A bit of a curate's egg is this satirical comedy aimed at American middle-class attitudes, which was the first feature film from TV sitcom supremo Norman Lear. It stars Dick Van Dyke in a strange role as the self seeking small-town reverend seizing a chance to get his town's name on the map when Edward Everett Horton's tobacco king offers a $25 million prize to any town that can give up smoking for 30 days. Bob Newhart is the oily publicity executive responsible for the stunt and there is a succession of entertaining character turns from a good cast: Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding as TV newscasters; Jean Stapleton's mayor's wife who can't stop eating; redneck patriot Graham Jarvis policing the town for contraband; Judith Lowry taking pot shots at potential commies; Tom Poston's disreputable cad; Barnard Hughes' doctor - all human life is there down to the minutest (sometimes fairly unpleasant! ) detail. There is quite a lot of laughter along the way, but Lear allows himself to get cornered into a cop-out ending.


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