And the Blue Ribbon Goes to "The Absent Minded Professor"

The following is a 1961 article from Box Office Magazine written by Velma West Sykes and titled "'The Absent Minded Professor' Wins May Blue Ribbon Award."

"National Screen Council Members chose Disney's 'The Absent Minded Professor ' for the May Boxoffice Blue Ribbon Award. This honors it as the most outstanding picture in the current release which is also good entertainment for the whole family. The rollicking comedy about a professor so absent minded he misses his own wedding several times, but comes up with the invention of 'flubber' which enables him to fly his own Model-T stars Fred MacMurray in the title role with costars Keenan Wynn, Nancy Olson and Tommy Kirk. The wacky story is helped by the unusual animation embellishments and the romantic angles finally come to a happy conclusion.

"The picture has already chalked up a fantastic 268 per cent of average business in first run reports from key city situations. The Boxoffice reviewer say it this way in the February 27 issue: 'Walt Disney follows up his blockbusting 'The Shaggy Dog' of 1959 with another modest-budget black-and-white live action comedy which bids fair to break records in 1961. All the popular ingredients are present; Fred MacMurray is again starred this time as a zany scientist who invents a rubbery substance he calls 'flubber', the screenplay by Bill "Shaggy' Walsh, based on a story by Samuel Taylor, is another fantasy in a small town setting and Robert Stevenson has directed in a broad Mack Sennett-like fashion which will have audiences howling as MacMurray's 'flubber' has people and an old flivver bouncing sky high.'


"Some Comments on Ballots
"NBC members commented in this fashion on their ballots.


"Delightfully wacky fantasy engenders considerable hilarity, especially in a truly remarkable basketball game. - Mrs. Harold E. Kerwin, Greater New Bedford (Mass.) Better Films Council... Probably one of the funniest pictures to come along in many and a day. It should be one of the big grossers of the year. - John P. Recher, Allied of Maryland, Baltimore.

"'The Absent Minded Professor' is the grandest bit of comedy-fantasy in years and the perect escape entertainment for all. - Clyde D. Moore, Columbia Dispatch … A winner from the first bounce. - Herb Kelly, Miami News... Fun for all the family. - Jay Monsen, Radio, KSUB, Cedar City, Utah.

"No problem of choice here - 'The Absent Minded Professor' is one of the most delightful films ever produced. - Mrs. W. Hayden Miller, San Antonio Motion Picture Board … In the best slapstick tradition and more for the entire family than some Disney films. - Ray Oviatt, Toledo Blade.

"He Was 'Flubbergasted'"Fun for the entire family. I was 'Flubbergasted.' - Art Preston, Teacher, Portland, Me … Science slapstick that is especially amusing in this science silly age. - Wayne Allen, Springfield (Ill.) Journal Register … Pass the flubber and we'll all have lighter spirits. - Alan Brannigan, Newmark News.

"In public acceptance 'The Absent Minded Professor' has no close contender. - C.F. Motley, Video Theaters Inc., Oklahoma City.

"Fun for all and doing fine business here. - Christina Gilliam, Atlanta Censor … This one I love. I even saw it twice a record previous held only by 'Gone With the Wind.' - Paul Hochuli, Houston Press.

"Great for both adults and Children Disney's formula for entertainment seems to be keyed to what the public wants. - A.B. Covey, Alabama Theatres Ass'n, Montgomery"

                


I agree with the assessment of this article. If you want good-hearted family entrainment, it is hard to do better than The Absent Minded Professor. I personally am a huge fan of the live action Disney movies of the 1950's, 60's and 70's and this movie perfectly shows why and it is no wonder. You have one of Disney's finest live action directors, Robert Stevenson (Mary Poppins, Darby O Gill and the Little People, Kidnapped, In Search of Castaways, Johnny Tremain, Old Yeller, The Love Bug, That Darn Cat!, The Gnome Mobile, Bedknobs and Broomsticks) and features Disney regulars Fred MacMurry, Tommy Kirk and Ed Wynn. Sure it is predictable and formulaic, but it is way to much fun to harp on that. It definitely outshines its 1997 remake, Flubber. So you if you are a Disney fan and haven't seen this, waste no time watch it now.

The Absent Minded Professor was also the very first Disney feature to get a sequel, 1963's Son of Flubber. Unlike today when all popular Disney movies get sequels back then Disney features rarely got them and this speaks to the success of this movie. That film would have the same cast and same director. Though it would not achieve the same heights as this first movie, it was delightful in its own way.

-Michael J. Ruhland