Ross Care BON VOYAGE (1962) is a curious, mildly entertaining live-action Disney artifact about a typical American family's long awaited trip to France, and an odd attempt at semi-sophisticated comedy from a studio not exactly known for the genre.In the mom-and-pop leads are the Disney period Fred MacMurray, a long way from DOUBLE INDEMNITY, and the ex-Mrs. Reagan, Jane Wyman, whose dignity manages to hold up better than Fred's. As the two sons we have Disney protégés Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran in a relatively tolerable appearance, and Disney maverick, Tommy Kirk, in a buzz cut that does nothing for him.For the young love interest daughter Deborah Walley and cynical playboy Michael Callen (Riff in the original stage cast of WEST SIDE STORY) are re-teamed after 1961's GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN. As Callen's expatriate mother Jessie Royce Landis does her best to bring a touch of giddy sophistication to her Paris soirée sequence.Around this time they used to say Disney got their live-action performers on the way up (Julie Andrews) or the way down (most of the cast here). It's also somewhat difficult to gage the target audience - adults, teens, family? - because there's not much here to hold a child's interest.Certainly interesting is the authentic (if brief) footage of vintage ocean liners and their NYC piers (including a comically confused boarding and departure sequence), and location shots of an early '60s Paris.Most curious sequence: MacMurray meeting what is subtly coded as a Paris street walker, played by the authentically French and rather grave Françoise Prévost, who seems to have inexplicably wandered in from a Godard film. Later she also picks up Kirk, an encounter dad is quick to defuse.So it's no spoiler to mention that American Family Values triumph at the end in spite of a climactic trip to the decadent French Riviera. On the plus side the film presents a generally positive, even admiring view of French life and culture.And Bunuel and Dali would surely love the extended sequence in which Fred MacMurray's wiggling finger protrudes from a street level Paris sewer lid.

bkoganbing I guess a trip to France is as good a reason as any to be in a film and Walt Disney took a whole bunch of American players over to France to film a rather innocuous and over long comedy Bon Voyage. Everybody here has done much better work.The Willard Family of Terre Haute consisting of parents Fred MacMurray and Jane Wyman and kids Deborah Walley, Tommy Kirk, and Kevin Corcoran all head to Paris on a long anticipated vacation. Each of them has some issues to deal with.MacMurray just can't seem to do what he wants to do, some family crisis is always interrupting. Walley has fallen for American playboy Michael Callan who is dying to get out from under his rich dowager mother Jessie Royce-Landis. Wyman has attracted the attention of a gigolo in Ivan Desnys. Kirk is having the old badger game run on him by Georgette Anys, the mother of a girl he met on the Riviera beach. Only Kevin Corcoran seems to have no problems, but he gets separated from MacMurray in a tour of the Paris sewer system. That by the way provides the best laughs in Bon Voyage.Given the Disney parameters Bon Voyage had certain restrictions placed on it that the more successful National Lampoon's European vacation didn't have. That was a far better film and the Griswolds will linger in your memory way after the Willards have gone.In a recent biography of Fred MacMurray, Tommy Kirk did not have fond memories of the film. His sexuality had come to light at the studio and Jane Wyman treated him horribly. As for Fred MacMurray he and Fred had a decent relationship from previous films, but it was never quite the same after that. In addition Kirk felt his character was something of a doofus and I'm inclined to agree with him.Even with the European locations Bon Voyage is probably the weakest of all the films Fred MacMurray did for Disney.

moonspinner55 Excruciatingly long and tedious comedy-drama from Walt Disney concerning "typical" Midwestern family on vacation in Europe. There's the worrisome father (Fred MacMurray, acting befuddled, like Jimmy Stewart); the giddy mom (Jane Wyman, dignified but dulled-out); the cold-fish daughter; the too-cool teenage son (in ascots!); and the mischievous little brother (named Skipper!). Directed by Disney mainstay James Neilson, whose pacing was always a little slow, the film is not only out-of-touch, but hammy and unfunny. It would make a torturous double-bill alongside another Disney teens-and-their-parents tale, "Superdad". * from ****

Itsamoomoo This turned out to be a good movie. Fred MacMurray and Jane Wyman finally take the European trip they've always dreamed of, including taking their three children along. Tommy Kirk and Doborah Walley are their teen-aged children and bring along their romantic escapades. On location shooting make for a better than average Disney film. Saw this on the Disney channel.