Bill and Coo

I first saw this in a theater when I was small. I remembered it always, and when I taught a "movie sleepers" class, I finally acquired it in 16 mm. It stars mostly birds, but other animals as well, all trained for "Bill and Coo", a unique love story. You must still retain a very young soul to really get into this. "Charming" is often a sticky, say-nothing word, but not in the case of "Bill and Coo". It charms the viewer, and astounds--how DID they get all those birds to do those things?! A person must see this to believe it, but children beware: Adults should not be allowed to view this unless in the presence of children.

I saw this movie for the first time in a Spanish translation in Cuba, circa 1950. It was such memorable film that I never forgot it. I was about 10 years old at the time.

The trainers of the parakeets, love birds, and other creatures must have spent years to make this film! Bill and Coo, hero and heroine, are endearing. But the evil crow is the most wonderful villain a child could ever wish for. And the village idiot who saves the day is a real warm character.

In fact, each and every character seems to share human traits and personalities, thanks to the great editing, music, and narration of this charming movie. It should return to the video stores for new generations to enjoy.

A great film. Truly an overlooked gem. An 'All Bird' movie. And, it's not just for 'bird people'. It's got action, adventure, love and comedy. A film for everyone, although I myself would not let anyone under the age of 8 see it alone. The scene where to hotel's on fire and you can see all these birds flapping around through the windows, looking very convincingly panic stricken, is very real. It might be a good idea to be there just to assure the child that 'no, they're not going to hurt the birds, it looks like they're in danger but it's just 'acting'. Outside of that, it's a great film. Maybe kids are tougher these days, maybe I'm a bit 'out of touch', but it is something to consider. However, don't let that one little bit deter you from seeing this great movie. My wife and I catch it two or three times a year. We taped it when it was broadcast late at night by WLIW-Ch. 21, Garden City, New York. Good IL' PBS!

Like the review I gave for the other "lost gem", I think this movie is great! It's very weird and may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is highly entertaining and very fun to watch! If you are looking to find this film, it's available through the little link, or on odd sites -

definitely worth looking as they don't make movies like this anymore! If you ever get a chance to see this film, don't pass it up.

This film received a special Oscar for "patience and persistence." Not so remarkable in these days of CGI, but astonishing back then. There must have been bushels of outtakes, but the final story works fine with its many avian actors. The town of Chirpendale is rife with puns (such as a burlesque theater that features "beautiful gulls"), and some of the action seems a bit strange, but the story flows. The reason to see the film is to behold the "acting" of the incredibly trained birds.

Later animal films, such as "The Adventures of Milo and Otis" are more realistic, but the fantasy world of Chirpendale is internally consistent, and a lot of fun to visit.