I saw this on TV during the 1980's when "Dallas" was popular and I liked the cast. It's a comedy about two upper-middle class urban couples who are best friends. In spite of their affluence and success, they find city life to be very nerve wracking and decide to try life in the country. Just like Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert in "The Egg And I" as well as Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor in "Green Acres," they find that they aren't prepared for the simple life and their lack of skills in things like home repair and cooking from scratch leads to all kinds of minor mayhem that's sometimes amusing. A lot of situation comedy veterans appear here and they keep things easy to watch, although nothing surprising or hilarious happens and the fish-out-of-water theme has been done better elsewhere. If you have some spare time and don't know what to do with it, this is OK.
4 Reviews
The Fish and I.
mark.waltz30 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A very sitcomish TV movie of the week is amusing but silly and very unrealistic, a copy of "George Washington Slept Here", "The Egg and I" (and other movies), and of course "Green Acres". Two married couples decide to get out of Manhattan after the blackout and purchase an island off the coast of Maine. It certainly ain't no "A Summer Place" because much of the island is overgrown and the house is in much disrepair. Then there's the issue of 20 years of back taxes that comes with the lease, which could mean losing their island.
Led by Larry Hagman and Barbara Feldon, and Gary Collins and E. J. Peaker, this does have pilot written all of it. A good supporting cast includes Jim Backus as Feldon's boss, Vivian Vance as the local store proprietor and Burgess Meredith as a fishing captain and local tax man. Other minor players are familiar faces too. Mildly amusing, but I don't see this running more than half a season as a series which could be why this didn't get picked up.
Led by Larry Hagman and Barbara Feldon, and Gary Collins and E. J. Peaker, this does have pilot written all of it. A good supporting cast includes Jim Backus as Feldon's boss, Vivian Vance as the local store proprietor and Burgess Meredith as a fishing captain and local tax man. Other minor players are familiar faces too. Mildly amusing, but I don't see this running more than half a season as a series which could be why this didn't get picked up.
I tried to get away from Borcom, and Borcom still found me
ThunderKing612 December 2022
Hello There.
I have written this review on (Decem)12-12-22.
It was either Beetlejuice or a TV movie. I said what the hay. Let's dive into another 70's TV movie.
From the getgo this film was a borcom straight through. All it had was needy grownups who were unsure of what they even want in their boring lives.
The film was mainly about 4 grownups leaving the big apple aka New York to live in the woods, which was much quieter.
Boy, they not only found quiet, they also found Borcom. And their Borcom found me.
Such a boring dud. There is nothing good or highlighted about this movie. Unless you need some sleep, them pop this hash in and sweet dreams.
I have written this review on (Decem)12-12-22.
It was either Beetlejuice or a TV movie. I said what the hay. Let's dive into another 70's TV movie.
From the getgo this film was a borcom straight through. All it had was needy grownups who were unsure of what they even want in their boring lives.
The film was mainly about 4 grownups leaving the big apple aka New York to live in the woods, which was much quieter.
Boy, they not only found quiet, they also found Borcom. And their Borcom found me.
Such a boring dud. There is nothing good or highlighted about this movie. Unless you need some sleep, them pop this hash in and sweet dreams.
Less like a movie and more like a bad sitcom
planktonrules1 November 2016
I had a really hard time watching "Getting Away From It All" because although it was a made for TV movie, it came off more like a bad TV sitcom. All that was missing was the bad laugh track!
When the film begins, there's a blackout in New York and three friends (Gary Collins, Larry Hagman and who cares about the third) are talking about how they hate the city. Then, completely impulsively, the three decide to buy a tiny island off the Maine coast and live there. When the fourth (Barbara Feldon) comes home, she learns that her husband has made this choice and he's sticking with it--whether she comes along or not. Well, not wanting to give up on the marriage she agrees and soon the four are heading to a place they've never seen...a very rural, cold and lonely place.
The idea of making such a move could have worked. After all, "Green Acres" was a fun show and in 1983 there was a similar made for TV film "Packin' It In"--where a family wants to get away from it all and move to rural Oregon...only to discover that their neighbors are all crazy survivalists. But these two projects had something "Getting Away From it All" didn't--they were actually funny. Sadly, this film is just tedious and silly...and not in a good way. Watch it if you'd like...I found it about as pleasant as Pink Eye.
When the film begins, there's a blackout in New York and three friends (Gary Collins, Larry Hagman and who cares about the third) are talking about how they hate the city. Then, completely impulsively, the three decide to buy a tiny island off the Maine coast and live there. When the fourth (Barbara Feldon) comes home, she learns that her husband has made this choice and he's sticking with it--whether she comes along or not. Well, not wanting to give up on the marriage she agrees and soon the four are heading to a place they've never seen...a very rural, cold and lonely place.
The idea of making such a move could have worked. After all, "Green Acres" was a fun show and in 1983 there was a similar made for TV film "Packin' It In"--where a family wants to get away from it all and move to rural Oregon...only to discover that their neighbors are all crazy survivalists. But these two projects had something "Getting Away From it All" didn't--they were actually funny. Sadly, this film is just tedious and silly...and not in a good way. Watch it if you'd like...I found it about as pleasant as Pink Eye.
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