Come On, Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

David Burton Morris

Writers (WGA):

Jon S. Denny (written by) and
Jacqueline Feather (written by) ...

Release Date:

13 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Plot:

The behind the scenes story of "The Partridge Family" TV show, told from the point of view of young Danny Bonaduce...

Plot Keywords:

Television

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Eve Gordon	...	Shirley Jones / Shirley Partridge
Rodney Scott	...	David Cassidy / Keith Partridge
Kathy Wagner	...	Susan Dey / Laurie Partridge
Shawn Pyfrom	...	Danny Bonaduce / Danny Partridge
Michael Chieffo	...	Dave Madden / Reuben Kincaid
William Russ	...	Joseph Bonaduce
Roxanne Hart	...	Betty Bonaduce
Richard Fancy	...	Harold
Willie Garson	...	Sam
Mark Harelik	...	Alex
Debby Boone	...	Beth
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Terry Anzur	...	Reporter
Sarah Ashley	...	Girl Fan
Tara Blanchard	...	Suzanne Crough / Tracy Partridge
Danny Bonaduce	...	Narrator
N. Barry Carver	...	George
Catherine Christensen	...	Groupie
Marcia DeBonis	...	Casting Assistant
Elizabeth Dennehy	...	Jeremy's Mom
Ruth de Sosa	...	Press Agent
J.B. Gaynor	...	Jeremy Gelbwaks / Chris Partridge #1
Hope Harris	...	Girl in Street
Karen Hartman	...	Reporter
Scotty Leavenworth	...	Brian Forster / Chris Patridge #2
Krishna Le Fan	...	Hippie Buddy (as Krishna LeFan)
Heather Levenson	...	Reporter #2
Lisa Long	...	Mrs. Brady
Matt Lunde	...	Danny #2
Taryn Manning	...	Groupie
Kelly McNair	...	Production Assistant
Nick Nordella	...	Monty
Jeffrey Pallotta	...	Peter Brady
Ebick Pizzadili	...	Cecelia Bonduce
Kevin Sheridan	...	Anthony Bonaduce
William Paul Smith	...	Greg Brady (as Paul Smith)
Jessica Taylor	...	Marcia Brady
Seth Todd	...	Pal #1
Aliza Washabaugh	...	Crazed Teen
Clay Wilcox	...	Wes
Marc Worden	...	Hippie Hanger On

Also Known As:

C'Mon Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia TriStar Television

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Danny's family watches the first episode of the Partridge Family on TV, it opens with the theme song "Come On Get Happy." For the first season of the Partridge Family, the theme song was "When We're Singin'", not "Come On Get Happy."

Quotes:

David Cassidy: Great gig! When's recess?

Movie Connections:

References "The Partridge Family" (1970)

Worth a second showing

The movie showed a lot more depth than the recent David Cassidy Story and addressed one of the major flaws in that movie. By focusing on only the 4 years of the Partridge Family, it gave a more complete portrait of the Partridge Family phenomena. From recent interviews of cast members, "Come On Get Happy" seemed pretty accurate. Even so, like the David Cassidy Story, it tried to cover too much territory. They should have focused more on 1 or 2 of the characters - like Cassidy and Dey or Danny Bonaduce - instead of cramming all the characters in 1 movie. (I'm still waiting for the Danny Bonaduce story which I think has the most dramatic appeal).

Second, they didn't really show the sheer hysteria surrounding the program, which was covered better in the DC Story. They also didn't show the emotional devastation of the death of the fan at Cassidy's farewell show or cover the greed of the producers. All in all, I'd give it 3 stars. It's worth a second showing.