This tv movie from 1974 was a proposed pilot for a new tv series that was never picked up. Fred Macmurray fresh off his success of My Three Sons 12 year run. The story shows the ups and downs of a large family. I guess I was expecting more comedy like in My Three Sons. This was definitely a drama. There is a death in the family. Did not see that coming. There was talk of an abortion because they already had too many kids to support. Thankfully the death of the other family member showed them how precious life is and they decided to have the baby. Also thrown is an interracial marriage that ends up working in the end after some friction with the family about it working out. Also adding to the drama is a job offer to Fred Macmurray that would have them more away to Chicago. They end up taking the job and at the last minute they realize they love their home and stay and want to stay where they will be happy.
8 Reviews
I enjoyed this tv movie from 1974 starring Fred Macmurray because of the way it ended
RogerMooreTheBestBond23 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The Chadwicks of Coronado
bkoganbing31 December 2018
Having visited Coronado Island when I was in San Diego many years ago I had a
feeling for the Chadwick Family and their hometown. Coronado is a self contained community of conservative values pretty much as shown here. There's
a land bridge connection to San Diego, but a lot of people own boats.
Fred MacMurray is patriarch of The Chadwick Family, he owns the local newspaper which has gotten a degree of fame something like William Allen White's small town Emporia Gazette. MacMurray is mulling over an offer to move to Chicago and work for big time newspaper magnate John Larch as a columnist.
MacMurray and Kathleen Maguire have a large extended family, three daughters and a son with spouses for nearly all. The big plot element in the film is the death of son Stephen Nathan who has a charter plane business of a rare disease. Other parts of the film are daughter Darleen Carr who is dating a Chinese man with his mother's non-approval.
According to Charles Tranberg's biography of Fred MacMurray this was an unsold television pilot. Had the series been picked up it would have been a more serious version of My Three Sons.
It was a decent effort. Sad it did not find an audience.
Fred MacMurray is patriarch of The Chadwick Family, he owns the local newspaper which has gotten a degree of fame something like William Allen White's small town Emporia Gazette. MacMurray is mulling over an offer to move to Chicago and work for big time newspaper magnate John Larch as a columnist.
MacMurray and Kathleen Maguire have a large extended family, three daughters and a son with spouses for nearly all. The big plot element in the film is the death of son Stephen Nathan who has a charter plane business of a rare disease. Other parts of the film are daughter Darleen Carr who is dating a Chinese man with his mother's non-approval.
According to Charles Tranberg's biography of Fred MacMurray this was an unsold television pilot. Had the series been picked up it would have been a more serious version of My Three Sons.
It was a decent effort. Sad it did not find an audience.
Okay TV movie soap opera in spite of generic name.
mark.waltz17 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
To this film viewer, the title of a movie or TV show is very important, and when it is very generic or basic, it takes a lot to get me to be interested in it. The last name of a fictional family doesn't really tell me anything to make them special. Obviously there's nothing in this film to make it worthy of a TV drama series, and having just ended 12 years on a TV sitcom where he was barely on the set, Fred MacMurray simply just walks through the paces as a patriarch of a wealthy family in Coronado dealing with tragedy that occurs after a family celebration.
He looks much older than wife Kathleen MacGuire, and he's surrounded by a generic cast of Hollywood good-looking types that don't really offer anything to make this more than your standard TV drama. Yes, there's tragedy in the family involving the death of the only son, and that certainly is tear jerking drama in the way that it is played out. There's also a subplot that isn't really well-developed involving the one single daughter who is in love with an Asian man and facing issues concerning his family's objection to a possible marriage.
The film has a very conservative viewpoint and that doesn't really give many of the characters any color outside of a few of the younger ones. That makes it a little boring when there is really nothing going on, and MacMurray doesn't seem to be playing anybody but himself. You could get more detail about family drama through the daytime soaps so the idea of this as a continuing nighttime series just doesn't seem to be appealing. As their world turns, I'll stay away from the days of their lives.
He looks much older than wife Kathleen MacGuire, and he's surrounded by a generic cast of Hollywood good-looking types that don't really offer anything to make this more than your standard TV drama. Yes, there's tragedy in the family involving the death of the only son, and that certainly is tear jerking drama in the way that it is played out. There's also a subplot that isn't really well-developed involving the one single daughter who is in love with an Asian man and facing issues concerning his family's objection to a possible marriage.
The film has a very conservative viewpoint and that doesn't really give many of the characters any color outside of a few of the younger ones. That makes it a little boring when there is really nothing going on, and MacMurray doesn't seem to be playing anybody but himself. You could get more detail about family drama through the daytime soaps so the idea of this as a continuing nighttime series just doesn't seem to be appealing. As their world turns, I'll stay away from the days of their lives.
Awesome Movie
shermada8 November 2006
I too saw the movie when I was a kid. It was on TV the summer that I turned 12. And I have also been looking for it for years on video or DVD. I probably saw about a million movies on TV and in theaters when I was growing up, but "The Chadwick Family" is one of the few that really touched my soul, and made a lasting impression on my. I became a consummate Barry Bostwick fan after seeing it. We didn't have a color TV at home. My family and I were at my aunt's house for my mom's birthday. I positively fell in love with his dreamy blue eyes. And I mean, hey, I was at the age when girls fall in love with anyone anyway~ especially a character embroiled in a tragedy. This was before "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" came out (one of my all-time adult favs.) Although, I doubt if my father (the deacon in the church) would have allowed me to see it anyway~ ha ha. Since it had some prominent stars in it, it may eventually run on AMC, be sure not to miss it. In my opinion it's one of the best TV movies that was ever made!
Wonderful movie
JammyTune11 January 2007
I saw this movie many years ago and absolutely loved it. I actually saw it twice in just a couple months and would love to see it again. Fred MacMurray was awesome in it. I would love to see it come out on DVD. I have to agree with what marcibun from Chicago, IL had to say about the movie too. It was quite a tear jerker though. I remember laying on the couch watching this movie and was at the very end of it and I was bawling my eyes out (I was about 14 at the time and all sad movies caused me to bawl my eyes out) when there was a knock at the door. I didn't even get up to answer the door because I didn't want to ruin a good cry and miss the ending of a great movie. He came in anyway and of course teased me about crying because of a movie. I loved this movie. I would like to know how to get it put on a DVD so new generations can see it. They don't know what they are missing.
Not exactly "My Three Sons" but better than I expected.
planktonrules14 March 2017
When this film first began, I thought it looked a lot like one of the later episodes of "My Three Sons"...when all the kids were getting families of their own and establishing their own lives. But just because this starred Fred MacMurray does NOT mean it's that TV show all again....and I am happy about that.
When the film begins, Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick (MacMurray and Kathleen Maguire) have a very full life--two of their daughters are married, one's about to marry and they've got a mess of grandkids. Plus, they are older...at retirement age. However, into this very solid family a LOT of change is about to occur. Mr. Chadwick is offered the perfect job...many states away. And, although he's taken the offer, he doesn't anticipate all the many family upheavals which are about to occur and upset their plans.
This is definitely a Kleenex film....so have some nearby just in case. It's also a movie that gets MUCH better as it goes on...and tackles some VERY adult and tough topics. I could say more but don't want to spoil it. If you want to see it, this installment of "The ABC Movie of the Week" is on YouTube. Be prepared for a lousy print--a bit blurry and degraded due to age.
When the film begins, Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick (MacMurray and Kathleen Maguire) have a very full life--two of their daughters are married, one's about to marry and they've got a mess of grandkids. Plus, they are older...at retirement age. However, into this very solid family a LOT of change is about to occur. Mr. Chadwick is offered the perfect job...many states away. And, although he's taken the offer, he doesn't anticipate all the many family upheavals which are about to occur and upset their plans.
This is definitely a Kleenex film....so have some nearby just in case. It's also a movie that gets MUCH better as it goes on...and tackles some VERY adult and tough topics. I could say more but don't want to spoil it. If you want to see it, this installment of "The ABC Movie of the Week" is on YouTube. Be prepared for a lousy print--a bit blurry and degraded due to age.
Great Movie For the entire Family!
navy734421 September 2007
This is a true Gem of a story that i originally saw back in 1974 when it was aired on the ABC Movie of the week i believe. It is a tear Jerker that will tug at your heart strings especially when Fred MacMurray's son who is dieing from a rare disease leaves Fred a Note That he reads just before leading his son's package delivery service air Plane(which was before Federal express By The Way) Up the street. It says "dad I hope you can be a good Scotsman" or something to that affect. Then you actually see Fred Marching ahead of a vehicle towing his son's plane and Fred Playing the bagpipes. As an extra bonus since it was filmed in San Diego i believe you get to see and hear the street beat (what the drum section plays when the band stops playing) from the United States Marine Corps Band Probably from Camp Pendleton. It is truly worth finding and watching. Good Old Fred MacMurray always played in clean wholesome ,family type movies. Loved him in Disney's "Flubber" and "Son of Flubber" "The absent minded Professor " and "the miracle of the bells" and Of Course "My Three Sons". Tom Mezzo Composer Garwood NJ
Good 70's made for TV flick/timewaster
marcibun17 April 2002
I saw this movie on television in 1974 - Once. I was 7 years old and to this day I still remember how much I loved this movie. Filmed in the same style as "Brian's Song", and "Eric", it's your typical 70's, made for TV, heart-string-pulling melo-drama about the trials and tribulations of the Chadwick family. Just like the others, this one will leave you tear-stained, and with a little lump in your throat at the end. I have searched for this movie on VHS with no luck, and other than my older sister (who wanted to watch the movie and was babysitting me at the time, thereby "forcing" me to watch it), I don't personally know another living soul who has seen it. If you ever happen to leaf through your TV Guide and come across this movie being shown, set your Tivo (or VCR) and do yourself a favor. This movie is one of those lost little "gems" that is worth discovering.
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