Munster, Go Home!

I have to admit this one kind of had me reaching. Munster Go Home has our friendly Gothic cast from the television series going to the United Kingdom to claim the title of Lord Munster. Needless to say the guy who hoped he would inherit the title Terry-Thomas is not pleased. Neither of course is Lady Munster wannabe Hermione Gingold and their faithful retainer butler John Carradine. In fact Carradine's working an agenda all his own.

I'm still puzzling over how someone who was put together with old body parts can possibly claim any lineage for a title. But I think I'm being picky there.

Anyway Fred Gwynne, Yvonne DeCarlo, Al Lewis, and Butch Patrick from the television series all return for the feature film and Debbie Watson becomes the third actress to play Marilyn who thinks she's an ugly duckling because of the beautiful family she's from. The cruise to the other side of the pond should have made her rethink those notions as she sees everyone else on the ship and gets romanced by Robert Pine.

Nothing great here, but if you're a fan of the show you should like it.

I'm sure someone will correct this if it's wrong, but I think the title of this motion picture is a parody of the film title "Lassie Come Home," a picture also set in England, which introduced another, eventual, TV star to the world, that most intelligent of all collies, and one that was currently on television at that time.

Fred Gwynne, Yvonne de Carlo, Al Lewis and Butch Patrick are all on hand to reprise their roles from the black and white series, but here in full Paramount color. Plus we have Debbie Watson, perhaps best known for taking the movie series role of "Tammy" and bringing it to the small screen, here takes the role of niece Marilyn, played by Beverly Owen and Pat Priest on the show, to the big screen.

The plot is a stretch, even for this 1960s comedy - Herman inherits a piece of property in Great Britain and tows the family from Mockingbird Lane across the pond to claim it. Of course, the stiff upper lips that occupy said property are unamused and attempt to scare off the newcomers. But how does one scare a family of monsters?

To me, the most interesting thing about this film is seeing some long time actors and TV stars almost randomly turning up in this plot. Bernard Fox, Samantha's Warlock physician Dr. Bombay from "Bewitched" is here. Richard Dawson, who at the time was a star of "Hogan's Heroes" and eventually "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," long before his "Match Game" and "Family Feud" days is in the mix. And Robert Pine, who is best remembered as commanding officer to Ponch and Jon from "CHiPs" is a love interest for Marilyn!

The film really feels like two films are going on: our sitcom characters doing what they usually do (and there is a cross country auto race, with Herman driving the famed "Drag-u-la" vehicle - while the Munster Koach also makes a cameo), and then we have the locals just plotting how to rid themselves of these unwanted outsiders. Hermione Gingold, Terry-Thomas and a completely unrecognizable John Carradine as a manservant populate that group.

Tons of sight gags, typical sitcom dialog and all the slapstick you could want from what is basically an extended and full color episode of the series.

If you are a fan of the series this film is based on and most especially if you enjoyed that program more than the similarly themed series "The Addams Family," you should get a kick out of this film.

As a kid I loved the TV series "The Munsters", but don't ask me to choose between either "The Munsters" or "The Adam's Family". Both were staples of my childhood - watching reruns on the TV with my parents and sister. Now the films were a different story, as my memory of them were hazy at best. So it was like going in fresh.

Herman and his kooky family made their big-screen debut in a spin-off from the television series, "Munster, Go Home!". This sees the loveable family heading to England (studio back lot stand-ins) for an inheritance. However they face stiff opposition from their English cousins who will do anything to stop them from gaining the title of Lord Munster. As expected there are whacky hi-jinks, smarting one-liners and running gags around the stranger-than-life characters. From Herman's clueless actions to Lily trying to keep the family out of mischief and grandpa always finding himself in trouble with his clumsy experiments. In what feels like an extended episode with a change of scenery (well, sort of) and a budget matching its TV origins, but with that in mind it stays true to what made the TV series enjoyable by steering close to the familiarity of its madcap writing making the Munsters feel right at home. There are neat little in-jokes involving superstitious townsfolk, old dark house vibes and the DRAG-U-LA! Having the original cast (with the exception of the "ugly duckling" Marilyn Nunster played by Debbie Watson) made sure the authentic twitches, costume quirks and chemistry carried over with wonderful performances by Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis and Butch Patrick. Working across from them with perfect comic interplay are British character actors Terry-Thomas and Hermione Gingold.

After appearing in 57 of 70 television episodes as Marilyn Munster one would think Pat Priest would have been included in The Munster's FIRST feature length film. There was some lame excuse that she was too old, even though the film was released a year after the series' last episode. Debbie Watson gave a good performance in MGH, but I had a difficult time excepting her as part of the Munster clan.

This, however, did not detract from the film that Munster Charm that came to us for two wonderful seasons on The Munsters. I still loved the film in all its brilliant color. I've just purchased the First Season episodes on DVD and am very saddened and surprised to learn Munster Go Home, the DVD version, is currently out out of print. Munster Go Home is as enjoyable as the series and should be offered to all Munster fans of all ages to enjoy.

I remember seeing the movie when it came out on the silver screen over the Summer of 1966. We finally got to see the Munsters in living color. It was every fan's hope that the success of this movie would save the TV series from cancellation. Sad to say, the series was axed before the movie was released. And in spite of the crowds that paid to see the Munsters on the silver screen, the series remained in its canceled state. The Network execs had made up their minds and that decision was final! Debbie Watson was a cute and perky teenager. But casting her in a role that belonged to Pat Priest, was a big mistake that angered Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis. This choice also left many in the audience either puzzled or downright angry. I would imagine that this role also played a part in Debbie Watson's movie career, going the way it did (she retired from acting in 1972).

With all things considered, Debbie Watson played her role well.

The movie lived up to its claims. It was hilarious. It was everything that the TV series was, except that it was in living color (and there was no canned laughter). If you loved THE MUNSTERS, you'll love this movie!