fitzwilly

the year: 1967

the genre: comedy


the cast: Dick Van Dyke (Claude R. "Fitzwilly" Fitzwilliam); Barbara Feldon (Juliet Nowell); Edith Evans (Miss Victoria Woodworth)


the plot: When an aging philanthropist goes broke, her butler robs from the rich so she can give to the poor.

Miss Vicki is one of the world's greatest philanthropists - unfortunately, she is also flat broke. Her loyal butler, Fitzwilly, leads the household staff in getting the items she needs for her charities from various businesses (by charging the goods to rich customers and misdirecting the shipments). With Fitzwilly's encouragement, Miss Vicki starts to write a "Dictionary for Dopes" which contains all possible phonetic spellings of a word, and gives the reader the correct one. But Fitzwilly doesn't count on Juliet, the new secretary hired by Miss Vicky - and the only staff member not in on the game.



don't miss: the chaos at Gimbel's on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The inflatable rafts, Platypi caroling, and the dropped packages are good, but I think "the pincher" might just be my favorite.



watch: the trailer here.



did you know: Fitzwilly's thrift store is named for St. Dismas, the "good thief" in Christian tradition.



did you also know: this film was the first movie appearance of Barbara Feldon and Sam Waterston (WAY before his Law and Order days).


extra bonus points: if you know the roles Dame Edith Evans played in Slipper and the Rose .