The Monkey's Uncle

Merlin Jones Returns thanks to Walt Disney
"The Monkey's Uncle" is an entertaining and funny sequel to "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones." Set again at Midvale College, it is better than the first. This time Merlin Jones the student genius, played again by Walt Disney's stalwart Tommy Kirk, gets involved with sleep experiments with his pet chimpanzee and a bicycle-propelled flying machine. Jones's girlfriend again played by Annette Funicello still vies romantically for his attentions, as he still remains fixated with his goofy scientific experiments. Leon Ames returns as Judge Hornsby. One great highlight of this film is the title song "The Monkey's Uncle" written from the genius of Walt Disney's reliable Sherman Brothers. It is performed by The Beach Boys and Annette Funicello on screen behind the credits. This film and its predecessor seem like such minor efforts but they were the two films that attracted my daughter's attention and got her interested for more of Walt Disney's live action films. I wish they would put a lot...

A Really Fun Flick
This movie is great both for those who grew up with Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello and for the youngsters who will be introduced to Merlin Jones for the first time. Though this is not the first in the Merlin Jones series, viewers need not have seen the other movie to follow this one. Those who know other Disney movies of the time period will see many familiar faces in the familiar setting of Midvale College. In this movie, the school depends upon the brilliant but unlucky Merlin to save the academically challenged football team. Merlin, of course, suffers many amusing "misadventures" before the end of the movie. For poor Merlin, the solution of one problem is closely followed by the introduction of yet another problem. Misunderstandings and complications abound. His ingenuity is matched only by his misfortune. As always, Tommy Kirk is excellent. Annette Funicello and the monkey also help to make this cute little movie highly entertaining. Though the...

SHE LOVES THE MONKEY'S UNCLE! WHERE IS THE DVD RELEASE!????
'The Adventures of Merlin Jones' has been available for years on DVD, but they have overlooked this funny sequel time and time again. It just doesn't make sense and the way Disney regurgitates their movies every couple of years, I figured this was bound to come out sooner or later! It's bad enough that a lot of there older films get horrible "pan & Scan" releases, but I'll take it anyway they want to do it at this point. I would hope it's not a "PC" issue!.....aargghhhh! :-( Please release the DVD!

Click to Editorial Reviews