Robert Morse, Stefanie Powers & Phil Silvers in The Boatniks (1970)

Disney made a lot of live action, family oriented films in the 60's and 70's. Many of them became quite well know, or are at least somewhat remembered. This is not one of those. The Boatniks is set in Balboa Bay in Southern California - a very popular boating hub where mishaps frequently happen because of the traffic. That chaos is a big part of the plot, which has several sub-plots, including romance between a green harbor master (Morse) and the owner of the local rent-a-boat operation (Powers), and the attempted dash to Mexico by a group of inept jewel thieves (Silvers, Norman Fell and Mickey Shaughnessy).

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Though not exactly memorable (while watching the film again I had distinct sense memories, though had totally forgotten having seen it as a child) it is a pleasant diversion and it's fun to pick out the popular character actors. Look for Don Ameche as Morse's boss, Wally Cox as a libidinous harbor resident always surrounded by a gaggle of gorgeous girls and Joe E. (Ooh! ooh!) Ross as a hapless boat pilot.

The Boatniks is available on DVD. Above is the trailer for the film, uploaded to YouTube by TheCinemastudio.

Obscurity factor: 9 (on DVD, hard to find online, largely forgotten)

Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche in Midnight 1939

When it comes to screw-ball comedy, no one has such a light touch as Claudette Colbert. Her cavorting with Rudy Vallee in The Palm Beach Story makes for one of the most delightful comedies in screen history. Lesser known, but every bit as charming is Midnight with Don Ameche. Eve Peabody arrives in Paris from Monte Carlo with nothing but the evening gown on her back. She happens on handsome cabbie Don Ameche and convinces him to drive her around town looking for work as a chanteuse. She eventually finds her way into a society party and just as she's about to be thrown out, is rescued by John Barrymore, a neglected husband who wants Eve to seduce his wife's lover away from her. So she gads about France in pursuit of the lothario, and just one step ahead of Don Ameche.

Directed by Mitchell Leisen and with a screen play by a young Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett, this film touches on risque subjects like infidelity and features a woman alone getting by on her wits. It's forward thinking for 1939.

I'm happy to say this film has been rescued from total obscurity by TCM, which released a DVD of it in 2008. Before that it languished in the netherworld of largely forgotten classics. The DVD release has one of the always insightful introductions by Robert Osborne and is highly recommended.  Above is a scene from it uploaded to YouTube by classicscreengems. Have a look and put the DVD on your Netflix list. You won't be disappointed!

Obscurity factor: 5 (Formerly little known, DVD available, occasionally on TCM)