Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe

Directed by Robert McCallum, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe explores the life and career of Ernie Coombs – who spent thirty years on television as the eponymous Mr. Dressup. It’s potentially engrossing subject matter that’s employed to engaging, heartfelt effect by McCallum, as the filmmaker delivers a rather traditional documentary that’s been punctuated with compelling stretches and fascinating tidbits – with, in terms of the latter, the unexpected friendship between Coombs and Fred Rogers certainly one of the more eye-opening revelations within the proceedings. The movie’s first half is likewise dominated by informative, interesting facts about Mr. Dressup’s slow-but-steady rise in popularity, and its worth noting, too, that McCallum does an effective job of exploring certain elements related to Coombs’ career (eg the emergence of the CBC, the budget cuts accompanying a change in government, etc). Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe’s shift from good to great, then, is triggered by a final third virtually overflowing with emotional moments and sequences, with the resonant and affecting bent of the picture’s closing stretch certainly cementing its place as a top-notch piece of work – with the film’s success especially gratifying considering the impact Coombs has had on several generations of Canadians.

***1/2 out of ****