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Candleshoe (1977)



Originally released - 16 December 1977
Director <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0865709/">Norman Tokar</a>

Main Cast
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000149/">Jodie Foster</a> - Casey Brown
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0371040/">Helen Hayes</a> - Lady St. Edmund
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0571674/">Leo McKern</a> - Harry Bundage
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000057/">David Niven</a> - Colonel Dennis/Mr. Gipping/Mr. Priory/John
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0703618/">Veronica Quilligan</a> - Cluny
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0789330/">Ian Sharrock</a> - Peter
<a>Sarah Tamakuni</a> - Anna
<a>David Samuels</a> - Bobby
<a>Vivian Pickles</a> - Grimsworthy


Based on the novel "Christmas at Candleshoe" by Michael Innes</center>

Fourteen-year-old Casey Brown (jodie Foster) is a tough, street-smart, parentless tomboy who is suddenly taken by a local detective to meet Harry Bundage (Leo McKern), a mysterious and somewhat sinister Englishman. Bundage has evidence that Casey might be Lady Margaret Courtney, fourth marchioness of a great country estate called Candleshoe, who vanished in infancy after her parents died. Intrigued by his story, Casey agrees to cooperate with Bundage and his scheming plan to unlock the secret to a fortune of gold hidden somewhere in Candleshoe. After meeting the butler, Priory (David Niven), and Lady Gwendolyn St. Edmund (Helen Hayes), Casey's intentions begin to change and her stay at Candleshoe turns out to be a lot more than she bargained for! CANDLESHOE is an exciting adventure brimming with high action and that special kind of quality called "heart."
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I loved this film after the first time I saw it, which was only a couple of years ago. Without a doubt one of the strongest of the films from Disney’s 1970s output. It’s just a perfect mixture of everything. The film starts out with a slightly sinister overtone as the parentless Casey in approached by the old conman bundage to con an old English woman who’s been desperately searching for her long lost granddaughter. As they travel to England, they’re in it for the money and when they successfully get Casey into Candleshoe manor making the old woman believe that this is her real granddaughter, so that she can sneak around the house trying to solve the clues in order to find the legendary hidden treasure.

However as Casey settles in, the film changes tack and the comedy starts flowing, and we realise that there is a certain amount of eccentricity about Candleshoe. With adopted children an unlikely family has formed and with Lady St. Edmund oblivious to the lack of money there is to run Candleshoe, Priory the butler runs around pretending to be all of the gardner and the dead Colonel Dennis in order to fool the old bat into thinking more people are around then there are, leading to some of the film’s daft comic charm.

Jodie Foster is great as the main character and you never quite know what her intentions are, and you can see her trying to decided whether to stay loyal to Bundage or Lady St. Edmund. Coming the year after ‘Freaky Friday’ and ‘Bugsy Malone’, this was probably the height of her early career, whilst still in looking like she could convincingly play a boy! Supported by David Niven and Helen Hayes it’s a great cast.

Why I think this film stands out from the majority of other 70s Disney films is that unlike most others which are 90 minutes of bizarre comic antics, this film has that but with a much stronger story and meaning. I also love the way you’re left wondering as to whether Casey really is her granddaughter or not, it’s up to the viewer to think of how it is. Part mystery, part comedy, part action with intrigue, betrayal and a chase scene at the climax with a train, could you ask for more? Well for those of you that do there’s even a cameo from Pooh and Piglet!
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Next time: The Incredible Journey

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I agree with everything said. Of course with the return of Mr Swift as writer, he knew the Disney style- and delivered. I wonder why this movie seem somewhat of an unknown.

PS. Glad to be back and reading UD again.

I just bought this on Labor Day Weekend (Best Buy offered it for $9.99.), and watched it the day I bought it.

I had NEVER seen it before. Over the last few months, I had my eye on it, and had read in 1 or 2 places that it was an enjoyable movie. I'm certainly glad I bought it.

I enjoyed the movie, and hope that my daughters (ages 10 and will find it entertaining, too.

I could have spent more time pondering the movie before answering the poll, but didn't. I was somewhere between voting 3 and 4, then finally voted with a '3'.

I really enjoyed it, and I feel it deserves more than a middle score, but wasn't ready to commit a higher rating, maybe because I've only watched it once. For '5' and '4' Disney movies, I think of my personal and nostalgic favorites of Pollyanna, So Dear to My Heart, Mary Poppins, The Happiest Millionnaire, The North Avenue Irregulars, etc.

Mouseketodd wrote:I could have spent more time pondering the movie before answering the poll, but didn't. I was somewhere between voting 3 and 4, then finally voted with a '3'.

I really enjoyed it, and I feel it deserves more than a middle score, but wasn't ready to commit a higher rating, maybe because I've only watched it once. For '5' and '4' Disney movies, I think of my personal and nostalgic favorites of Pollyanna, So Dear to My Heart, Mary Poppins, The Happiest Millionnaire, The North Avenue Irregulars, etc.

I understand, I was hovering around a 3.5 but decided to be generous and went for a 4

Whist the film it very enjoyable and has many reasons to be liked, it does fall short somewhere at the core. Perhaps this is more era-related the cast/crew releated. The seventies film do often have a blandness to them, a feeling of repetition. Whilst Candleshoe does break the largely used 70s Disney movie mould, one does get the sense it at least sat in it for a short period.