Savannah Smiles (DVD, 2000)

Unless you were lucky (and old enough) to have seen this movie in the theaters when it was released in 1982 or some lazy Saturday afternoon on TV, you've missed out on a treat. The movie is the very definition of sweet and charming. Young Bridgette Anderson will win your heart and you'll even find room for the two bumbling kidnappers. Do yourself and your children a favor and watch this wonderful little movie.

This is a great flashback movie for those of us that saw it (many times) as a kid. However, it's also a good clean movie to watch with kids today. There are a couple of profanities that were very common in nearly all movies made around the same time, but nothing very harsh.
Savannah is adorable, the 2 bumbling crooks make it fun to watch, similar to the Apple Dumplin Gang, and it is just a very nice feel-good show to watch.
Some interesting trivia notes: As a kid, I always wanted to ride that tram at Bridal Veil Falls after watching the movie (grew up in Utah). I never got the chance and the tram shut down years ago. Recently there was a forest fire in the area that burned down the abandoned restaraunt building at the top and they cut the tram cable down after many years of non-use.
Also, the 'run down' house used in the movie was not so 'run down' prior to the movie. It was owned by a relative of mine. The movie company saw it, liked the location and look of the house, and bought it from them. They then proceeded to tear it apart and make it look like it had been abandoned for years. The reality is that it was lived in and in good shape up until the movie company worked their magic on it. :)

I have loved this movie since the first time I saw it as a child. It has comedy, excitement and sentimentality. It has a great message about how people can change. It's a wonderful family show, EXCEPT for the fact that the words hell and damn are used a few times and the word bastard is used once. I really recommend this movie. The only thing that people might get hung up on is the fact that when the movie was filmed, back in the early 80's, times were a little different. This movie might give children the disillusion that it's safe to associate with strangers, so those who view it with their kids might take an opportunity when the movie is over to explain to them that the choices made in the movie would not be safe for them.
Other than that, take is for what it is and ENJOY!