top actresses

Jodie Foster is Casey Brown and is billed as the star of this movie. However, the stellar performances by David Niven as four different characters and Helen Hayes as Lady St. Edmund are what make this movie enjoyable.

Casey Brown is a juvenile delinquent who lives in America, where Harry Bundage (Leo McKern) discovers her. It seems that Casey resembles the granddaughter of Lady St. Edmund, which would thus give her access to the St. Edmund estate, Candleshoe. We learn that Lady St. Edmund, her staff of one (David Niven), and a host of orphans are living in near poverty themselves, barely making ends meet. However, there may be a long lost treasure somewhere in Candleshoe if it can be discovered.

At first, Casey is more than happy to seek clues to the treasure. However, Bundage consistently mistreats her at the same time that Lady St. Edmund treats her well, and Casey responds to that treatment by helping Lady St. Edmund, Mr. Priory (Niven) and the other children locate the treasure on the eve of everyone being forced to leave the house because they are unable to pay the taxes.

This movie contains a number of very good scenes. There is a chase scene between a car and a train as Lady St. Edmund, Mr. Priory and the children track down a clue. In another scene Mr. Priory, in the role of Colonel Dennis, is challenged to ride a horse when he can barely ride. Some of the minor scenes are also interesting, including a couple of scenes in the library, and a scene in a graveyard.

This movie is a perfect family movie because it combines a number of humorous moments with family friendly tension. There are a couple of fight scenes, but they are relatively mild. I think with adult presence children of any age should be able to watch this movie. The final scene in the movie is an extended fight that ultimately leads to a valuable discovery.

Unfortunately, Disney has chosen again to release this movie in full screen format only. We have this movie because we enjoy watching it, and will watch it again, but Disney should release this movie once more in wide screen format. Until then, we will have to be satisfied with the full screen format. I just hope this is not a Disney marketing ploy.

CANDLESHOE is a fun-filled adventure from Disney with Jodie Foster leading the cast of veteran actors. This was Foster's second Disney movie of 1977 (the other being the delightful FREAKY FRIDAY). The story is based on Michael Innes' book "Christmas at Candleshoe".

The movie opens with feisty orphan Casey (Jodie Foster), who is convinced by slimy opportunist Harry Bundage (Leo McKern) to pose as the long-lost granddaughter of Lady St. Edmund (Helen Hayes). Once inside Lady St. Edmund's Candleshoe estate, Casey must find the valuable treasures hidden there. With some 'help' from ex-housekeeper Grimsworthy (Vivian Pickles), Casey is given the first clue to finding the loot, but soon her loyalties are put to the test when she grows fond of Lady St. Edmund and her family of orphan children (Veronica Quilligan, Ian Sharrock, Sarah Tamakuni and David Samuels).

David Niven also puts in a delightful performance as Lady St. Edmund's faithful butler Priory, a man of many guises! Disney's attempt at an ANASTASIA-style adventure mystery is one of their finest movies of the late 70's. Jodie Foster gives an amazing performance as cynical street-urchin Casey. Helen Hayes, as always, offers a touching portrait of comedy and wisdom as Lady St. Edmund. Leo McKern and Vivian Pickles are hilarious as grasping villains Bundage and Grimsworthy.

The movie is presented in pleasing 16:9 enhanced widescreen. Sadly, no extras to speak of. Originally released by Anchor Bay, now being distributed under the Walt Disney banner proper.

I BELIEVE, AS I AM SURE MOST OF THE OTHERS DO, THAT DISNEY SHOULD PUT IN WIDESCREEN EVERY DVD THEY SHOULD ATTEMPT TO SELL. THEY NEED TO RESTORE EVERY SINGLE ONE AS WELL, IF IT IS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD. NO ONE CAN TELL ME THAT THEY CAN NOT AFFORD IT, WITH ALL THEIR THEMEPARKS AND SUCH. I WILL CONTINUE TO BUY THESE INFERIOR DVDS HOWEVER, AS THEY HAVE A NASTY HABIT OF RIPPING THESE AWAY FROM PUBLIC VIEW FOR MANY YEARS AT A TIME. THESE FILMS ARE FAR BETTER THAN THE APPALLING, SOMETIMES VULGAR, TRASH THAT THE DISNEY NAME NOW OFTEN REPRESENTS ITSELF WITH. FOR SHAME. I WOULD BOYCOTTALL DISNEY ITEMS IF NOT FOR THE WONDERFUL FILMS OF YESTERYEAR. THE REMAKE OF THE PARENT TRAP IN ADDITION TO MULAN IN 1998, WERE THE LAST DECENT ONES, AND THEN THE MAGICAL WORLD OF DISNEY WAS NO MORE, PROBABLY GONE FOR GOOD. NO DOUBT SOME OF YOU AGREE.