Dexter (Kurt Russell) returns from The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes for a new adventure that can stand alone. Dexter, ever the college student prone to misadventure, has an idea for a formula to render things invisible. Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn) is less than impressed and sets his hopes for winning a lucrative science prize with the pupil studying bees. However, the bees sting the student and he turns out to be allergic. There goes THAT chance for a prize. But, wait, Dexter does it! He actually concocts a liquid that makes him invisible. Trouble is, a unscrupulous businessman (Cesar Romero) learns about it and decides he can use that formula, thank you, for something illegal. Can he manage to steal the bottle out from under Dexter's nose? This is a companion movie to the TCWT but one need not have seen the first film to enjoy this one. Russell is a genial leading screw-up who comes through when it really counts. The rest of the cast is also a dream, with Flynn, Romero, Jim Bacchus and others showing why their comic abilities are still held in high regard today. The script is just innocent fun that is charming, with the special effects somewhat simple, by today's standards, but effective nonetheless. If you want to sit down and relive a bygone era or just want to share a quality, G-rated film with your family, this is a great choice. Although it is over 30 years old, there is a great possibility that even now you will see your loved ones giggle away the blues with a showing of this fine flick.
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SnoopyStyle1 December 2015College dean Higgins (Joe Flynn) is trying to cut the chemistry department budget. He dismisses all the science being done by the students. A lightning strike hits the lab. The next day, Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell) checks the damaged experiments and discovers an invisibility liquid. He shows his friends Richard Schuyler and Debbie Dawson. Crooked investor A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero) has bought up the college's mortgage. The Dean is clueless but the three friends suspect Arno has nefarious motives.
This is the second of the Dexter Riley movies from Disney. It is charming family fun. There is an endearing innocence about these movies. Baby-faced Kurt Russell is great. I also love the pre-CGI special effects. As a kid, I was engrossed by them. As an adult, I am enchanted by them. The story is silly but that's also part of the charm. -
bkoganbing27 November 2011Kurt Russell and a whole bunch of the cast from The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes got to repeat their characters in Now You See Him, Now You Don't. The biggest surprise of course was Cesar Romero who with Richard Bakalyn should have been in jail because of what happened in the last film.
But Romero apparently had a good lawyer and he's out and holding the mortgage on dear old Medfield College. Kurt and his buddies find out that Romero plans to foreclose on the college and open it up as a gambling palace with dogtrack, casino and all.
In the meantime Russell as Dexter Riley again is now conducting experiments with invisibility. Lightning strikes once again and he's got himself a liquid invisibility formula which could win a science award and solve dear old Medfield's problems.
But not if Romero gets his hands on it because he has other more nefarious plans as any crook just might.
Some nice special effects characterize Now You See Him, Now You Don't as the kids use the invisibility formula to help Dean Joe Flynn win a golf match. Golf pro Billy Casper never was up against something like this when he faced off against Hogan and Snead.
And once again absolutely no hint of what was going on in the real world coming into the the Disney created world of Medfield College.
Still the film has some good laughs in it and it shouldn't be taken all that seriously. -
Taz-5910 April 2000This comical tale is an example of what Saturday matinee movies used to be like. Don't be dismayed if you think this is for science fiction lovers only, it's got some great laughs, fine acting, surprisingly good special effects and a hugely enjoyable story. Great performances from the late Cesar Romero and Joe Flynn. Also notable to see a young Kurt Russell in action. Second feature in a trilogy with the same cast.
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Hey_Sweden7 August 2019The second of the "Dexter Riley" Disney feature film vehicles for Kurt Russell, this is good, amiable, goofy fun. Sure, it's not exactly "great cinema", but it sure as Hell isn't trying to be. It follows its formula to a tee while serving up a respectable amount of decent invisibility effects and engaging laughs.
This time, Kurts' Dexter Riley is in a science class, and by accident he manages to perfect an invisibility spray. The problem is, of course, that master criminal A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero) finds out all about it, and figures to exploit the spray for his own ends. Dexter and his friends (chief among them, Michael McGreevey as Richard Schuyler and Joyce Menges as Debbie Dawson) must work overtime to both give their grumpy dean (Joe Flynn, who's in very fine form) an assist, and ultimately foil bad guy Arno.
"Now You See Him, Now You Don't" is great fun for anybody looking for a lively campus comedy. As said before, the special effects are pretty decent, and director Robert Butler maintains a reasonable pace. (Things go along kind of deliberately until the typical, manic Disney finale where the studio pulls out all the stops.) Kurt is a joy in this recurring role of Dexter, who may not be a top student, but has the personality of a hero and a definite charisma. Romero is fun as usual as the bad guy; other reliable and familiar actors in supporting roles include Jim Backus, William Windom, Richard Bakalyan, Alan Hewitt, Kelly Thordsen, Kurt's dad Bing in the small role of Alfred, George O'Hanlon, John Myhers, Edward Andrews, and Ed Begley, Jr. Legendary and extremely prolific voice-over artist Frank Welker has one of his early career, on-screen roles as one of Dexters' many associates.
If you're a fan of Kurt, or any live-action Disney from this period, this is guaranteed to deliver some agreeable entertainment.
Followed by "The Strongest Man in the World".
Seven out of 10. -
MartianOctocretr516 August 2014Comedic take on the Invisible Man motif, featuring Disney's Medfield College gang of Dexter Riley, Dean Higgins et al. A good showcase for Kurt Russell's early work in comedy, before he started doing violent action heroes a few years later.
This time, Riley (Russell) is one of several college students trying to win a scientific invention contest. Lightning strikes (literally) and he finds himself in possession of a viable invisibility potion. He is ready to wow the world with this scientific breakthrough, but then, some evil hi jinx by crooks intervene, setting up some weird moments, car chases, predictable slapstick, keystone cop style bumbling, and other tomfoolery. The invisibility special effects are cheap, but it doesn't matter.
There are some slow points and lulls, but the good scenes make up for it. The golf sequences and the "invisibility presentation" bit are the funniest moments. The cast features some great character acting by Joe Flynn, Cesar Romero, Jim Backus, and William Windom.
Brainless fun for when you're in the mood for 3 Stooges type slapstick. -
HotToastyRag24 May 2021Kurt Russell and his gang of college buddies return three years later in Now You See Him, Now You Don't. Just as The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes was deliciously '60s, this one is deliciously '70s. The haircuts, the clothes, the music are all different in just three years - but that's college life for you! This time at Medford College, the science department is still underfunded and Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn) is still incompetent. Kurt and his pals invent an invisibility spray solution, and they hope to impress Jim Backus, the head of the science contest, into giving them the grant money.
Even though he's supposed to be safely locked in jail from the end of the first movie, A. J. Arno (Cesar Romero) is back and ready to thwart Kurt's plans. But when you're trying to steal things you can't see from people you can't see, it's pretty tough. It's also pretty funny. It's a Disney movie with nothing bad happening from start to finish, so it's safe and fun for the whole family. It's also less dated than the original, since invisibility still hasn't been invented (even though computers have been) yet. -
preppy-39 August 2000Silly Disney film about a college student who accidentally discovers a potion that makes things invisible. Not a bad idea and some of the special effects are pretty good. Still, the script is VERY bad...all the jokes flop and the acting is lousy. Everybody's trying to be funny and they're not. A real boring, stupid Disney film. But it was fun seeing Kurt Russell so young.
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Icekid19843 June 2005It may not be a 10 out of 10 but for me the jokes didn't fail. I've seen it many times when I was younger and again on DVD I believe, and I laughed each time.The humor is simple and fun,this film was just one of many small flicks Disney was throwing out at the time. I found the parts where the people out of the invisible loop saw people invisible. THere expressions were priceless Great film, if the opportunity to ever see this arises I recommend seeing it for a good oh fashion laugh. My favorite character in all the Dexter series would most definitely have to be Dean Higgins, I love his voice and hearing him get upset especially seeing his expression at the end was just pure hysterical for me.
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Just as good as its predecessor, perhaps even slightly better in moments.
All in all I narrowly prefer 'The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes', but 'Now You See Him, Now You Don't' most certainly still produces solid fun. Everything revolves around invisibility this time, the stuff that Dexter & Co. get up to is suitably entertaining.
Kurt Russell reprises the role of Dexter, again positively - no surprise he went on to become such a well known star. Cesar Romero is also good for a second film running, as Arlo. Joe Flynn gets a bigger part as Higgins this time, he's definitely better in this production.
For the majority I felt it was superior to the 1969 original, but the third act drags ever so slightly to the point it brings it back down on a similar footing. Still, this is Disney's best live-action sequel up until this point - way more enjoyable than 'Son of Flubber' or 'Savage Sam', among others.
Can they make it a hat-trick of fine films with the other sequel in 'The Strongest Man in the World'? Hope so! -
Prismark105 August 2018Now You See Him, Now You Don't is a silly Disney comedy which kids might enjoy but it really is a bad stupid film.
It is the further adventures of science student Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell) who discovers an invisibility formula by accident and he thinks he could win a prestigious science prize that could save his college.
College Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn) cuts a deal with investor A J Arno (Cesar Romero) who has just been released from jail. Arno owns the college's mortgage and plans to turn the site into a casino as an old piece of legislation allowed gambling on the land. The Dean is unaware of Arno's crooked plans.
Arno also steals Dexter's invisibility formula and plans to rob a bank but Dexter and his fellow students give chase.
The film starts off brightly but really loses its way. The golf scenes just meanders like the golf balls that Dexter somehow contrived to place in the hole.
When Arno makes his getaway car invisible, how is it that it also becomes indestructible and somehow never becomes visible even when it passes through water puddles? -
reabbott6318 November 2009This is a 1972 Disney movie. For the time, I was eleven years old and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Feeling nostalgic, I purchased the three series DVD's of the Dexter Riley movies and even now, at age 46, I still enjoyed them. It was all about fantasy, magic, and clean fun. And it still is! I wasn't sure which of the three movies came first then second and last. So now I have the official dates. On December 31, 1969 The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes--On July 12, 1972 Now You See Him Now You Don't--On February 6, 1975 The Strongest Man In The World. I still think the middle movie was the best. The special effects were amazing back in 1972 to us kids. I definitely recommend it to all ages.
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IonicBreezeMachine8 May 2021At Medfield College, Dexter Riley (Dexter Riley) is back, now using the University's creative lab to work on an invisibility formula theorized by an 18th century Russian scientist. Following an electrical accident the formula starts working successfully. Meanwhile, crook A. J. Arno (Caesar Romero) recently paroled acquires Medfield's mortgage intending to foreclose on it and turn it into a hotel/casino. When Dexter discovers Arno's plot, Riley turns his attention towards using his Invisibility formula to win the coveted Forsythe Award of $50,000 to pay Medfield's mortgage, but Arno has more devious plans for the formula.
Now You See Him, Now You Don't reunites director Robert Butler and star Kurt Russell in their third collaboration following their success in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Barefoot Executive, while I wasn't a fan of The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes I did enjoy The Barefoot Executive quite a bit, Now You See Him, Now You Don't feels much more polished than the previous entry in the Dexter Riley series and is much better paced and edited with a much more cinematic feel with some decent special effects and creative shenanigans. Some issues carry over from the previous entry, but the movie had enough gags that made it feel worth it.
In many ways, Now You See Him, Now You Don't is a disneyfied take on Universal's Invisible movies, which really isn't all that shocking as many of those films had traces of pitch black humor in them (such as the original film's "Here we go gathering nuts in May" sequence with Dr. Griffin's dancing trousers) and there is comic potential to be had from the invisibility premise. While I don't think I laughed as heartily as I did at the highest points of the Invisible Man's humor, I did enjoy the well-staged sequences with shoes running by themselves, driverless cars, and games of golf that defy belief of all who watch them. If there is a drawback to the movie, it's in its blatant recycling of the plot of the first movie. Many elements from this film follow the same basic structure as the last one, and it asks the audience to buy a LOT with Arno being trusted and having power after having been paroled (though given how real life operates.....). Once again I thought Arno was a waste of Caesar Romero and stood in the shadow of better Disney comedy villains like David Tomlinson from The Love Bug or Frank Gorshin from That Darn Cat, there's really not all that much to Arno and he's just there because he facilitates the third act's climax.
Now You See Him, Now You Don't is basically the first movie done better. With better comedic timing, tighter editing, and an overall improvement in the polish on the film, Now You See Him, Now You Don't makes for serviceable if not particularly memorable viewing. -
utgard1416 August 2014College genius Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell) creates a formula for invisibility spray. Villainous businessman A.J. Arno (Caesar Romero) is released from jail and immediately starts scheming to turn Dexter's university into a casino. Dexter uses the invisibility spray to help save the school but Arno discovers his secret and steals the formula.
Second in Disney's Dexter Riley trilogy with Kurt Russell, Caesar Romero, and company. It's an enjoyable bit of fluff. You won't hurt your brain, that's for sure. Russell and the rest of the cast are good. Joe Flynn as Dean Higgins steals every scene he's in. Decent special effects and family-friendly humor. It's a fun movie that should appeal to young and old alike. -
ludi1us21 February 2009This is Classic Disney at its live action cartoon best! Bumbling college student Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell) develops a mysterious liquid invisibility formula that actually makes objects disappear and helps him to save his cash strapped college. Further experimentation reveals that it works amazingly well on humans too! Riley's startling discovery takes some hilarious new twists when a gang of crooks headed by the notorious A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero) steal the formula and attempt to use it for their less-than-legal activities. Dazzling special effects and a fast-paced story make this lively film a textbook case of college comedy! I love this movie! This movie has always filled me with a sense of wonder and joy.A pleasant little comedy that the entire family can enjoy. Not much violence or sex and absolutely no swearing, makes this a movie that parents can watch with their children.Merely one in a series of Kurt Russell movies set at Medvale College. A pleasant little series set in a wholesome America before terrorists, when people valued integrity more than cash! I highly recommend this movie!
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In this underrated sequel to the 1969 film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, we find Dexter Riley inventing again. This time, he's working on a theory of invisibility. And yet again, Dean Higgins is in need of money. Makes you wonder what happened with all the money Medfield was awarded in the first film.
This film wasn't always readily available from the Disney library, not until they were releasing the Dexter Riley trilogy on dvd. Therefore, that made the film somewhat obscure and almost unknown. One of the downfalls of this installment is that Professor Quigley (William Schallert) wasn't involved in the production. He was replaced without explanation, but does reappear in The Strongest Man in the World. Richard Bakalyan returns but as a nephew to A.J. Arno.
However, the film is funny and the special effects were great for the time period. It's a very family friendly film. -
kaiaantoniou26 June 2018I really enjoyed this film, a lot more than I expected to, and it is comedy gold for all ages. Very funny, very clever, and overall very enjoyable to watch.
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pmtelefon25 August 2023"Now You See Him, Now You Don't" is another winner from the glory day of Disney live action movies. Kurt Russell is a great as Dexter Riley. Cesar Romero is even better as the villainous A. J. Arno. Arno is a terrific bad guy. The rest of the cast is also very likeable with the standouts being Joe Flynn and Michael McGreevey. "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" is a lot of fun. There are a lot of smiles in this movie. This movie has goodwill to spare. I've seen this movie a bunch of times over the years. It never fails to hit the spot. (I saw this in the theater (Bellerose, NY) when it first came out.)