and Barney in the Big City**** (near classic)
58. Wedding Bells for Aunt Bee***
59. Three's a Crowd***** (classic)
60. The Bookie Barber**.5
61. Andy on Trial**** (near classic)
62. Cousin Virgil***.5
63. Deputy Otis**** (near classic)
Solid, solid, solid. I found many of my favorite episodes here and with this series in general center around Barney, many but not all. In later seasons, Gomer and Goober came along to fill some of the spaces but early on most of the humor fell onto Don Knotts who amply filled this area. Only a handful of the episodes in Season Two were flat or were over-wrought like the Alan Hale "Farmer" ep. or the unquestionably unlikely "Guest of Honor" episode. Still, to say this is a must have is an understatement as it is so nice to see the TAGS (30-45 second conclusions) of so many of these episodes that were long ago cut to sell you more of what you didn't need, not to mention the packaging which once again is just perfect. I could have done without the commercials on Disc One, but Paramount is a business I guess and as far as extra's the promo "ads" are "interesting" but repetitive.
Just remember, when Season 3 hits is when this series hits full steam, so buckle up!! "That's CRUMP! C-R-U-M-P!"-Helen

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THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW - THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON, is a comedy about a North Carolina widower named Andy Taylor who divides his time between raising his son, Opie (Ron Howard) and being sheriff of the small and virtually crime-free town of Mayberry.With next to no crimes to solve, Andy spends time philosophizing and trying to calm down his cousin, Deputy Barney, played by Don Knotts.

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