WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY, THE: A SAINTLY SWITCH (TV)

Summary

One of this series of Disney movies presented under the umbrella title "The Wonderful World of Disney." Michael Eisner, the chairman of the Walt Disney Company, hosts this program and explains how the game of soccer gave birth to rugby, which eventually evolved into the American game of football. This made-for-television movie is a fantasy about an unhappily married couple that gain new insights after accidentally being switched inside each other's body.

The program begins as young Clark Anderson tells how his dad Dan, a Washington Redskins quarterback, and mother Sara, an art history teacher, are no longer getting along. When Dan is edged off his team, he suggests moving, which doesn't sit well with Sara. Regardless they move into an old, cobweb-strewn mansion in New Orleans, over the objections of Clark and his older sister Annette. Their eccentric next-door neighbor, Fanny Moyer, known as Aunt Fanny, tells them that a powerful sorceress inhabited the house until her death. The kids soon discover a hidden passageway to the attic, where they find a book of magic spells. However, they get an unexpected scare and run back to their bedrooms.

Sara enrolls the children at school while also picking up a part-time teaching job. Clark fails miserably on the school's football squad while Annette is incensed when she isn't allowed to play. That night, Sara and Dan head to a party to celebrate his new quarterback slot for the New Orleans Saints. They meet Dan's fellow player Otis Caruthers and his wife Kimberly. Back at home, Fanny warns Clark and Annette to stay out of the attic. But after hearing their parents argue yet again, the children sneak back and cast a spell to keep their folks together. The spell works, as Dan and Sara wake up the next morning in each other's body. Things get complicated when sports reporter Howard Krepke's camera crew arrives for an interview with Dan. At that point, Dan tells Sara that they're broke, and that she will have to learn to play football in his body to keep them afloat financially.

The interview with Howard proves awkward, with each trying to answer questions for the other. Later, Sara is forced to enter the locker room in Dan's body and quickly alienates the coach and players with her comments. Sara is equally horrified at the men's chauvinistic attitudes. She stalks off the field in tears after being tackled and "verbally abused" by the coach. Meanwhile, Dan heads to school in Sara's body and has equally disastrous results when trying to speak on the subject of art. Dan is further taken aback when discovering Sara's painting, which Principal Wilby offers to put in a show. At home, Dan's domestic abilities also fail. Elsewhere, Clark earns his schoolmate's taunts at football practice while Annette displays skills at running the ball. When Dan picks up the kids, he learns that Clark won't admit his hatred for football for fear of alienating his father while Annette's goal to join the team can't be diminished. The next morning, Dan's complaints about Sara's body confirm that she is pregnant.

As time goes on, Sara and Dan appreciate the other's hardships in life. Dan tries to help Sara with her football plays and also takes satisfaction in forcing the high school coach to make Annette part of the football squad. At Dan's next exhibition game, Sara takes the coach to task for continually belittling the players. Her words have a positive effect on the team and they win that game. At the after-party, Sara gives Otis advice that puts his union with Kimberly back on track. The Saints' winning streak continues under Sara's guidance while Dan starts to master household duties as the pregnancy progresses. The children finally admit to their parents that they arranged the switch. Aunt Fanny then tries to undo the spell, but proves unsuccessful. However, when Dan and Sara truly declare their love for each other, the two switch back into their own bodies.

As the Saints play in the game which will determine their ticket to the Super Bowl, Sara watches from the bleachers as her water breaks. At the hospital, Sara monitors the game, which isn't going well due to Dan's mismanagement. Clark goes to the locker room at half-time and delivers Sara's instructions on how to turn things around. Dan takes Sara's council and the Saints triumph. Sara subsequently gives birth to a boy. The family reunites around the baby, after which Dan's football career continues to flourish, as does acclaim for Sara's art work. Annette also earns glory by winning a junior football award while Clark hones his abilities as a tap dancer. Finally, Sara and Dan decide to take turns at leading their household in the future. Includes commercials.

(Network varies; this series was also telecast on NBC from 1961 to 1981 and on CBS from 1981 to 1983.)

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: January 24, 1999 7:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:55:17
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:55985
• GENRE: Comedy
• SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; Football; African-American families
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1997-2008
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - "My Favorite Martian" motion picture
  • TV - Commercials - 4-H volunteer organization
  • TV - Commercials - Beef Industry Council and Beef Board
  • TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Campbell's soups
  • TV - Commercials - Carnival cruise lines
  • TV - Commercials - Clorox 2 detergent
  • TV - Commercials - Crest toothpaste
  • TV - Commercials - Diet Coke soft drinks
  • TV - Commercials - Disney Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra
  • TV - Commercials - Disney cruise line
  • TV - Commercials - Glade scented candles
  • TV - Commercials - Honey Nut Shredded Wheat cereal
  • TV - Commercials - I Am Your Child organization
  • TV - Commercials - Johnson's Baby Shampoo hair products
  • TV - Commercials - Juicy Juice fruit juice
  • TV - Commercials - KFC restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Little Debbie snacks
  • TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Partnership For a Drug-Free America program
  • TV - Commercials - Pepsi soft drinks
  • TV - Commercials - Philips CD recorder
  • TV - Commercials - Planet Lunch Pack snacks
  • TV - Commercials - Pontiac automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Post Frosted Shredded Wheat cereal
  • TV - Commercials - Post Snack-Abouts mini-cereals
  • TV - Commercials - Puffs Plus tissues
  • TV - Commercials - Purina One dog chow
  • TV - Commercials - Quaker Oats cereal
  • TV - Commercials - Reese's NutRageous candy bars
  • TV - Commercials - Snickers candies
  • TV - Commercials - Sprint wireless network
  • TV - Commercials - Swanson frozen dinners
  • TV - Commercials - Target stores
  • TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Triaminic cold medication
  • TV - Commercials - Triscuit crackers
  • TV - Commercials - V8 vegetable juice
  • TV - Commercials - Wal-Mart stores
  • TV - Commercials - Winterfresh gum
  • TV - Commercials - Youth Smoking Prevention
  • TV - Promos - "20/20: The Secret Emotional Life of Boys"
  • TV - Promos - "Boy Meets World"
  • TV - Promos - "Brother's Keeper"
  • TV - Promos - "Disney's 1 Saturday Mornings"
  • TV - Promos - "In Style: Celebrity Weddings"
  • TV - Promos - "Muppet Treasure Island"
  • TV - Promos - "Sabrina the Teenage Witch"
  • TV - Promos - "So Weird"
  • TV - Promos - "Spin City"
  • TV - Promos - "The Hughleys"
  • TV - Promos - "The Practice"
  • TV - Promos - "The Wonderful World of Disney"
  • TV - Promos - "Two of a Kind"
  • TV - Promos - American Broadcasting Company

CREDITS

• Sally Hampton … Executive Producer, Writer
• Iain Paterson … Producer
• Peter Bogdanovich … Director
• Harris Orkin … Writer
• Terence Blanchard … Music by
• Michael Eisner … Host
• Vivica A. Fox … Cast, Sara Anderson
• David Alan Grier … Cast, Dan Anderson
• Rue McClanahan … Cast, Aunt Fanny Moyer
• Scott Owen Cumberbatch … Cast, Clark Anderson
• Shadia Simmons … Cast, Annette Anderson
• Al Waxman … Cast, Coach Beasily
• David Keeley … Cast, Otis Caruthers
• Louise Stratten … Cast, Kimberly Caruthers
• Mark Lutz … Cast, Morton Wagner
• Jeffrey Knight … Cast, Howard Krepke
• Scott Wickware … Cast, Coach Barker
• John Boylan … Cast, Principal Wilby
• Joe Sabatino … Cast, Corky Davenport
• Alex Campbell … Cast, Billy
• Joe Bostick … Cast, Reilly
• Rodger Barton … Cast, Coach Perrino
• John Jarvis … Cast, Dr. Davis
• Eliza Jane Scott … Cast, Sylvia
• Frank Welker … Cast, Voice, Voltaire
• Don Wilson … Cast, Tight End
• Shane Daly … Cast, Flanker
• Robert Thomas … Cast, Offensive Tackle
• Olivia Palenstein … Cast, Nurse
• Anthony Antonacci … Cast, Kid One
• Arnold Pinnock … Cast, Guy in Convertible
• Rufus Crawford … Cast, Referee
• Keith Kemps … Cast, Official
• Ron Matsuyama … Cast, Athletic Trainer
• Ginette Guimond … Cast, Cheerleader
• David Stevenson … Cast, Man