IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

It could be argued that Dick Van Dyke was the most gifted comic actor of the 1960s. Combining the natural likeability of Jack Lemmon, the physicality of the silent clowns, and the song and dance skills of a vaudevillian, Van Dyke had more tools at his disposal than most of the film comedians of the time (such as Jerry Lewis, Peter Sellers, or Don Knotts). That’s why it’s a shame that he did not make more film comedies during his prime. Of course, I would not trade the television triumph of The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966) for a handful of film comedies, but I do wish Van Dyke had enjoyed better luck with his movie career after the show had ended. It isn’t hard to imagine a world where Dick Van Dyke had starred in a string of comedies, along the lines of those of Bob Hope or Danny Kaye. Since that is not the case, every film comedy that the actor did produce is precious.

Unfortunately, Van Dyke’s film career flagged in large part because most of the comedies he made in the 1960s were middling movies. Fitzwilly (1967) definitely falls in this category. It is a fairly pedestrian and predictable effort, which succeeds only through the efforts of a fantastic cast that deserve better material. Set during the Christmas season, the story centers around the domestic staff of the New York estate of Miss Victoria Woodworth (Dame Edith Evans). While the old girl sits in the lap of luxury, supporting various philanthropic causes, she is completely unaware that she is actually flat broke. The only way she is able to maintain her lifestyle is through a series of small heists and con jobs, masterminded by her head butler, Claude Fitzwilliam (Dick Van Dyke). This unusual enterprise is threatened when Miss Vicki hires a new secretary (Barbara Feldon), just as the domestics have begun the biggest caper of their careers.

Fitzwilly has often been described as “pleasant,” and that is a fitting description. It’s enjoyable enough, and I’m glad I watched it, but it will never be mistaken for one of the all-time great comedies. The Christmas setting is cheery, the Jerry Lewis-like color scheme is picturesque, and the direction is very good. However, the script isn’t nearly as clever as it wants to be, and the tone is a bit off. At times the film feels too lackadaisical in its pace, but when it tries to increase the energy, it tries a bit too hard. For example, the final heist scene is too wacky by half. It throws too much in the mix, including the worst comic drunk I have ever seen (and having once run a blog named “Booze Movies: The 100 Proof Film Guide,” I’ve seen more than my share of comic drunks).

The cast is the main reason to see the movie. Van Dyke is jovial and does the best with the material he is given. The film offers him a few opportunities to play in character disguises using foreign accents, which is fun, but it doesn’t give him much of a chance to display his physical comedy chops. In the love interest role, Barbara Feldon (on a break between seasons of Get Smart) is stuck playing the wet blanket for most of the movie. Then, half way through the film, she has to sell that she has fallen for Van Dyke’s character with very little motivation. It’s a testament to her talents that she manages to both remain likeable and make the scenes work, despite the screenplay’s undermining of her character. Happily, the movie is also peppered with familiar and reliable character actors, including the always-fantastic John McGiver, Noam Pitlik, John “Piglet” Fiedler, and Norman Fell. We even get to witness a very young Sam Waterston in one of his first featured roles. Supporting talent of that caliber can’t help but add zest to the proceedings.

One of the better aspects of the movie is the score composed by John Williams, back from the days when his onscreen credit was “Johnny Williams.” The score is jaunty and fits the colorful, family film atmosphere of the movie, giving an extra bit of life to some of the limp writing. However, the movie’s love song, “Make Me Rainbows,” that Williams co-wrote with lyricists Marilyn Bergman and Alan Bergman (of Yentl fame), is a bit of a dud.

All in all, Fitzwilly is a midrange 1960s comedy, which likely wouldn’t be remembered at all if it had a different cast. Still, Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon, John McGiver, and the rest of the players make Fitzwilly an enjoyable, cozy, and yes, “pleasant” watch. If you’re looking for something with a touch of Christmas around the holidays, and you’ve exhausted the more familiar titles, you could do a lot worse than Fitzwilly.

USA/C-102 m./Dir: Delbert Mann/Wr: Isobel Lennart (based on the novel A Garden of Cucumbers by Poyntz Tyler)/Cast: Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon, John McGiver, Edith Evans, Anne Seymour, Noam Pitlik, Anthony Eustrel, Sam Waterston, Helen Kleeb, Nelson Olmsted, John Fiedler, Norman Fell

For Fans of: This middling comedy is most likely to appeal to super-fans of Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon, or of Christmas movies in general.

Video: Kino Lorber released Fitzwilly on Blu-ray on August 17th. Just as Fitzwilly will never be confused with one of the great movie comedies, this Blu-ray will never be one used as a demonstration disc. Kino does the best with the scans they are provided, and the transfer here looks a bit aged and faded at times. There are also a few speckles that pop up occasionally. None of it looks bad. It just could have looked better, had the original studio given the film a fresh scan. Realistically, it probably did not make financial sense to give Fitzwilly a proper restoration, so this is likely the best the film will ever look on home video.

The lossless audio is strong. Dialogue and John Williams’ score sound fantastic.

The disc also includes an excellent audio commentary, which is probably the best reason to buy the disc. Here is the full list of supplements:

• NEW audio commentary by filmmaker/historian Michael Schlesinger and film archivist Stan Taffel: This special feature is one of the main reasons I decided to give this disc a spin. Michael and Stan’s audio commentaries are always relaxed, conversational, and informative. They can always be counted on to entertain, and in this case, I found their discussion more enjoyable than the film they are covering. The commentary runs the gamut from recounting anecdotes about the director, stars, and members of the crew, as well as discussing the qualities of the film, which they are more enthusiastic about than I am. It’s a great listen, as is to be expected from Michael and Stan.
• Original theatrical trailer
• Bonus trailers for the 1960s comedies The Fortune Cookie, The Art of Love, What’s So Bad About Feeling Good?, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Party, The Producers, and Lord Love a Duck.
• Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

Streaming: Fitzwilly is currently streaming as part of a subscription to Paramount+. It is also available for digital rental or purchase through Amazon, Vudu, and other services.

More to Explore: Dick Van Dyke followed up Fitzwilly with another caper comedy, Never a Dull Moment (1968), in which an actor known for playing gangsters on TV is mistaken for an actual gangster. It is another family comedy, and, in fact, it came from Disney’s live action division. However, it was directed by Jerry Paris, a veteran director (and co-star) of The Dick Van Dyke Show, and the film plays more to Van Dyke’s physical strengths. It’s a good example of what his comedy movie career might have been, if he had been handed a few better scripts.

Trivia: Both Cary Grant and Alec Guinness turned down the part of Claude Fitzwilliam before the producers considered Van Dyke.

For More Info: For more on the life and career of Dick Van Dyke, consult My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business: A Memoir by, who else, Dick Van Dyke.