While others seemed quite surprised at Varney's dramatic performance as Jed as being excellent(most associate him with lovable Ernest P. Worrell), I was not surprised. I love the Ernest character and the entire Ernest genre. With Varney being able to pull off a multitude of characters and voices(over 61), I wasn't shocked at his performance as the serious Jed Clampett. It was refreshing to see him play the straight role while the comedy was happening around him. I've always wanted to see Varney in dramatic roles as well and knew he had it in him to do so. Varney was the perfect choice for Jed and no one could've done better. Ebsen should be proud. I must admit, I was so used to seeing Varney as Ernest that I WAS shocked when I saw 'Jed' come down the stairs in a black hat, white shirt and black pants. The first thing I thought was, "Weeeee, Doggie. Sexy." I couldn't help myself. I'm from Alabama, and I know that the accents were somewhat forced on some parts like Elly Mae's but Varney's was dead on. Since he was born in Kentucky and lived in Tennessee, how could it not? With Tomlin, Parton and Coleman, it felt like a 9-5 reunion. Bader playing the moronic Jethro cracked me up especially when he 'figured' out how to bowl. Leachman as Granny was perfect. Being such a small little thing, she has a big personality. I remember watching her as the witch in 'Hansel and Gretal' and just loving the performance. Another hilarious scene was how the Clampett's gave everyone on the interstate the bird because they honestly thought that was how people said hello in 'Californy'. One of my favorite parts was when two hooligans come up beside them after being cut off by Jethro, and pull a gun. Jed stands up, points a huge rifle at them and says, "That's real nice, son. This here's what I carry." The two guys speed away. I grew up watching some of the reruns of the original 'Beverly Hillbillies'. And the movie is a nice parody of the original, but keeping true to the story and characters. Jim sang a version of 'Hot Rod Lincoln' and it was just excellent. Not only did he had a wonderful singing voice, he was also very articulate. I recommend this movie. If you're a Varney fan then I highly recommend you get this and enjoy!!

What a wonderful, silly, entertaining movie! Diedrich Bader is especially hilarious as Jethro/Jethrine, but everyone in this movie is funny. The Clampetts are great. They are the kind of people that one should have as friends. Not only are they nice, they will treat you as a friend. Jim Varney was perfect as Jed and we cannot forget mentioning Dabney Coleman whose performance as usual added to the humor. This is an unpretentious, humorous, entertaining movie and the kind of movie that is not only watchable but provokes nonstop laughter. This special movie compares favorably with the sitcom. Both are humorous without being nasty and both show that nice people can actually finish first. If you enjoy nonstop laughs then this movie is for you.

I would say Jim Varney (Jed Clampet) Cloris Leachmen (Granny), Erika Eleniak (Elly may Clampet) Diedrich Bader (Jethro Bodine) Lily Tomlin (Miss Jane Hathaway), and Dabney Colmen (Milburn Drysdale)did a great job. I have seen this on ABC family in April I like that movie. His bloodhound is sometimes lazy but he was hunting a jack rabbit Jim Varney is similar to Buddy Ebsen. DOlly Parton did very well with this song called If you Ain't got love. Jim Varney did very well in the Hot Rod Lincon. It's actually different then the TV series. In the Beverly hillbillies movie it was terrible that Larua Jackson wants to steal Jed Clampets money. My favorite part when the orangutan spanks Larua Jackson's butt. One part must of been a problem with getting hitched. Jethro Bodine was hysterical.

When he is out hunting, Arkansas bumpkin Jed Clampett strikes oil on his own land. It doesn't take long for the oil companies to get wind of the largest domestic oil reserve in recent history and before you can say "Texas T", they have bought him out to the tune of one billion dollars (US$ though – but still a lot of money). Jed packs up his family and heads out for the lifestyle that he can now afford in Beverly Hills. His new bank manager, Milburn Drysdale expects his new billionaire clients to be the height of breeding and sophistication and is surprised to find that although the Clampetts are "salt of the earth" people, they aren't really "Beverly Hills" material.One of countless remakes of TV series of yesteryear, this basic, bland and unfunny affair is probably no better or worse than the average television show original but where that has the benefit of nostalgia to strengthen it, this film is left totally exposed in the cold light of modern American cinema. Without this protection the film must stand on its own thanks to a slick narrative, lots of laughs and so on. Sadly the makers seem to have forgotten this and the plot is a predictable and forced narrative along the lines of "little people makin' good". I wanted to care about Jed's search for a wife, or worry about whether he would have his money scammed away, or hope that Elly May can be allowed to be herself but really I couldn't bring myself to give a monkey's at any point. A bit of a problem when it then comes to following a story but then, hey, at least I'll be laughing too hard to care about the detail.Well, not really. The comedy here is very basic and seems happy to just rely totally on how stupid Jethro is; how tomboyish Elly is; how old Granny is and how everyone else either slaps their forehead with frustration at these characteristics or just do pratfalls over furniture. Attempts at postmodernism are mostly very lazy and lack any inspiration or genuine wit. It might appeal to children but it was all too little for me. The cast aren't able to help much but in fairness several of them are used to operating at this level. The late Varney is actually pretty restrained but this doesn't mean he is funny or produces a good character – because he can't. However he looks like Lawrence Olivier next to the mugging ineptitude of Bader, who seems to have been told that "looking confused with a big stupid smile on your face" will produce the type of comedy gold that will stand for all time. He is terrible of course but I do know he is only following direction. Eleniak is a tomboy, and that's about it – she never convinces but then so what? Leachman is told to be old and indeed she is, Schneider is bad even by his standards; Thompson's performance makes "Allo, Allo" look like an Open University programme and Coleman clearly needs cash and needs it now (or then I suppose). Tomlin is very out of place but at least she seems to be having fun with it – I'm glad one of us was.Overall then, for those who want to watch old television comedies without the blinkers of nostalgia then this is one good way because it exposes the film for what it is – a poorly developed unfunny comedy. Nobody in it can raise the material and instead they are pulled down with it like so many pilots in a nose-diving aircraft; I guess the only difference is that the pilots would be struggling to pull out of the dive whereas here the cast mostly seem blissfully happy to mug along as it spirals ever downwards. A pointless 90 minutes of my evening that gave me nothing back in return for my investment.