This movie had the potential to be great but it wasn't to be. There were three big casting problems: first Max Baer, who played Jethro in the T.V. series, refused to reprise his role in the movie. Ray Young portrayed Jethro, but couldn't fill Max's shoes. Second, Raymond Bailey, who played Mr. Drysdale in the series died of a heart attack around the time that plans were announced to make this movie, his character was sort of replaced by Werner Klemperer (Col. Klink of "Hogan's Heroes") plays O.D. Medford. Thirdly, and most notable of all, Irene Ryan, who played Granny, passed away in 1973 was replaced by Imogene Coca ("Your Show of Shows") playing Granny's Ma. Granny's Ma was feisty like Granny but didn't quite have the charm that Granny had, Granny's Ma was rather annoying. Other than that the rest of the regular characters reprised their old characters, Buddy Ebson as Jed, Donna Douglas as Elly May, and Nancy Kulp as Jane Hathaway.
I missed the first couple of minutes of this movie so I don't know if they explained about the death of Mr. Drysdale, or that they mentioned it at all. They did however include the death of Granny into the movie. Time has passed since we last saw the hillbillies, Ms. Jane is apparently working for the government, Jed has moved back to the hills, Jethro is now a movie producer (Linda Kay Henning, Petticoat Junction, plays his secretary), and Elly May, still single, now runs her own zoo.
The President of the United States has sent out Jane Hathaway and O.D. Medford to see if Granny's "White Lightnin" tonic can help the energy crisis. There happens to be a drop of tonic at Elly's zoo unfortunatly Medford accidently drinks it. When it seems that all hope is lost they discover that there's only one person in the world that makes it and that's Granny's Ma, however she'll only make it for special occasions like weddings.
Hopefully this movie will appear on television again sometime soon, I'd only recommend this movie to a true fan of the show. On a side note you can see a young Heather Locklear in one of her first roles, as she plays an old maid.
I missed the first couple of minutes of this movie so I don't know if they explained about the death of Mr. Drysdale, or that they mentioned it at all. They did however include the death of Granny into the movie. Time has passed since we last saw the hillbillies, Ms. Jane is apparently working for the government, Jed has moved back to the hills, Jethro is now a movie producer (Linda Kay Henning, Petticoat Junction, plays his secretary), and Elly May, still single, now runs her own zoo.
The President of the United States has sent out Jane Hathaway and O.D. Medford to see if Granny's "White Lightnin" tonic can help the energy crisis. There happens to be a drop of tonic at Elly's zoo unfortunatly Medford accidently drinks it. When it seems that all hope is lost they discover that there's only one person in the world that makes it and that's Granny's Ma, however she'll only make it for special occasions like weddings.
Hopefully this movie will appear on television again sometime soon, I'd only recommend this movie to a true fan of the show. On a side note you can see a young Heather Locklear in one of her first roles, as she plays an old maid.