This film is an atrocity

Well, for what it's worth, Shirley Jones says this is her favorite of all the musicals she has been in. And Richard Rodgers said these were among the best songs he ever wrote. I guess that counts for something.

It is better to be kind than to be clever or good looking. -- Derek

It's not as bad as The Pirate Movie.

It's embarrassing how much I enjoy using Ignore User.

Hate to say it but totally agree. What intrigued me was the idea that Billy gets to return to earth for 24 hours to try and fix things from his messy life. But I gave up on the movie after an hour because of an unbelievably badly paced flashback that goes on and on and on. There's no apparent arc to the story because Billy easily wins Shirley Jones' character and they are instantly miserable. It's hard to like a guy who is indifferent towards a woman as breathtaking as Jones. And the songs in that first hour are pretty awful. Great-looking sets, solid, attractive leads, but undone by absolutely abysmal pacing and weak story.

The acting and overall plot were terrible and I HATED the two main characters, their stupidity was alarming.


I must say I love the song walk on but that's the ONLY good thing about this movie.

Not the worst movie musical ever made, but definitely not memorable. The main problem is that there is no redeeming quality in Billy. His coming down to "save" his daughter is hardly any sort of redemption a la Val Jean or George Bailey.

"Well, I'm just up here playing with stars so it ain't gonna hurt me none to come down and help out Louise. Not like I'm actually giving anything up."

Unlike most other dated child-like family goody goody musicals, most of which are laughable and over-rated parodies of themselves and the times, (although I love the fun and camp humour of Calamity Jane), I saw this for the first time a couple of years back and found it to be more realistic and modern, poignant, dark, haunting, spiritually uplifting and very tragic, heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time with a Wuthering Heights-esque feel to it (but the Ghost is Heathcliff this time not Kathy). The emotions evoked in me have not been evoked by any other musical of the golden age, so therefore that is why I rate this movie easily far and above all other musicals of that era and my favourite by a country mile.

I can't agree with most of the posters here, and I can't understand why you need a character to have redeeming qualities, I'm sure you've all seen some Tarantino and Scorsese films, or No Country For Old Men. I thought he realised what he had when it was gone and it was over for him and he did the little bit he could then, trying to make it seem begrudgingly so he could protect his tough guy pride, even though it didn't matter. Also he died trying to get some money to help his wife and child. It's as if most of you all have watched a different film.

You're dead son. Get yourself buried!