The Boatniks

1970

Action / Comedy / Family

5
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 52% · 2 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 52% · 500 ratings
IMDb Rating 5.6/10 10 923 923

boat coast guard

Plot summary

Young and awkward, The Coast-Guard's ensign Thomas Garland suffers from the comparison with his late father, a war hero. Which does not prevent him from falling for pretty Kate Fairchild, a young woman who runs a sailing school. Of course the way he expresses his deep sympathy for the lady leaves to be desired. And the situation does not improve when a trio of bumbling jewel thieves interferes.

Director

Norman Tokar Photo
Norman Tokar

Top cast

Wally Cox Photo
Wally Cox as Jason
Florence Halop Photo
Florence Halop as Florence
Don Ameche Photo
Don Ameche as Commander Taylor
Norman Fell Photo
Norman Fell as Max
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
918.97 MB
1204*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 40 min
Seeds ...
1.67 GB
1792*1072
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 40 min
Seeds 2

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by mark.waltz 5 / 10

A boat desperately in search of a plot only partially sinks.

This Disney comedy is based more on situations rather than story, loosely utilizing a group of jewel thieves to create a minor conflict, overstuffed with a huge ensemble that nearly eclipses "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". Phil Silvers, from the cast of that comical blockbuster, walks away with this film, his smirking "How ya doin'" character easily stealing every scene he's in. His gang includes Norman Fell, Mickey Shaughnessy and Judith's Jordan, disguised in a geisha outfit yet obviously not Japanese.The unofficial leads are Stefanie Powers and Robert Morse, with the later playing a rather clumsy coast guard ensign, working with commander Don Ameche to break up the jewel smuggler's operation after finding out that Silvers and his cohorts are smuggling jewelery in kosher dill pickles, huge sausages and roasted chicken. There's a bunch of zany bits concerning nerdy looking Wally Cox who appears to be getting ready to sail to Tahiti with an all girl crew, and funny bits with elderly fisherman Al Lewis and his shrewish wife Florence Halop.The film is colorful and frequently amusing, but not in the laugh out loud way that I probably enjoyed when I saw it at a Saturday matinee when it first came out. The Balboa setting is gorgeous with tons of yachts trying to avoid collusion and a bunch of truly nutty characters that always populated these over-the-top Disney family comedies. Racial stereotypes may have some viewers cringing, but for me, the jokes mainly fall far too flat to really be offensive. Better writers and direction could have made this a lot better.
Reviewed by jazz_drummer60 7 / 10

The Boatniks

As the humor and some of the music is definitely dated, for those of us who are old enough to remember low tech and simpler times as well as cleaner comedy,or seeing films like this at the theater this movie will hold up. However younger people raised in the digital age special effects, laptops i Pads/i Pods and cell phones and simple minded Humor of films and TV shows such as Jackass and Horror fare like Saw will not enjoy this film at all. There are parts of the film that are a little slow and maybe some better editing would have been beneficial, with that said it is funny and enjoyable. Some of the best comedic moments are provided by Dom Ameche no doubt, Robert Morse I always enjoyed in films and Phil Silvers, Norman Fell and Mickey Shaughnessy can't be beat for funny and really inept thieves! Also worth mentioning is Wally Cox, always on the boat with the girls and the parties..it's a shame that his role couldn't have been expanded on a bit, his comedic timing would have added something. What is irritating in the section of bloopers etc.. there is no sound, just dubbed in music. It would have been interesting to hear the sounds of those instead of the music. The locations are beautiful of course as is Stephanie Powers,and cool cars to see on the road then. The film is a bit of a time capsule that shows how much has changed in the filming locations,and the times. For a Disney Film it is an oddity,it is more of a film for adults, I couldn't see small children sitting still for this, not quite what you would expect from the Disney Studios. I am sure were in a Transition period after the 1966 passing of Walt Disney, who if he had a hand in it might have been an entirely different film. I am happy to have it in my DVD Collection for a lot of reasons, it does bring back memories of a time that has gone by. Also if you are a fan of boating it really hits the mark. After watching it you almost want to go down to the marina and hop in a boat.
Reviewed by TheFearmakers 7 / 10

Bumble vs Humble

Like THE APPLE DUMPLING GANG five-years later, Disney juggles two stories in one with wacky villains and a kindheart4ed underdog in a World War II hero's son taking over a West Coast/Coast Guard headed by strict Don Ameche bossing the short, pudgy, gap-toothed Robert Morse...Way too quickly hooked up with gorgeous sailing instructor Stefanie Powers, who rents vessels to three bumbling jewel thieves headed by Phil Silvers flanked by a cautious Norman Fell and dimwitted Mickey Shaughnessy...Who take up most of the film, NOT in trying to sail to Mexico but attempting to recover the treasure where they accidentally dropped it in the bay...Thus providing Morse a chance to prove he's isn't a flake, which is strange since, as the film's "jinxed" lead, he's really not all that clumsy or unlucky...Meanwhile the best scenes ultimately become the slowest as the crooks keep ahead of their pursuers using a stolen mini submarine in a 100-minute comedy that should've been a sparse 80...But, overall, the most enjoyable aspect is visual as in bikinis and tan shirtless souls on yachts and sailboats under So Cal's groovy 1970's sunshine: A freedom long gone.
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