The Honeymooners: Valentine Special

Jackie Gleason directed another very funny Las Vegas show.highly recommend watching. If you never watched the second wife of Norton,this movie showcases Joyce Randolph replacement as tricky.

The Honeymooners aired four specials in the 70s after Gleason's show was off the air. This Valentine Special is one of two that MPI just released. The other was "Second Honeymoon". Out of the two, I think this one is funnier but none can compare to the classic 39. It's great to see Audrey Meadows reprise her role as Alice. I wish that Joyce Randolf would have been willing to fly down to Miami Beach to play Trixie but obviously that didn't happen. I enjoyed watching this video and I am pleased that MPI is releasing them. I understand the next two will also be released later this year. I will purchase them all. The problem for me is that they're pricey when you consider all you get is one 50 minute special. As I mentioned in a previous review, I would rather have had all four specials released in one package with a good price and label it "The Honeymooners specials" or something like that. That's the main reason why I give it only 3 stars. The gags were funny overall even though some of them were reused from other "lost episode" scripts but these newer shows just aren't as hilarious as the originals. The cast is very much showing their age on these specials. Art Carney can't really make any fat jokes at Ralph because he's about the same size as Ralph now. However, it's just nice to have these episodes. I still hope MPI comes out with the rest of the lost black and white episodes with Audrey Meadows in them from the late 50s variety shows as well as even the very originals with Pert Kelton.

Oh, it just doesn't get better than this, does it? Old stories, old jokes, old actors........the BEST!The only thing we can fairly compare any "Honeymooners" to is another "Honymooners." This show stands up with the best of them!The DVD itself is OK. No big deal, but it may be the best we're gonna get. I believe these shows were all done on tape rather than film. It maintains the crisp look of tape, but does look a little beat-up at times. Hopefully, these have now been preserved on a more stable media.Of the three shows from this period that were released, this one is certainly the funniest. Recycled gags 'n all! Laurel & Hardy, Keaton, and Gleason are, in my warped opinion, the funniest guys who ever settled on our planet. I know, I know......Gleason was trying to emulate Chaplin. In the process, he came up with one of the greatest characters EVER! Take a look at this and THEN tell me I'm wrong! The guy was "a riot......a reguar riot....."

Not on par with classic 39, ok if you are a hard core Honeymooners fan.

My all time favorite television sitcom ever! I loved the episodes from the 50's, those are my favorites and I never get tired of watching them. The comedy is just as relevant today and the jokes never get stale. It just goes to show what you can accomplish with great writers and superstar performers. I wasn't born when the classic episodes were taped, but they were always part of my childhood via re-runs. This Valentine special was a Valentine treat for me.I laughed from the heart.

It's a delight to watch the four original stars of "The Honeymooners" back together again. I've seen this one and their "Second Honeymoon" special and honestly the "Second Honeymoon" one was much funnier than this one.

Item shipped and received in time. Recommend seller for any of your dvd purchasaes. Anyone who wants to experience authentic comedy, the way it was, that made people run home to watch their favorite show, any of the Honeymooners or the Jackie Gleason Show dvd's are well worth the watch.

very pleased

Despite the blurbs about four specials and all in 1976,this is the third and last special made and broadcast in Feb/78.The others were the Second Honeymoon(Feb/76-see my review on that)and the Christmas Special(Dec/77-yet to be released).Audrey Meadows returns as Alice,Jane Kean returns as Trixie,Art Carney of course returns as Norton and Jackie as Ralph.The story here involves Alice secretly working part time as a switchboard operator to make enough money to buy Ralph a Valentine's gift.When Ralph finds a piece of paper Alice has stashed that reveals some notes re her work and the name of a man,he thinks she is cheating on him.Furthermore as the plot progresses and Ralph's thoughts get the better of him,he thinks Alice is also trying to kill him!Through alot of miscues and hilarious misunderstandings the truth outs itself and all is forgiven.In a fitting end to the Honeymooner's last appearance on television,Ralph,Alice,Trixie and Ed sit around the Kramden kitchen table surrounded by a bevy of new appliances Ralph has finally bought.There are also as many exposed wires as new gadgets.When Ralph clicks the remote to the TV all his modern conveniences blow up one by one.The Kramdens it seems were just never meant to live in the modern age.Ed gets the last word as he says:"Ralph,I think the toast is burnt!".Like the TV specials before it this was filmed not in Miami Beach,but in Miami proper at Gusman Hall and is in colour.The show runs in at 50 minutes minus its' opening dialogue but it includes the ending and Gleason's intro-ing of the cast.Also included is a clip from The Kopycats TV show of Jan.20/71.It is a parody sketch of the Honeymooners with Rich Little as Norton,black comedian George Kirby as Ralph and Sheila Macrae as Alice.Interesting but nothing more.One will also notice a "different" opening theme...or not.As it turns out it is a dixieland rendering of his normal theme Melancholy Serenade.And as a kind of perspective on things it was by now that Carney had won his OSCAR for his role in Harry and Tonto and Gleason was well into his roles as the ornery sheriff of the Smokey and the Bandit movies.All in all this too is another must have DVD for all of the Honeymooners and Gleason fans out there.It's the last of the Honeymooners specials which is impetus enough to buy this DVD but the show is just plain wonderful in and of itself.Get yours today.Let's hope MPI releases the Christmas special sometime soon to complete the collection.

A good DVD with the original actors if you liked this seriies you will enjoy this episode

I found it very funny. Good way to spend an evening.