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The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964), one of the finest family fish stories ever produced in Hollywood, was Don Knotts's breakthrough to big-screen stardom after he made a name for himself as a regular on the Andy Griffith Show. Today, Limpet's a delight for its effective mixing of animation and live-action scenes into a coherent whole. The story casts Knotts as Henry Limpet, a bespectacled Brooklyn bookkeeper whose various physical shortcomings render him ineligible for the army, just as America's imminent entry into WWII is igniting patriotic fervor across the land. Furthering Henry's diminished sense of self worth is the bond between his brassy bride Bessie (Carole Cook) and best buddy George (Jack Weston) -- a sailor who seems a much better match for Bessie from the get-go. Soon after lamenting to his pet fish, "I wish I were a fish," Henry falls off a Coney Island pier and gets his wish. And what a fish: Henry retains his human intellect, and possesses a unique underwater roar (more a thrummm, actually) that enables him to help locate and destroy Nazi U-boats. Along for this heroic ride are such revered character actors as Andrew Duggan and Larry Keating as the officers who press Limpet into duty, while voice-acting giant Paul Frees (Boris Badenov) delivers some juicy lines as Henry's undersea buddy, Crusty the Crustacean. The Incredible Mr. Limpet falls somewhere between a curio and a classic; under the charming spell of the DVD's gorgeous image, it's tempting to make the case for the latter. Greg Fagan

All Movie Guide

In this amusing fantasy, a combination of live-action and animated effects, Don Knotts plays scrawny bookkeeper Henry Limpet, who longs to help the U.S. after the outbreak of World War II. He becomes depressed after being turned down by the Navy, particularly after his pal George (Jack Weston) is accepted. When Henry takes a walk on the Coney Island pier with his wife Bessie (Carole Cook), he falls into the water and is transformed into a fish, complete with his reading spectacles. Henry finally gets to help the war effort by helping to track down Nazi U boats for the Navy. Andrew Duggan and Larry Keating play the admirals who spearhead the secret mission involving the transformed Henry. Longtime Disney production associate John Rose was the producer of this film, and the influence of the animation is evident. Dan Pavlides

Product Details

• UPC: 085392278527
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Pan & Scan, Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital Mono
• Language: English, Español
• Subtitles: English, Français, Español
• Time: 1:39:00
• Sales Rank: 4,114

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Family - TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection

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