My Dad used to take this movie out of the library system on 16mm (back in the days before video) and show it to us and the children in the neighborhood in our garage, projected on a screen. As I grew older I remembered the film but not the title. We called it "The Magic Marble" (which actually is a better title!) not "One Wish Too Many". Courtesy of IMDb members I recently discovered the correct title and managed to obtain a video transfer of the film. So exactly 40 years after I had first seen this film I finally saw it again.
While it certainly has its charms, especially the performances of the little children, the photography doesn't hold up as well. It is rather dreary, taking place somewhere in an unattractive suburb of London. I felt sorry for the little girl who lived with her grandmother but was too poor to afford a doll. And the little boy got into all kinds of trouble with the magic marble. I kept wondering: why doesn't he wish for something better than new curtains for his mother? How about asking for world peace?
The ending was kind of cute however, making it look like a sequel had been planned, but as far as I know nothing was made. It's a fun premise for a film however. Definitely could use an updating, but maybe it would be too innocent for children today. Oh well...
7 out of 10, mostly for nostalgia's sake and the clever premise of the film, plus the children's performances.
While it certainly has its charms, especially the performances of the little children, the photography doesn't hold up as well. It is rather dreary, taking place somewhere in an unattractive suburb of London. I felt sorry for the little girl who lived with her grandmother but was too poor to afford a doll. And the little boy got into all kinds of trouble with the magic marble. I kept wondering: why doesn't he wish for something better than new curtains for his mother? How about asking for world peace?
The ending was kind of cute however, making it look like a sequel had been planned, but as far as I know nothing was made. It's a fun premise for a film however. Definitely could use an updating, but maybe it would be too innocent for children today. Oh well...
7 out of 10, mostly for nostalgia's sake and the clever premise of the film, plus the children's performances.