Those Calloways (1964)
Overview
Story of Cam Calloway and his family, who live in a densely wooded area in New England. Cam dreams of building a sanctuary for the geese that fly over the area each year, and he tries several schemes to buy a nearby lake for this santuary. He is thwarted at every attempt, it seems; he and his son try to get enough furs from their trapping venture to get the money, but the bottom falls out of the fur market. He uses the little money they get for a down payment on the lake, thereby losing their house when he can't make the mortgage payment. They move to the lake, where their friends help them build a cabin. A salesman stops in town, and tries to get the people to sell their land for a tourist venture; Cam is outraged at his tactics and takes desperate measures after he himself is tricked.
Cast
Brian Keith
Cam Calloway
Vera Miles
Lydia (Liddy) Calloway
Brandon De Wilde
Bucky Calloway
Walter Brennan
Alf Simes
Ed Wynn
Ed Parker
Linda Evans
Bridie Mellott
Philip Abbott
Dell Fraser
John Larkin
Jim Mellott
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r96sk
Bland. It's a film that slowly creeps through its 131 minute runtime.
I do really like Brian Keith as an actor, but he really did get the more lamer Disney films didn't he? <em>'The Parent Trap'</em> aside, all of his others with the studio up until this point are marginally good at best; despite Keith's talent.
<em>'Those Calloways'</em> is poorly paced and doesn't have any truly lovable characters. The shtick with the main family is that they are opposed to hunting, yet their whole thing is hunting in itself. Sure, they're doing it for differing reasons, but it's hardly a massive gap - it's not like the film portrays them as disliking it either.
As for the cast, Keith is the best on display as Cam. Brandon deWilde (Bucky), Ed Wynn (Ed) and Walter Brennan (Alf) are fine. All of the antagonists are forgettable, though. Considering how long the film goes on for, they hardly do anything with the exception of one moment. There's a few scenes which could've done with some music too, particularly ones involving Bucky and Whit (Tom Skerritt).
There is definitely a good message attempted, but it kinda falls flat unfortunately. This isn't one I'd recommend, even if it isn't terrible.
