“THAT WONDERFUL HAYLEY! a-flitterin' in a romantic whirl of her own!”
Mother Carey, a Bostonian widow, and her three children move to Maine. Postmaster Osh Popham helps them move into a run-down old house and fixes it up for them. It's not entirely uninhabited, though; the owner, Mr. Hamilton, is a mysterious character away in Europe, but Osh assures them he won't mind their living there, since he won't be coming home for a long time yet. The children and a cousin who comes to live with them have various adventures before an unexpected visitor shows up
Where to Watch
Streaming, rent and purchase options
Cast & Crew
Hayley Mills
Nancy Carey
Burl Ives
Osh Popham
Dorothy McGuire
Mrs. Margaret Carey
Deborah Walley
Julia Carey
Una Merkel
Mariah Popham
Eddie Hodges
Gilly Carey
Michael J. Pollard
Digby Popham
Peter Brown
Tom Hamilton
James Stacy
Charles Bryant
James Mathers
Peter Carey (as Jimmy Mathers)
O.Z. Whitehead
Mr. Perkins
Wendy Turner
Lallie Joy Popham
Harry Holcombe
Rev. Henry Lord
Hilda Plowright
Mary
Norman Leavitt
Hank Champlin, the barber (uncredited)
Jan Stine
Tad Perkins (uncredited)
Eddie Quillan
Boston Mailman (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns
Drinker (uncredited)
Ina Kent
Opal (uncredited)
Marcy McGuire
Ellen (uncredited)
Story & Production Details
Reviews & Thoughts
Another one to put in the 'meh' category of live-action Disney. <em>'Summer Magic'</em> isn't entertaining. You have Hayley Mills (Nancy), Burl Ives (Osh) and Dorothy McGuire (Margaret) all giving alright performances but most others things in this film are very plain. The musical numbers are forgettable, as is the overall premise and supporting cast under Mills, Ives and McGuire. I have most definitely seen worse from the studio, this is still at least watchable. Going back to the plot, it just feels a bit slapped together without much thought or solid connection. The film ends quite abruptly, too. 1963, it's safe to say, wasn't Disney's strongest year for live-action. This adds to the disappointments of <em>'Son of Flubber'</em>, <em>'Miracle of the White Stallions'</em> and <em>'Savage Sam'</em>. Here's hoping <em>'The Incredible Journey'</em> will conclude their releases from these twelve months on a high.
