Movie and Film Profile: No Deposit, No Return (1976)

No Deposit, No Return was generally released theatrically on February 11, 1976. Produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. Inspired by the 1903 short story “A Retrieved Reformation” and the 1907 short story “The Ransom of Red Chief” by William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name O. Henry. It was accompanied in theaters by a reissue of the animated feature film Dumbo.

DFME Rating: ★★½☆☆ (2.5 out of 5 stars)

Caution: Possible Spoilers Ahead!

Tracy and Jay Osborne are disappointed to learn they must spend Easter vacation with their wealthy but cold grandfather, J.W. Osborne, while their mother is away on business in Hong Kong. At the airport, a series of mishaps leads the children to escape their grandfather’s supervision and inadvertently join forces with Duke and Bert, two inept criminals fleeing a failed robbery.

Believing they can outsmart the adults in their lives, Tracy devises a plan to fake their own kidnapping and demand ransom money from their grandfather to buy plane tickets to Hong Kong. Duke and Bert reluctantly participate, hoping the money will help them pay off a loan shark. Meanwhile, the grandfather quickly realizes the kidnapping is a ruse but plays along, allowing the situation to escalate.

Police surveillance, bungled negotiations, and chase sequences complicate the scheme. The plot reaches its climax when Tracy and Jay accidentally lock themselves inside their grandfather’s safe, forcing everyone to work together to rescue them. Duke ultimately cracks the safe, proving his better nature, and the ordeal leads to forgiveness, second chances, and a reunited family.

Aired on The Wonderful World of Disney television series on November 6, 1982 (Part 1) and November 13, 1982 (Part 2). 

First released on home media (VHS) on September 23, 1986. Re-released on VHS on April 14, 1998, as part of the Walt Disney Family Classics: The Don Knotts Collection. Released on DVD for the first time on July 6, 2004. No Deposit, No Return is not available on Disney+ as of February 11, 2026.

CAST & CREW

• Director: Norman Tokar
• Producer: Ron Miller, Joe McEveety (Co-Producer)
• Screenplay: Arthur Alsberg, Don Nelson
• Story: Joe McEveety
• Cinematography: Frank Phillips, A.S.C.
• Editor: Cotton Warburton, A.C.E.
• Art Director(s): John B. Mansbridge, Jack Senter
• Music: Buddy Baker, Walter Sheets (Orchestration), Evelyn Kennedy (Music Editor)
• Cast: David Niven (as J.W. Osborne), Darren McGavin (as Duke), Don Knotts (as Bert), Herschel Bernardi (as Sgt. Turner), Barbara Feldon (as Carolyn), Kim Richards (as Tracy), Brad Savage (as Jay), John Williams (as Jameson), Charlie Martin Smith (as Longnecker), Vic Tayback (as Big Joe), Bob Hastings (as Peter), Louiss Guss (as Freddie), Richard O’Brien (as Capt. Boland), Barney Phillips (as Sgt. Benson), Ruth Manning (as Miss Murdock), Olive Dunbar (as Mrs. Hadley), James Hong (as Ming Lo), Jean Gillespie (as Reporter), Jack Wells (as Reporter), Stu Gilliam (as Policeman), Jack Griffin (as Policeman), Milt Kogan (as Policeman), Hank Jones (as Banana Cop), Iris Adrian (as Housewife), Henry Slate (as Truck Driver)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 

• MPAA Rating: G
• Runtime: 112 minutes
• Sound: Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)
• Format: Color (Technicolor)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1
• Genre(s): Classics, Comedy, Live-Action (from movies.disney.com)

BOX OFFICE (from IMDb.com)

• Budget: N/A
• Opening Weekend (U.S. & Canada): N/A
• Gross (U.S. & Canada): N/A
• Gross (Worldwide): N/A

RATINGS

• My Rating: 2.5 (out of 5)
• Rotten Tomatoes: N/A (Tomatometer) | 66% (Popcornmeter)
• Metacritic: N/A (Metascore) | N/A (User Score)
• IMDb: 6.4 (out of 10)
• The Movie DB: 62% (User Score)
• Letterboxd: 3.2 (out of 5)
• Combined Rating: 61.20

MY THOUGHTS

If you like 1970s Disney charm, some gentle slapstick, some family-friendly mischief, and lighthearted chaos, then No Deposit, No Return is right up your alley. The acting performances by Don Knotts and Darren McGavin were entertaining enough to keep me interested. The movie did run long at 112 minutes; I think around the 90-minute mark would have been perfect, and the middle of the film seemed to drag on a little too much. 

Have you seen No Deposit, No Return? Share your thoughts in the comment section. 

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