The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 2

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

An eccentric but loving hillbilly couple share their ramshackle shanty with 14 of their 15 children in Universal Studios collection of the best of the Ma and Pa Kettle series of feature films. Presented in 1.33:1 full-frame and offering audio rendered in English Dolby Digital Stereo, the collection finally gives fans the opportunity to enjoy Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair, Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation, Ma and Pa Kettle at Home, and Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki on DVD. Extra features include theatrical trailers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: PCM Stereo
• Subtitle: French, Spanish, English
• Features:
  • Theatrical trailers

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

  Charles Barton, Charles Lamont, Lee Sholem

• Producer:

  Leonard Goldstein, Richard Wilson

• Screenwriter:

  John Grant

• Screen Story:

  Jack Henley

• Screenwriter:

  Richard Morris

• Screen Story:

  Martin Ragaway, Leonard B. Stern

• Screenwriter:

  Jack Henley, Kay Lenard, Harry Clark, Elwood Ullman

• Cinematographer:

  Maury Gertsman, George Robinson, Carl Guthrie, Clifford Stine

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Joseph E. Gershenson

• Composer (Music Score):

  Henry Mancini, Herman Stein

• Editor:

  Ted Kent, Leonard Weiner, Virgil Vogel

• Production Designer:

  Bernard Herzbrun, Eric Orbom, Robert F. Boyle

• Short Story Author:

  Connie Lee Bennett

REVIEW:

• Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair is possibly the best of the Ma and Pa Kettle series. Those who don't like the other entries in the series are unlikely to particularly enjoy this one to an appreciably greater degree, however, for Fair is to an extent simply more of the same. The difference is that there's somewhat more focused energy in the writing and direction. The jokes are still cut from the same cloth -- homespun humor, with pay-offs that can be seen coming from a country mile or more. But there's a slight quirkiness to their presentation, a bit more freshness to their set-up. Still, those who simply can't take a film in which cement and flour getting mixed up is the height of humor simply should look elsewhere right away. Fair has no more real depth than the other Kettle films, but there are a few quiet moments between Ma and Lori , or when Pa grows semi-serious for a brief spell, that give the actors something new to work with. By this point, Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride could have played these parts in their sleep, but as usual, they play them with a freshness, skill and professionalism that is commendable. The rest of the cast is fine, and Charles Barton's direction keeps things hopping. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi