I doubt we'll ever see a revival of the play by Maurice Maeterlinck on a professional stage unless some writer with fond memories of either screen version decides to take on the challenge and risk. This version was a huge bomb in 1976, just as the original was a disappointment and pretty much ended Shirley Temple's box office reign.
This is a treat for the eye, but for the ear is another story. Revoltingly bad songs are tossed weakly into a depressing script about the hunt for the blue bird of happiness, a gift for an ailing neighbor whom we hardly get to see, and a cast of stars can't hide the fact that outside of their paid trip to Russia to make this, it's a bad trip with little chance of recovery.
Topping the list of cameo stars is Elizabeth Taylor, playing four roles, thus getting the most footage. She's the stern mother, the Glinda like queen of light, a haggard witch, and later maternal love. Jane Fonda is her rival, the queen of night, conspiring with the cat (Cicely Tyson, purrfectly cast) to prevent the children from finding the blue bird. Ava Gardner is fun as Luxury, representing humanity's lust for material belongings, and seems delighted with showing off all of humanity's vices. Gardner outshines Taylor acting wise as she's playing the part, not just dress-up.
George Cole, as the dog, is more of a dancer, but I wonder how the original choice, James Coco, could have been, being closer to the Eddie Collins portrayal. Some of Russia's greatest ballet dancers appear in major dancing roles, particularly those representing bread, milk and the very flamboyant sugar. The children (Todd Lookinland and Patsy Kensit) manage to seem real and feisty without being cloying.
Interspersed amongst the weirdness are some truly touching moments, such as a brief scene with the children's late grandparents, Mona Washburn and Will Geer, a sentimental moment that will have viewers of all ages pining for a moment with their own deceased elder relatives. But then, there's Fonda's caves of secrets, like something out of Dr. Seuss or Hercules's visits to Hades. It's easy to see why this flopped big time because for the age group it was intended for, it is far too high brow and pretentious, with aging legendary director George Cukor giving the old MGM try and not realizing that less would have made this much more.
This is a treat for the eye, but for the ear is another story. Revoltingly bad songs are tossed weakly into a depressing script about the hunt for the blue bird of happiness, a gift for an ailing neighbor whom we hardly get to see, and a cast of stars can't hide the fact that outside of their paid trip to Russia to make this, it's a bad trip with little chance of recovery.
Topping the list of cameo stars is Elizabeth Taylor, playing four roles, thus getting the most footage. She's the stern mother, the Glinda like queen of light, a haggard witch, and later maternal love. Jane Fonda is her rival, the queen of night, conspiring with the cat (Cicely Tyson, purrfectly cast) to prevent the children from finding the blue bird. Ava Gardner is fun as Luxury, representing humanity's lust for material belongings, and seems delighted with showing off all of humanity's vices. Gardner outshines Taylor acting wise as she's playing the part, not just dress-up.
George Cole, as the dog, is more of a dancer, but I wonder how the original choice, James Coco, could have been, being closer to the Eddie Collins portrayal. Some of Russia's greatest ballet dancers appear in major dancing roles, particularly those representing bread, milk and the very flamboyant sugar. The children (Todd Lookinland and Patsy Kensit) manage to seem real and feisty without being cloying.
Interspersed amongst the weirdness are some truly touching moments, such as a brief scene with the children's late grandparents, Mona Washburn and Will Geer, a sentimental moment that will have viewers of all ages pining for a moment with their own deceased elder relatives. But then, there's Fonda's caves of secrets, like something out of Dr. Seuss or Hercules's visits to Hades. It's easy to see why this flopped big time because for the age group it was intended for, it is far too high brow and pretentious, with aging legendary director George Cukor giving the old MGM try and not realizing that less would have made this much more.