Customer Reviews

Candleshoe (Widescreen Edition) [VHS]

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I was 11, I saw this movie eight times in the theater. Candleshoe has it all for kids: orphans, danger, a rags-to-riches story with pranks and an imaginative chase scene.

Candleshoe is the story of an American street kid, Casey Brown (a young Jodie Foster) who joins with con man Harry Bundage (Leo McKern) to convince the wealthy Lady St. Edmund (Helen Hayes) that she is her long-lost granddaughter. Her mission: to worm her way into the household and find a missing fortune. Protecting Lady St. Edmund is her longtime servant Priory (David Niven) and three English kids who already call Candleshoe home. As it becomes evident that Candleshoe is a poor estate and Lady St. Edmund grows to love her, Casey's loyalties are thrown into chaos.

Jodie Foster displays her already considerable talent in her portrayal of Casey, making this Disney's most touching of the caper movies of the 1970's. Adults will appreciate Helen Hayes, David Niven, and Leo McKern, who is wonderfully villainous in this family movie with lots of action but little violence.

David Niven gives it his all as a butler trying to protect his Mistress played superbly by Helen Hayes from the harsh realities of the present. He takes on various guises of people long dead so that Hayes can pretend her life in the crumbling English mansion Candleshoe has not changed in forty years. A youthful Jodie Foster is a street-wise young con artist who agrees to impersonate Hayes long-lost granddaughter in order to make a fast buck. What follows is a barrel of laughs as Jodie, an assortment of orphan children, Niven, Hayes and a band of hilariously inept baddies, one of whom is the fabulous Leo McKern, find themselves on the hunt for a lost English treasure. A treasure that Niven wants to find so that his Mistress will not have to leave Candleshoe which is about to fall into the hands of debtors. Slowly Jodie finds herself at odds with the task she has been paid to do, and she changes sides, helping Niven and the children save Candleshoe for the old woman she has grown to love. Disney has created a cast of colorful characters that have you laughing and crying in the same breath and Jodie Foster is brilliant as the cynical young American girl who just might be the real heir to Candleshoe. Delightful, and wonderfully harmless fun. Well worth buying just for the innocent it exudes from every single frame.

Jodie Foster stars as a juvenile delinquent/orphan named Casey who's in the right place at the right time -- and has the right look. A con man hires her to pose as the long-lost granddaughter of a rich English woman (played by Helen Hayes), who lives in a big house/castle called Candleshoe. The catch? There's a treasure hidden somewhere in Candleshoe, the con man knows about it, and he wants Casey to find it. At first, it's easy for Casey to dupe "Grandma", her butler, and the four precocious orphans who also live at Candleshoe. But before long, Casey begins to feel a little guilty about what she's doing. This is a wonderful movie, with great performances by Foster, Hayes, and David Niven as the Candleshoe butler. It is one of my favorite life-action Disney films. This DVD has the movie in full screen, widescreen, and has scene selection.

Time has not dimmed the appeal of this refreshing film. It may not be fashionable for a film to be heartwarming these days, but Candleshoe IS heartwarming, and I like it fine that way.

Banner performances are found here from Helen Hayes, David Niven, and the young Jodie Foster. Hayes is great in her old age, and there is already visible in Ms. Foster the greatness she will achieve later on. David Niven is extraordinarily versatile (doing work every bit on the caliber of Peter Sellers).

The plot is engaging, as a con-man and his hench-persons try to ferret out the location of an old pirate treasure, only to be repeatedly foiled by the much weaker "good guys." Though I will not reveal the ending (except perhaps to hint that the butler may NOT have done it), that ending is truly satisfying.

This is a film for folks of all ages.

i remember very clearly when i saw the preview for this movie, when i was a kid. until that moment, when jodie foster ran down the street and threw a banana peel in a mailbox, i'd never found a female person (celebrity or otherwise) who could make me feel good about being a girl. i loathed all female vocalists and all actresses, and the actual females in my life weren't that much better. jodie foster was the first of several young actresses to change my world. it was several years before i actually got to see the movie but i loved it. i saw it again as an adult and still thought it was adorable.

Candleshoe is a family estate in England. There is a rumor that there is a fortune hidden there. Most think it is just a myth but Harry has found a clue to the fortune. But he needs someone on the inside to figure it out.

As Lady St. Edmund's granddaughter and only living relative disappeared at birth, Harry finds a waif with a past to pass off as the granddaughter. He and his girlfriend, Grimsworthy, instructs her on the family history and then takes her to grandmum.

The estate has fallen on hard times and become a foster home for a group of orphans. They take care of the tours and hold events to raise money to cover the operating costs. When all else fails, they sell an antique. The estate is run a by the family butler, Priory, who poses as the family chauffer, the family gardener and Colonel Dennis.

When here is nothing left to sell, they cannot pay the taxes and the county is about to foreclose. Of course, Casey finds the treasure and saves the day.

In the early 70's studios would not release major films during the summer, so Disney made low budget films specifically aimed at school kids on vacation. This was one of the last of these "summer" films.

Jodie Foster would go on to make great films but she got her feet wet at Disney making four films. This and Freaky Friday showed her potential.

Helen Hayes was a major star in 20's and 30's and had a resurgence after winning her second Oscar in 1970 for Airport. But she wanted to make family oriented films and found a haven at Disney and a new generation found her irresistible. This is probably her best Disney performance.

David Niven was a star in virtually every decade from his debut in the 30's until his death in 1981. The summer before Candleshoe, he played a different type of butler in Disney's No Deposit, No Return. Therefore, he was the first choice to play Priory and gives his usually great performance.

This is a great "for all family" film. It's no Gone with the Wind but it's not meant to be. This is a chance to see an up and coming star plus two classic stars at the end of their long careers.

DVD EXTRAS: None

This film is the type all families should watch together. It is funny, touching and has a slight touch of mystery. Jodie Foster, Helen Hayes and David Niven all give outstanding performances. This film was made in the 70's and typifies exactly what a "family" film should be. It is truly a shame these types of films are no longer made. I looked and looked for this title. The Official Disney Store wasn't offering Candleshoe at this time, Best Buy didn't have it in their store and so on. I finally found it together with several others in this genre at Amazon.Com. The Disney Studios should look in their "vault" to remember what the name "Disney" was built on. Their recent forays have sadly missed the mark for a true "family" film. This film is great for one and all!

Casey Brown is a streetwise American kid who is brought to London by conman Harry Bundage who wants to pass her off as the long lost granddaughter of Lady St. Edmund, the owner of a large estate called Candleshoe. Somewhere on in Candleshoe, Captain St. Edmund, a pirate, stashed his stolen treasure of gold dubloons, and Bundage has the first clue as to its whereabouts. Casey tricks Lady St. Edmund into believing she is her granddaughter and begins her search for the next clue.

Casey soon learns that Candleshoe is not as rich as everyone seems to think. Priory the bulter has had to let all the staff go in order to pay the taxes on the property, but he wears costumes and pretends to be Mr. Gipping the gardener, Jon the chauffeur, and a host of others just to keep the truth from Lady St. Edmund -- all with the help of 4 orphans who live in the large, empty estate. The more time she spends at Candleshoe, the more time Casey grows to like it and soon her loyalties are tested. Does she keep her bargain with Bundage, or does she help the Lady St. Edmund?

This is a fun live-action adventure from Disney, full of wonderful performances by David Niven as Priory, Helen Hayes as Lady St. Edmund, and Leo McKern as the villainous Harry Bundage. But, the young Jodie Foster steals the show with her already-apparent acting skill. The story is good too, with enough to keep both kids and adults entertained. An enjoyable film full of a lot of fun and heart.

CANDLESHOE is a fun-filled adventure from Disney with Jodie Foster leading the cast of veteran actors. This was Foster's second Disney movie of 1977 (the other being the delightful FREAKY FRIDAY). The story is based on Michael Innes' book "Christmas at Candleshoe".

The movie opens with feisty orphan Casey (Jodie Foster), who is convinced by slimy opportunist Harry Bundage (Leo McKern) to pose as the long-lost granddaughter of Lady St. Edmund (Helen Hayes). Once inside Lady St. Edmund's Candleshoe estate, Casey must find the valuable treasures hidden there. With some 'help' from ex-housekeeper Grimsworthy (Vivian Pickles), Casey is given the first clue to finding the loot, but soon her loyalties are put to the test when she grows fond of Lady St. Edmund and her family of orphan children (Veronica Quilligan, Ian Sharrock, Sarah Tamakuni and David Samuels).

David Niven also puts in a delightful performance as Lady St. Edmund's faithful butler Priory, a man of many guises! Disney's attempt at an ANASTASIA-style adventure mystery is one of their finest movies of the late 70's. Jodie Foster gives an amazing performance as cynical street-urchin Casey. Helen Hayes, as always, offers a touching portrait of comedy and wisdom as Lady St. Edmund. Leo McKern and Vivian Pickles are hilarious as grasping villains Bundage and Grimsworthy.

The movie is presented in pleasing 16:9 enhanced widescreen. Sadly, no extras to speak of. Originally released by Anchor Bay, now being distributed under the Walt Disney banner proper.

I remember the first time I saw Candleshoe. It was shown on a lazy Sunday afternoon on FOX. I was about 12 years old, a little jaded perhaps for the nature of this movie, but my age did in no way diminish the pure pleasure at seeing a young Jodie Foster triumph over obstacles. She was spunky and beguiling and instantly became my hero. I'm so glad that it has been re-released. A gem of a movie for kids of all ages!