Musical opus from director Don Chaffey and the Disney Studios mixes animation with live-action in the possible hope of creating another "Mary Poppins". Plot concerns turn-of-the-century orphan (Sean Marshall, who is both too old and too modern) escaping from villains with help from a lighthouse keeper, his daughter, and a goofy 50-foot dragon (who mostly stays invisible!). Harmless family film isn't especially inventive or witty, opening with a big production number featuring Shelley Winters dressed as a singing hag. The infrequent animated dragon may lure youngsters, but the picture seldom comes together and is woefully overlong. Another piece of heavy-handed whimsy from mid-'70s Disney. *1/2 from ****
Review of Pete's Dragon
