The Great Rupert

1950 "Christmas miracles do happen"
6.4| 1h28m| NR| en
Details

Shortly before Christmas, a family moves into an apartment where Rupert the squirrel lives in the attic rafters. Just as it seems that the holiday will come and go without so much as a Christmas tree, Rupert acts as the family's guardian angel - not only saving Christmas, but changing their lives forever.

Director

Producted By

George Pal Productions

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Reviews

Nonureva Really Surprised!
Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
SnoopyStyle Joe has a trained squirrel named Rupert but he can't find any work. Joe is kicked out of his apartment and he releases Rupert back into the park. Joe runs into Louie Amendola (Jimmy Durante) and his family. They take over his apartment. Rupert can't survive in the wild and he goes back to the apartment to live in the rafters. The landlord's son Pete Dingle (Tom Drake) falls immediately for Rosalinda Amendola (Terry Moore). Mr. Dingle starts getting payments from his investment and he stuffs the money in the wall. Rupert throws the money down to the apartment and the needy Amendolas think it's a gift from heaven.The squirrel is fun. The stop motion is rudimentary but very charming. There are a couple of songs from the energetic Durante. I wonder if the movie needs to bring Joe into this. It would be funnier to have the squirrel do all this stuff. The little puppy love romance is cute. The story gets a bit rambling. I'm not sure bringing the cops, IRS and the FBI into the movie is the best comedy. The story about the money probably needs to be simplified a little.
John T. Ryan IF WE WERE to choose one word to describe today's honoree, THE GREAT RUPERT (George Pal/Eagle-Lion Films, 1950) it would have to be the above mentioned "Squirrely". Beyond that obvious pun and reference, the next one up in this lexicon would have to be offbeat.BEING WHAT WOULD today be classified as a "G" Rating, as approved fare for Family Viewing, the cast and story,nonetheless, do manage to keep even an adult clientèle interested. In much the same way that future family oriented cute-animal movies such as BENJI (Mulberry Square, 1974) and DIGBY: THE BIGGEST DOG IN THE WORLD Walter Stehnsen Film 1973), manage to simultaneously balance story line with equal portions of the madcap-comic, romance and mini-dramatic happenings*;in the final analysis, RUPERT accomplishes the same sort of results.EXAMINATION OF THE cast reveals an unusual, yet solidly balanced blend of veteran talent. We are presented with newcomer, Tom Drake, in the juvenile male lead and love interest for ingénue, Terry Moore.TOPPING THE VETERAN cast is Jimmy Durante. The "Old Schnozolla", himself turns in a performance that was at once funny, dramatic and believably entertaining. With all of his vast experience on stage, the radio and in the movies, it was truly a part that Jimmy could have "phoned in"; which he obviously did.IN SUPPORTING ROLES we have the always reliable characterizations from Frank Orth, Jimmy Conlin and Chic Chandler; whose character pulled the unlikely double-duty as both romantic rival and in saving the day by getting young Dingle's (Drake)song published (and even recorded, yet!).BEFORE WE GO ANY further, let's get back to Miss Moore. This part would mark the second straight year in which she would find herself playing in a cast which featured a stop-motion animated character. It was in the previous year's MIGHTY JOE YOUNG Argosy Pictures/RKO Radio Pictures, 1949) that her costar was a movable doll character of a relative few inches in length. With this two picture run, that Miss Moore would work with three of the biggest names in animation; namely Willis O'Brien & Ray Harryhausen (in MIGHTY JOE YOUNG) and finally with George Pal (in RUPERT THE GREAT).AS FOR THE ANIMATION that made up a truly small portion of RUPERT, it is outstanding. It was well blended and interspersed with footage of a real, live squirrel; in order to give the furry nut-eater the chance to dance and 'perform' what could be only described as cute comic relief.* OUT OF A CURIOSITY that has existed for some years, we forced ourselves to watch RUPERT THE GREAT, yesterday evening over the Cable Channel Turner Classic Movies; which described it as a Christmas Picture. Whereas Christmas did play a part in the beginning of the movie; it did cover a lot more of a time span.AS SILLY AS the whole premise seems to us today, with a much more cynical and jaded view of the World, the story does give us a sort of latter day fairy tale; what with all ending well in the end.WE ALL NEED this now and again, even you and I. Right Schultz? NOTE: * As far as the interplay between Miss Terry Moore and Rupert, there is none. Other than dropping the ca$h, while unseen to Durante's wife and being 'saved' from a burning building by a Fireman, 'Rupert' only had scenes with Jimmy Conlin.
johnstonjames i've never liked or approved much of redneck gourmet cook Heidi Wilson "The Huntress", but after seeing this piece of Christmas schmaltz, i couldn't really think of a better purpose for Rupert the Christmas squirrel.in the opening scene a actress and her agent come to see a old man who puts a Scottish kilt and outfit on a squirrel and makes it dance to his accordion. i pretty much related to the snobby actress who basically gives Rupert a look of disdain and boredom after his dance.to say that there is much better Christmas fare than this is a understatement. this not only was the stooooopidest Xmas flick i've ever seen, it is amongst the most tryingly inane movies i've ever seen. i usually like movies that are so bad they're good, but this one was so bad you just wanted to start screaming for mercy.i don't think squirrels are all that smart and talented. the beach front here in my town is infested with the nasty rodents and it ain't pretty. they run in and out of the rocks and they look malnourished and like they have rabies or something. i wouldn't wanna touch em. my friend, who by the way happens to love this stupid cheeseball of a movie, has some cuter, healthier looking squirrels in his backyard tree, but they ain't good for much except getting into the bird feeder and chasing away the birds. i think Rupert is probably worth half as much as the "real" thing and the "real" thing ain't much.the only thing i thought was salvageable about this hokey pokey was Jimmy Durante's rendition of "jingle Bells". at least Jimmy Durante was good for carrying the slack when Rupert couldn't.Rupert is a bad actor. i wouldn't even have him on a patty melt. i'm sure he would taste bad. like stinky, old Christmas candy from Christmas long past. pee-yew. there wasn't anything funny or cute about Rupert, he was just tedious and boring. he should have had more slapstick antics rather then trying to do God's work by being careless with other people's money. i usually like a religious element in film, but the idea that the good lord works miracles through Rupert approaches a kind of blasphemy of sorts. don't need no religious preachings from no mangy squirrel.i assure you your Christmas is better spent with Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown or whatever the heck gets you through the trying holiday season. only don't waste your time with Rupert, he will only try your patience and make you glad Christmas only comes once a year. no wonder chipmunks are more fashionable at Christmastime.
bizantine We got this movie because we have a squirrel.Whoever came up with the original idea obviously had a squirrel as a pet,the character's actions(other than the obvious dancing in a kilt)are pretty close to what a squirrel keeper sees.More squirrel scenes would have been nice,but probably wouldn't have added anything to the plot.Ours didn't like one slightly scary scene(for a squirrel)near the end,but everything was okay in a few minutes.Of course,since the squirrels in the recent Willy Wonka movie attacked the little girl,he didn't like that one(ran out of the room and stayed until it was over),so I'd have to say it's HIS favorite squirrel movie,since the people and animals got along.It's a funny,simple movie that anyone who likes animals would probably enjoy.