BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Steineded How sad is this?

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Josephina Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

johnstonjames i've never liked or approved much of redneck gourmet cook Heidi Wilson "The Huntress", but after seeing this piece of Christmas schmaltz, i couldn't really think of a better purpose for Rupert the Christmas squirrel.in the opening scene a actress and her agent come to see a old man who puts a Scottish kilt and outfit on a squirrel and makes it dance to his accordion. i pretty much related to the snobby actress who basically gives Rupert a look of disdain and boredom after his dance.to say that there is much better Christmas fare than this is a understatement. this not only was the stooooopidest Xmas flick i've ever seen, it is amongst the most tryingly inane movies i've ever seen. i usually like movies that are so bad they're good, but this one was so bad you just wanted to start screaming for mercy.i don't think squirrels are all that smart and talented. the beach front here in my town is infested with the nasty rodents and it ain't pretty. they run in and out of the rocks and they look malnourished and like they have rabies or something. i wouldn't wanna touch em. my friend, who by the way happens to love this stupid cheeseball of a movie, has some cuter, healthier looking squirrels in his backyard tree, but they ain't good for much except getting into the bird feeder and chasing away the birds. i think Rupert is probably worth half as much as the "real" thing and the "real" thing ain't much.the only thing i thought was salvageable about this hokey pokey was Jimmy Durante's rendition of "jingle Bells". at least Jimmy Durante was good for carrying the slack when Rupert couldn't.Rupert is a bad actor. i wouldn't even have him on a patty melt. i'm sure he would taste bad. like stinky, old Christmas candy from Christmas long past. pee-yew. there wasn't anything funny or cute about Rupert, he was just tedious and boring. he should have had more slapstick antics rather then trying to do God's work by being careless with other people's money. i usually like a religious element in film, but the idea that the good lord works miracles through Rupert approaches a kind of blasphemy of sorts. don't need no religious preachings from no mangy squirrel.i assure you your Christmas is better spent with Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown or whatever the heck gets you through the trying holiday season. only don't waste your time with Rupert, he will only try your patience and make you glad Christmas only comes once a year. no wonder chipmunks are more fashionable at Christmastime.

bkoganbing The Great Rupert besides being the first feature film of master Puppetooner George Pal is a pleasant, gentle, and innocuous family comedy about the innocent antics of a very smart squirrel and the changes he wreaks in a neighborhood. Ironically enough no one knows he's the responsible party right up to the highest levels of government.Rupert who is an animated squirrel courtesy of George Pal is a trained rodent by animal trainer Jimmy Conlin, but who can't sell the act to agent Chick Chandler and because of that he's evicted for lack of rent payment by landlord Frank Orth. As luck would have it another group of vaudevillians, the family Amendola which consists of Jimmy Durante, wife Queenie Smith and their daughter Terry Moore. Mainly because Orth's son develops big eyes for Terry, he rents them the place without a deposit nor hopes of getting one.But Rupert returns to his nest in the roof of that house and he causes miser Orth's fortune to fall upon the Amendolas, it's where the old skinflint stores his loot because he doesn't trust banks. Remember we were not too far from the Depression when many banks failed.I can't go any farther, but suffice it to say it all works out financially and romantically in the end. Along the way Jimmy Durante provides us with a couple of numbers in his unique style.The film is timeless in its humor, but it does show the age of the fashions involved. It probably could be remade today, I can see Steve Martin in Jimmy Durante's part.But not with the Schnozz.

johnc2141 I Had seen the great Rupert on a religious channel that has been showing all the great Christmas movies like scrooge,and the bishops wife.and i loved it.its somewhat a Christmas movie about a family led by the great Jimmy Durante.and a squirrel named Rupert that shares the same household.the great Rupert also stars the dazzling and beautiful; Terry Moore(mighty Joe young)who i think looks great in this movie,playing jimmy Durante's daughter.if you like sentimental comedies,you will love the great Rupert.i totally recommend it.if you spot it on DVD buy it.i hate myself for passing it up as a dollar movie a while back,but i see it again I'm grabbing it.although I'm not sure its a public domain movie,its well worth repeated viewings,I'm not giving away the plot.no spoilers here.all i can say is watch it,you will love it.and its the first movie produced by the late great George Pal.10 out of 10.

MARIO GAUCI Like BEYOND TOMORROW (1940; see my comments to that film), this is another little-known Yuletide flick which has been saved from public domain, colorized and retitled on its Fox DVD; in fact, not only was this originally shot in black-and-white but was named THE GREAT RUPERT after the amiable puppet of a kilt-wearing dancing squirrel who helps to realize the impoverished protagonists' recurring Christmas wish. In fact, Rupert proved to be the first creature animated for a feature-length film by famed sci-fi producer George Pal and is also notable as one of big-nosed multi-talented entertainer Jimmy Durante's best film vehicles.The story starts with down-and-out animal trainer Jimmy Conlin being evicted from his ramshackle apartment by miserly landlord Frank Orth but Conlin's squirrel soon returns to Conlin's old hide which is already occupied by the equally penniless acrobatic trio, the Amendolas played by Durante, Queenie Smith and Terry Moore. Predictably enough, Orth's ne'r-do-well musician son Tom Drake falls for Moore but is soon driven to distraction by the unwarranted attention the latter is receiving from visiting Broadway agent Don Beddoe looking to re-engage Conlin for his act. Meanwhile, Rupert himself is getting annoyed with Mr. Orth's storing his weekly stash of cash in his wooden house...Although George Pal's puppet effects are nicely enough done, "Schnozzle" Durante is practically the whole show here and, typically, he has a couple of numbers featuring his eccentric singing-and-piano-playing style. Actor/director Irving Pichel – who, apparently, also appears in the film as a "puzzled pedestrian" – hands the light material quite competently which makes this unassuming concoction a gently pleasing alternative to the usual Christmas fare.