Customer Reviews

Congratulations, It's A Boy!

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

 

 

Swinging bachelor Johnny Gains (Bixby) one day learns that he fathered a boy 17 years ago when the bright eyed lad shows up at his doorstep. The mother has passed on and Johnny has some tough decisions to make and learns in the process that he has some growing up to do himself.

Lighthearted TV movie of the week goes by all too fast (clocking in at 73 minutes) and only superficially touches on an important subject. Bill Bixby is very likable (as always) and despite all the short cuts the film is quite enjoyable. Just don't expect too much.

One thing though. The DVD is not very good with heavy grain throughout and not even chapter stops. It's acceptable...just.

This made-for-TV movie was produced during the run of Bixby's "Courtship of Eddie's Father" series (1971), and serves as a great surprise. Expecting a somewhat sappy film, the contrary was true. The story was topical and timely even by 2008 standards, and Bixby's jaded character provides comical sarcasm at many turns. Television was still quite tame in 1971 (All in the Family would premiere in the summer of this year), and this movie must have aired with a warning due to the adult subject matter. Bixby must have embraced this temporary departure from his Mr. Corbett character on "Father." ... A pre-Happy Days Tom Bosley appears, and there are great ensemble performances all the way around.

Okay, the down side: this DVD is - expectedly - cheaply produced. BUT, there is not even a MENU. C'mon! I produce low-budget DVDs with a FRACTION of the capital of this company, and my DVD production blows this away. ... So, what you end up with is a film that plays in an endless loop with no chapters. Yes. Not fun. The only way to enjoy it is to commit to watching it. Thankfully, you can pause to take breaks. So... there are your "special features" in a nutshell...

The cast has no control over the DVD production, so I felt it important to rate on the content of the film. I'm a big fan of the late, very great, Bill Bixby. I imagine most who order this film will fall into the same category. If so, you'll love his character and interpretation. Bixby is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated actors of the late 20th century. He was bestowed with more charisma, sensitivity, and depth than most actors of any generation. I can't find anyone who comes close in all three of these categories in this era. Thankfully, there is a market for these DVDs.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I tuned in to watch this, but I knew that Bill Bixby would not disappoint. He played the part of the charming, immature swinger very well. He's such a fantastic actor and one of my favorites. I really appreciated the focus on the lifestyle differences between the father and son. BJ was raised a mild, small town boy, he goes to church, he doesn't drink or engage in casual affairs with women. In many instances B.J behaved more like a mature man than his father. It's a lesson that John painfully learns by the end when things start somewhat caving in on him. I liked John's parents, aside from being comic relief, their treatment of John shows us why he is so laid back about life and responsibilities. Sure it was frothy at times, perhaps it glossed over issues, but it was still just a TV movie of the week. I enjoyed this very much.

The late,great Bill Bixby rules as a swinging bachelor when a teenager who claims to be his child knocks on the door.It's a must see!!

This movie has the same actors/actresses in it as the weekly show so I took a chance thinking it may be about the same - not at all like the sequel. So I was disappointed.