Film

Now You See Him, Now You Don't

Name: Now You See Him, Now You Don't
Genre: Comedy, Family, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Released: 1972
Cast: Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, Joe Flynn, Jim Backus, William Windom

A cheerful 1972 Disney romp about a college student who invents invisibility serum and must outwit a scheming businessman trying to steal it. Kurt Russell carries the film through broad physical comedy, sight gags, and the kind of earnest mayhem that feels designed for Saturday matinees. It's pure-hearted family entertainment with real affection for its goofy premise.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy brisk, gadget-driven Disney-era caper comedy where a clever kid-friendly premise gets wrung for every slapstick gag, much like the Dexter Riley series it spawned.

Skip it if you want a film with real stakes or emotional depth; the villain is cartoonish, the plot is thin, and the humour leans heavily on pratfalls and sight gags.

What it asks of you: Under ninety minutes, with a light touch and quick scenes, it asks little more than a willingness to go along with a silly premise and let the gags land.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes1969

Kurt Russell in another Medfield College caper with similar energy and charm. A teenager gains computer-like mental abilities, leading to comparable slapstick scenarios and the same wholesome, inventive spirit that makes the premise fun.

But The 'smart kid triumphs' plot is thinner than the invisibility concept, and it relies heavily on early-70s computer-as-magic which has dated more visibly.

Herbie Fully Loaded2005

A later Disney live-action vehicle with similar DNA: young protagonist, impossible premise treated seriously enough to be funny, gadget-driven plotting, and an antagonist who deserves comeuppance. Same spirit of earnest mayhem.

But It's slicker and less charming than the original era, and the car-as-character thing doesn't have the conceptual elegance of invisibility.

The Million Dollar Duck1971

Another Disney family film from the same moment: duck lays golden eggs, chaos ensues. The same mixture of wholesome family chaos, slapstick, and a simple high-concept premise stretched into an 88-minute adventure.

But The novelty of the duck carries less comedic weight than invisibility spray, and the pace occasionally drags in the middle sections.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Now You See Him, Now You Don't

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Darling Lili1970

Both treat an absurd high-concept premise with complete earnestness, building comedy from characters who navigate that logic without winking at the audience.

Blake Edwards directed this World War I spy musical-comedy with Julie Andrews and Rock Hudson. Like Now You See Him, it treats an impossible premise (a double agent cabaret performer) with complete sincerity and populates it with elaborate comic set pieces. The connection: both films believe wholeheartedly in their own logic and extract comedy from taking that logic seriously.

But It's 150 minutes, the tone swings wildly between romance and farce, and Edwards' whimsy can feel chaotic if you need stronger narrative structure to carry you.

Freaky Friday1976

Disney body-swap comedy with Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster swapping places. Same era sensibility, same commitment to mining comedy from a single clever premise, same warmth beneath the hijinks.

But It's fundamentally a character study disguised as farce, so if you want pure gag-driven entertainment, the emotional beats might feel like slowdowns.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks1971

Another early-70s Disney fantasy adventure with practical effects, earnest acting from the leads, a climactic sequence that's genuinely inventive, and the same belief that wonder and slapstick can live together happily.

But It's nearly two hours and the middle section involves an animated animal world that will test your patience if you're impatient with whimsy.

The Love Bug1968

Herbie's predecessor, equally charming about an inanimate object with personality creating chaos. Dean Jones brings vulnerability and warmth to the lead, and the film balances slapstick with genuine sweetness.

But It's less interested in spectacle than in character, so if you want big set pieces and high-concept visual gags, you'll find it slower.

The Cat from Outer Space1978

Late-period Disney sci-fi comedy: a telepathic alien cat, government agents, slapstick chases. Same earnest tone, same willingness to treat the absurd premise as completely real and to mine it for gentle laughs.

But The alien cat conceit wears thin, and the film's structure is more familiar spy-caper than inventive high-concept idea.

Escape to Witch Mountain1975

Two kids with telekinetic powers, a villain plotting to exploit them, physical comedy, and an adventure structure. It takes its fantasy premise seriously while keeping the tone light and fun.

But It tips more toward genuine suspense and adventure than pure comedy, so the tone is less consistent if you're wanting straightforward laughs.

The Apple Dumpling Gang1975

Tim Conway and Don Knotts as bumbling outlaws trying to protect orphans and gold. Same cheerful slapstick energy, same faith that a simple premise and likeable cast can carry an entire film.

But The comedy relies almost entirely on physical gags and accents, which means if that's not your lane, there's not much else to grab hold of.

The Invisible Man1933

Same central device, opposite emotional destinations. Watching them together shows how tone and intent reshape the same idea completely.

James Whale's original: Claude Rains' invisible scientist spirals into madness and destruction. It's the ancestral template for every invisibility story, shot with genuine technical ingenuity and a dark wit. Seeing where Disney took the concept—pure fun instead of tragedy—illuminates both films.

But It's 71 minutes of slowly building dread and a descent into villainy, so the tonal distance from the college-comedy warmth of the Disney version is genuinely vast.

Singin' in the Rain1952

Both are built on physical comedy and movement rather than dialogue. Singin' in the Rain shows what happens when that becomes genuinely virtuosic instead of just cheerful.

Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds in pure physical comedy genius. The invisibility spray is a gimmick; this film's engine is pure movement and pratfalls elevated to art. If you loved Russell's earnest slapstick, this is what mastery of that language looks like—every gag earned, nothing wasted.

But It's a backstage musical with romantic subplot, so if you watch it expecting straight comedy, the emotional throughline might feel like it's interrupting the fun.

People

Now You See Him, Now You Don't

Where to watch

Checked 16 October 2026. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Age rating

Gin United States

Ratings come from the people who assign them in each country, and they do not mean the same thing in any two. We show the one given where you are.

Released: 1972
Genre: Comedy, Family, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Status: Released
Runtime: 88 min