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Sorry, this movie sucks

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

I watched this film several times on television before I finally came to love it. I have come to measure films on their own terms, not necessarily my idealized ones. The movie is extravagantly playful with polemical outbursts and subtle undertone as well. The image of the town doctor with a pacifier is, perhaps, my favourite icon, a simple, silly, but funny one. How being on the cover of a national news magazine trumps realization by the pastor of how shallow the town is a lovely motif. I liked the pastor's desire to serve in Dearborn, Michigan as a desirable goal. I think that Pippa Scott's character defines the reality behind the story. Her pastor's wife is a fine work. Again, this is a movie I did not see when it was first released and would not have seen. That was my loss; for what it is, this is fine entertainment. Tgibbs279 gets this one right on target.

I can't believe that people rated this as the "funniest movie they had ever seen". It was not funny and moved so slowly that we just couldn't make it to the end. That is the biggest benefit of watching movies at home, you have complete control of the off switch.Dick van Dyke was definitely a misfit as a priest. His "goose step" jogging was about his funniest part and I'm not sure that wasn't his natural gait. Bob Newhart also was miscast. I kept waiting for him to be funny, but it didn't happen.If you record this from the "old movie" TV channels, keep your finger on the STOP button. You won't be able to hold out long.

The evil cigarette magnets (and in this movie they are definitely shown as being evil) have a plan. They want to increase business by denouncing, in a way, smoking. This sounds a lot like all the sick ads we see and hear from the "concerned folks at Philip Morris" that encourage us to kick the habit--yeah, sure! Anyways, back to the plot. The cigarette execs figure that a publicity stunt that makes them appear nice and kind will pay off but what exactly this stunt will be is the question. Finally, they hit upon the idea of trying to convince America that they really want our health to come first and offer any town a huge sum of money ($25,000,000) to give up and remain tobacco-free for one month. They figure it makes them look good AND no city could ever really give up tobacco--thus convincing people that addiction is inevitable.The little town of Eagle Rock, Iowa decides to accept the challenge. No matter how difficult it will be, they need the money and the 4000+ residents imagine all the wonderful things the money could buy. However, not everyone is so excited about the idea and compliance COULD be a problem. So, the town council organizes everyone to police each other AND they later decide to let the Christopher Mott Society (a local right-wing paramilitary group) to patrol the city and its borders. That's because once the month begins, people come pouring in from across the nation. Some come because it's become a media event (complete with Bob and Ray being on hand to report the happenings) and some because they are evil stooges working FOR the tobacco companies to make sure the people DO smoke (lead by Bob Newhart).What I particularly liked was how crazed people became over time. Barnard Hughes was the most likely to begin smoking and his hysterics around trying to find a smoke were hilarious. The preacher, played by Dick Van Dyke, dealt with it by developing a new addiction--as he began making more and more frequent trips home to make whoopie with his wife! And, the Christopher Mott society began to get very scary--treating their job like it was the ultimate battle between Democracy and Communism! In other words, if you smoke or try to get others to smoke, you are the ENEMY and must be stopped at all costs! In particular, I adored the performance of 81 year-old Judith Lowry as they incredibly over-zealous member who wanted to "shoot Commies". You may just remember her as they horrible but hilarious "Mother Dexter" from the Phyllis Show (1975).As the days tick by, the tobacco companies become more and more nervous that the city MIGHT win the challenge--thus convincing people all across the country and even the world that they, too, can stop smoking. So, Bob Newhart's devious plans get wilder and wilder. Ms. Lowry spots his antics and decides Newhart is DEFINITELY a Commie spy! At the very end, Newhart is going to release tons of cigarettes onto the town square just BEFORE the deadline--knowing someone MUST be too overcome to resist. And, as he's releasing the cigarettes Ms. Lowry shoots him! And, in spite of this, the people are too into the moment to even care. In the end, after they won the 25 million, you see garbage and cigarettes strewn everywhere--as well as the still bleeding Bob Newhart! Everyone has gone home and no one thought to call an ambulance or administer help! A very creative and energetic film. While some of the jokes fall a bit flat here and there, the film is so much fun it's well worth seeing.

A tobacco company gives out an announcement--they will give 25 million dollars to any town where everybody stops smoking for 30 days. They figure no town can do this and it will give their company free publicity. The pastor (Dick van Dyke) of a VERY small town called Eagle Rock convinces the townspeople that they need the money and can stop smoking. Will they make it? I saw this as a kid (I was 9) at a Saturday matinée with a theatre full of kids my age. We hated it! I remembered the movie and the message but when you're 9 you want action and adventure. We were bored and restless. Seeing it again over 30 years later I like it a lot. It's not a film for kids but a satire for adults. The movie is actually pretty funny (seeing everybody trying to give up smoking is great) and the cast is fantastic. I was never a fan of van Dyke but I must admit he was very good in this movie. His character is not perfect--he's somewhat cold and cynical (especially to his wife) and van Dyke pulls it off. Barnard Hughes is hysterical as a doctor who almost goes crazy trying to give up smoking. It's also fun seeing Jean Stapleton in a (somewhat) serious role and using her normal voice. And Bob Newhart is amusing as a tobacco company executive.Some of the comedy doesn't work--the jokes about Walter Cronk (obviously doing Walter Cronkite) will go over the heads of younger viewers and I could have lived without the little old lady swearing (quite a bit for a PG film). I also found the ending VERY depressing (but that's sort of the point) and the fate of three characters is left up in the air. This bombed in its initial release but it was probably a little too strong for its time--I think it plays very well today. Worth catching.