What I like most about the film is that the criminals (Neville Brand and Frank Gorshin) play their roles in a most tough and serious way. Normally the Disney villains are comical buffoons but these guys are mean and scary,more suited to a film noir than a kiddie film.
What did you think of them?
Ithink your right on. The bad guys did seem a bit hardcore for a disney movie. And if you've ever seen the movie From Dusk til Dawn, the dialogue with the villians and hostage are very similar.
shareHm... I was watching this movie just today on DVD and also thought the same. They're for a Disney movie a little bit to serious/hardcore (for the old school Disney movies!!!).
Hm... I haven't noticed that with From Dusk till Dawn... will take more care next time when I'm watching this movie :-)
ITA.I remember watching this movie as a kid and thinking that these guys were
like something out of the old gangster movies my dad used to watch.At the time,
I found them quite intimidating.Still do,lol!
Neville Brand played crooks, killers and tough guys in many crime and noir movies long before TDC. Check him out in Kansas City Confidential. He is one tough, scary dude! He also played Capone in The Untouchables TV show.
Chaos, Confusion, Insanity: My work here is done.
He was good at playing villains, but could also play somewhat comical good guys too. Back in the mid '60s he played a tough, but somewhat comical Texas Ranger named Reese Bennett on the western 'Laredo'. It was kind of ironic that both he and another actor who was great at playing villains, William Smith, were both good guys in 'Laredo'.
sharePeter Brown portrayed Texas Ranger Chad Cooper on Laredo with Neville.By coincidence,Brown was in Summer Magic another Disney film that starred Hayley Mills.William Smith would star in the short-lived Disney TV western show Wildside.
shareI agree. The movie definitely tries to lighten the scenes with them by making Iggy so stupid and weird.
shareLOL!
shareThat's the genius of it. In order for Patty's quest to be meaningful, the threat has to be real. The movie provides laughs, but we're also rooting for Patty and Zeke and as the danger escalates for Mrs. Miller, we care more and more about the characters.
I saw the movie as a kid (8-9 I think) and I loved it. Watching it again these days, I was surprised too how serious the robbers were. If they were incompetent, Mrs. Miller could have escaped without help...
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Jimmy_the_Gent4: I strongly believe 1965's "That Darn Cat!" promoted "Iggy" Frank Gorshin's career as the "Riddler" on "Batman" (1967), adding him to leading roles: Adam West as "Bruce Wayne" & "Batman", Bert Ward as "Robin". Also other criminall characters were "The Penguin", acted by Burgess Meredith,
"The Joker" acted by Caesar Romero. Mister Freeze acted by George Sanders & others. There was "The Mad Hatter", Vincent Price. Only one time, John Astin, (leading role of "The Adams Family") acted as "Riddler # 2".
I'm watching it now (first viewing ever) and yes, I like their performances.
I think Frank Gorshin was a real cutie....with or without glasses.
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JimHutton (1934-79) & ElleryQueen