View source for Li'l Abner (1959 film)

{{Short description|1959 musical comedy film based on comic strip "Li'l Abner"}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Li'l Abner
| image          = lilabner.jpg
| director       = [[Melvin Frank]]
| writer         = [[Al Capp]]<br>[[Norman Panama]]<br>Melvin Frank
| producer       = Norman Panama
| starring       = [[Peter Palmer (actor)|Peter Palmer]]<br>[[Leslie Parrish]]<br>[[Stubby Kaye]]<br>[[Howard St. John]]<br>[[Julie Newmar]]<br>[[Stella Stevens]]
| cinematography = [[Daniel L. Fapp]]
| editing        = [[Arthur P. Schmidt]]
| music          = [[Gene De Paul]]<br>[[Joseph J. Lilley]]<br>[[Nelson Riddle]]
| distributor    = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1959|12|11}}
| runtime        = 114 minutes
| language       = English
| gross          = $3,200,000 (US/ Canada)<ref>"Rental Potentials of 1960", ''Variety'', 4 January 1961 p 47. Please note figures are rentals as opposed to total gross.</ref>
}}

'''''Li'l Abner''''' is a 1959 [[musical film|musical]] [[comedy film]] based on the [[comic strip]] [[Li'l Abner|of the same name]] created by [[Al Capp]] and the successful [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] [[Li'l Abner (musical)|musical of the same name]] that opened in 1956. The film was produced by [[Norman Panama]] and directed by [[Melvin Frank]]<ref name="Li'l Abner">{{cite web|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81424/Li-l-Abner/full-credits.html|title=Li'l Abner|work=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|accessdate=May 25, 2016}}</ref> (co-writers of the Broadway production). It was the second film to be based on the comic strip, the first being [[Li'l Abner (1940 film)|RKO's 1940 film, ''Li'l Abner'']].

==Plot==
It's a "typical day" in Dogpatch, U. S. A., a [[hillbilly]] town where Abner Yokum lives with his parents. Mammy Yokum insists on giving Abner his daily [[dose (biochemistry)|dose]] of "Yokumberry tonic", although he is fully-grown. He has a crush on Daisy Mae Scragg (although he resists marrying her) and she on him; Abner's rival for her affections is the World's Dirtiest Rassler, Earthquake McGoon.

[[Sadie Hawkins Day]] is approaching. On this day the "girls chase the men and marries whomstever [sic] they catches," as Senator Jack S. Phogbound puts it. However, the citizens of Dogpatch find out that their town has been declared the most unnecessary place in the country—and will be the target of an [[atom bomb]], since the nuclear testing site near [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] is allegedly spoiling things for the wealthy gamblers there.

Dogpatch people at first are pleased about leaving. They change their minds when Mammy Yokum points out some of the horrible, awful customs they'll have to adapt to, like regular bathing and (worst of all) going to work for a living. Now anxious to remain, the Dogpatchers try to muster something necessary about their town to save it. The government scientist in charge of the bomb testing, Dr. Rasmussen T. Finsdale, rejects all of their suggestions. However, Mammy brings forth her "Yokumberry Tonic", the substance that has made Abner the handsome, muscular, strapping specimen that he is. The only tree in the whole world that grows Yokumberries exists in the Yokums' front yard. Thus, the town of Dogpatch will become "indispensable" to the outside world.

Meanwhile, a greedy business magnate named General Bullmoose covets the tonic as well, since he could market it (as "Yoka-Cola," he tells Abner) and uses his wiles to get the tonic dishonestly. This involves Appassionata von Climax, the general's mistress. He cooks up a scheme to get Ms. von Climax to marry Li'l Abner, after which Abner would be killed and von Climax would become owner of the tonic, "by [[community property]]", and turn it over to Bullmoose.

He orders von Climax to enter the race on Sadie Hawkins Day. She catches Li'l Abner (with help from Evil Eye Fleegle) and Daisy Mae ends up heartbroken. But then Daisy, Mammy, Pappy and Marryin' Sam discover (through Mammy's "Conjurin' Power") what General Bullmoose is up to; Daisy promises to marry McGoon if he helps them to save Abner's life. McGoon agrees and rounds up practically everyone in Dogpatch to go to Washington on the rescue mission.

McGoon and the other Dogpatchers disrupt the society party at which Abner is supposed to drink a toast as a prelude to suffering the whammy—and the whammy-giver, Evil Eye Fleegle, says it won't work unless the subject has drunk liquor. So Bullmoose calls for a champagne toast. Fleegle strikes with his 'Truth Whammy' but McGoon deflects the whammy with a [[silver]] [[platter (dishware)|platter]]—and the whammy hits Bullmoose, who confesses his scheme.

Yokumberry Tonic is a failure: although it made the subjects healthy and muscular, they don't care about romance...to their wives' chagrin. (This also explains why Abner has resisted marrying Daisy for so long.) Back at Dogpatch — with the tonic rejected, the bombing is on again — the wedding of McGoon and Daisy Mae is on; Romeo Scragg and his kin are armed to keep Marryin' Sam from stalling. Daisy Mae has a plan of her own—she shows McGoon the rest of her Scragg relatives (including "Priceless and Liceless" Scragg, and the "Bar Harbor Scraggs," who've been "barred from every harbor in the country") and he backs out.

Dr. Finsdale orders the wedding stopped in order to evacuate. Pappy Yokum and some of the other Dogpatchers start to pull down an [[Equestrian statue|equestrian]] [[statue]] of Jubilation T. Cornpone (the town's founder) from a tall pedestal, claiming they won't leave without it. A stone tablet falls, and it turns out to carry an inscription ordered by [[Abraham Lincoln]], who has declared the city of Dogpatch a "National Shrine" because of Cornpone's incompetence as a [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] General. Abner points out "You can't bomb a national shrine" and Finsdale relents, cancelling the bombing and leaving Abner and Daisy free to marry.

==Cast==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2014}}
{| class=wikitable width=40%
|+<ref>{{Citation|title=Li'l Abner (1959)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053001/fullcredits|access-date=2018-08-16}}</ref>
! width=20%|Actor 
! width="20%" |Role
|-
| [[Peter Palmer (actor)|Peter Palmer]] 
|  Li'l Abner Yokum
|-
| [[Leslie Parrish]] 
| Daisy Mae
|-
| [[Stubby Kaye]] 
|  Marryin' Sam
|-
| [[Howard St. John]] 
| General Bullmoose
|-
| [[Stella Stevens]] 
|  Appassionata von Climax
|-
| [[Julie Newmar]] 
|  Stupefyin' Jones
|-
| [[Billie Hayes]] 
| Mammy Yokum
|-
| Joe E. Marks 
| Pappy Yokum
|-
| [[Bern Hoffman]]
| Earthquake McGoon
|-
| Al Nesor 
| Evil Eye Fleagle
|-
| [[Robert Strauss (actor)|Robert Strauss]] 
| Romeo Scragg
|-
| [[William Lanteau]] 
| Available Jones
|-
| [[Ted Thurston]] 
| Senator Jack S. Phogbound
|-
| Carmen Alvarez 
| Moonbeam McSwine
|-
| [[Alan Carney]] 
| Mayor Dawgmeat
|-
| Stanley Simmonds 
| Dr. Rasmussen T. Finsdale
|-
| Diki Lerner 
| Lonesome Polecat
|-
| [[Joe Ploski]] 
| Hairless Joe
|-
| Babette Bain 
| Louella
|-
| [[Jerry Lewis]] 
| Itchy McRabbit
|-
| [[Donna Douglas]] 
| Lovelie
|-
| Lesley-Marie Colburn 
| Young Dogpatch Girl
|-
| [[Valerie Harper]] 
| Luke's Wife
|-
| [[Beth Howland]] 
| Clem's Wife
|-
| [[Brad Harris]] 
| Muscleman Luke
|-
| [[Gordon Mitchell]] 
| Muscleman Rufe
|}

==Production==
===Casting===
Almost every major character in the movie was portrayed by the same performer who appeared in the role on Broadway. Significant exceptions are Daisy Mae (played by [[Edie Adams]] on Broadway), Appassionata von Climax (played on stage by [[Tina Louise]]) and Mammy Yokum (played on stage by [[Charlotte Rae]]).{{efn|[[Billie Hayes]], who plays Mammy Yokum in this film, appeared in the Broadway production as a replacement for [[Charlotte Rae]] in the role;<ref>[https://www.ibdb.com/replacements/lil-abner-2585 ''Li'l Abner''] Broadway cast - replacements at IBDB</ref> Hayes also reprised the role in a 1971 TV production of ''Li'l Abner''.<ref>{{IMDb title|0456510|Li'l Abner (1971 TV production).}}</ref>}} [[Jerry Lewis]] appears in a  brief cameo as Itchy McRabbit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsfromme.com/writings/lil-abner-in-hollywood/ |last=Evanier |first=Mark |title=Li'l Abner in Hollywood |accessdate=2015-01-12}}</ref>

===Music===
Several songs, with music by Gene De Paul and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, were adapted directly from the Broadway production, but the original portions of the motion picture score were written and conducted by [[Nelson Riddle]] and [[Joseph J. Lilley]], which earned them an Oscar nomination for Best Score in 1960 and earned Riddle a Grammy nomination for Best Soundtrack Album. The movie was released on December 11, 1959 by [[Paramount Pictures]].

==Reception==
[[Bosley Crowther]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote, "Unless you are thoroughly allergic to bad grammar and cartoon repartee, you should have a good time at ''Li'l Abner,'' especially if you're a kid."<ref>Crowther, Bosley (December 12, 1959). "The Screen: 'Li'l Abner'". ''[[The New York Times]]''. 19.</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' stated, "The musical is lively, colorful and tuneful, done with smart showmanship in every department."<ref>"Film Reviews: Li'l Abner". ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''. November 4, 1959. 6.</ref> John L. Scott of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' described the film as "delightful nonsense" with dance numbers that "are explosions of energy that set one's feet to twitching."<ref>Scott, John L. (December 17, 1959). "'Li'l Abner' Lively Dogpatch Hoe-Down". ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Part IV, p. 10.</ref> ''[[Harrison's Reports]]'' wrote that the film "slows down appreciably when it dips into complicated plot," but "the tunes by Johnny Mercer are sprightly if not memorable and the dances staged by Dee Dee Wood are pure delight."<ref>"'Li'l Abner' with Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish and Stubby Kaye". ''[[Harrison's Reports]]''. November 7, 1959. 178.</ref>[[Richard L. Coe]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' declared, "''Li'l Abner'' is broad, colorful fun and I should think even Al Capp would be pleased with it."<ref>Coe, Richard L. (December 19, 1959). "Abner Is in Best of Hands". ''[[The Washington Post]]''. C14.</ref> ''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' said, "The dancing is fresh and energetic but, like the whole film, is unhappily served by the flat, hamfisted direction. Panama and Frank attempt no more than a straight VistaVision record of their Broadway musical, and show a complete indifference to the possibilities of staging such an attractive number as 'If I Had My Druthers.'"<ref>{{cite journal |date=June 1960 |title=Li'l Abner |journal=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]] |volume=27 |issue=317 |page=80 }}</ref> [[John McCarten]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote, "On Broadway the show was primitive; in the movies it is Neanderthal."<ref>McCarten, John (December 19, 1959). "The Current Cinema". ''[[The New Yorker]]''. p. 126.</ref>

==Home media==
The film was released on DVD on April 19, 2005, by Paramount Home Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/15240/lil-abner/|title=DVD Talk}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of American films of 1959]]
* [[Lower Slobbovia]]
* [[Abbie an' Slats]]
* [[Li'l Abner (musical)]]
* [[Salomey (cartoon pig)|Salomey]]

== References ==
'''Informational notes
{{notelist}}

'''Citations'''
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0053001|Li'l Abner}}
* {{AllMovie title|29132|Li'l Arner}}
* {{TCMDb title|81424|Li'l Abner}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|1031459-lil_abner|Li'l Abner}}

{{Melvin Frank}}
{{Li'l Abner}}

[[Category:1959 films]]
[[Category:1959 musical comedy films]]
[[Category:American fantasy comedy films]]
[[Category:American musical comedy films]]
[[Category:American musical fantasy films]]
[[Category:Films based on musicals]]
[[Category:Li'l Abner]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Melvin Frank]]
[[Category:Films based on American comics]]
[[Category:Films based on comic strips]]
[[Category:Films based on adaptations]]
[[Category:Films scored by Joseph J. Lilley]]
[[Category:Films scored by Nelson Riddle]]
[[Category:Live-action films based on comics]]
[[Category:Films set in the United States]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:English-language musical comedy films]]