Leave It to Beaver

Anyone who grew up with the Cleaver family might reasonably approach this feature film with dread. Happily, it fares better than Sgt. Bilko, The Flintstones and McHale's Navy, but it's still not quite ready for prime time. However, youngsters with no nostalgic investment in the classic TV series can identify with the Beaver, still the quintessential kid, who tries to measure up to his popular and athletic older brother, Wally, and make his father proud of him. Christopher McDonald, usually cast as a bad guy, is an odd choice to portray Ward, one of TV's most beloved fathers. There is little of the voice of reason in this blowhard who compels his hapless, ill-equipped son to join the football team. Janine Turner, on the other hand, is certainly more of a babe than Barbara Billingsly, and she even gets to tell that smarmy Eddie Haskell to "cut the crap." Touché. Given the price, this is a strong optional purchase. (K. Lee Benson)