Based on the late Al Capp's comic strip and adapted—with a minimum of change – from the 1956 Broadway play, and featuring many of the same actors, Li'l Abner is an enjoyable romp through 1956 morals and politics that has made many boomers' top-ten "guilty pleasures" list.

Reprising their roles from Broadway are Peter Palmer (the hunky-but-dumber-than-dirt Abner Yokum), Stubby Kaye (never better as Marryin' Sam), and Julie Newmar (the truly stupefying Stupefyin' Jones). Leslie Parrish took over from Edie Adams to play Abner's would-be wife Daisy Mae. Replacing Charlotte Rae in the role of Mammy Yokum was the pitch-perfect Billie Hayes (later "Witchiepoo" on TV's H.R. Pufnstuf; still beautiful, she may be contacted via her website at http://www.billiehayes.com). Billie, in her twenties at the time, was originally first choice to play Mammy on Broadway, but a prior commitment in New Faces of 1956 forced her to pass the role onto Charlotte Rae; both actresses were reportedly thrilled that Billie got to play the pugilistic Mammy for the film version.

Seldom in film have characters so perfectly resembled their comic-strip originals, and the sets – the film effectively mimics the artifice of the stage play – are a Technicolor delight.

The story – which hardly matters – concerns the poor Appalachian town of Dogpatch (Capp was once quoted as claiming it is supposed to be in Kentucky, although – like The Simpson's Springfield – the location was never officially specified). Determined to be the "most worthless town in America," Congress authorizes the Pentagon to use the area to test A-bombs (the current testing site being too close to the worthwhile town of Las Vegas).

In order to save the town, its residents must find something "valuable" about the place, finally deciding on Mammy's "Yokumberry tonic," made from the berries of the world's only Yokumberry tree that grows next to her cabin. Taking the tonic (and some Dogpatch men) to Washington for testing, Yokumberry tonic is discovered to change the scrawny, wormy men into 6'4" hunks; unfortunately, once transformed, the men "lose all interest in romance" (this is the 1950s, remember; for those who need further cuing, there is one scene where the Dogpatch men, now portrayed by bodybuilders, walk out of the laboratories shirtless and in trunks and flex in "Mr. America" poses; in the background, one of the men has his hand on the butt of the man next to him).

Joining in the plot are many secondary characters from the strip: Earthquake McGoon, the world's dirtiest alligator rassler (a dead ringer for Mickey Mouse's Pegleg Pete), who is competing with Abner for Daisy Mae's hand; Brooklyn sleazeball Evil-Eye Fleegle (in the credits played by "Al Nesor," although there is some controversy as to whether the actor is, in fact, M*A*S*H's Jamie Farr); Howard St. John reprising his Broadway role of industrialist General Bullmoose ("What's good for General Bullmoose is good for the U.S.A."), and Stella Stevens as his secretary (with the Bond-villainess-like moniker Appassionata Von Climax).

Film Synopsis:

When the hillbilly town of Dogpatch is chosen as a test site for A-bombs, its colorful citizens take up the good fight.

Technical

Video:	Widescreen 1.85:1 (Anamorphic)
Audio:	ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles:	English
Chapters:	14

The film's brilliant Technicolor has survived more or less intact -- some scenes are practically flourescent -- but some moments, particularly the first reel and at reel changes, show an instability in saturation. Although a moderate amount of care has been clearly taken in the transfer, it would have been preferable for the source material to be closer to the original; still, the presentation is artifact-free, and the DVD has a clarity and gloss that are demo-disk-worthy. Plus, of course, it is a pleasure to have this film in widescreen for the first time since its theatrical run.

The mono audio is clean, although somewhat lacking in bass response; considering the year of the film, however, this is likely intrinsic to the original soundtrack, and in no way hampers enjoyment of the movie.