Perri

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland












Year Released:1957
Michael's Movie Grade:A

                                          History
Perri was the first True Life Fantasy film to come out of the Disney studio. True Life Fantasies have a lot in common with Disney's True Life Adventures. However these films instead of being straight nature documentaries, would use nature photography footage to help tell a fictional  story. A subject to use for this idea was found in Felix Salten's book Perri. The Disney studio had already adapted a Felix Salten book for the animated feature Bambi.

One of the directors on this film was N. Paul Kenworthy, who worked as a photographer on the first Disney feature length nature documentary The Living Desert. The other director was Ralph Wright. Ralph Wright had directed the Disney documentary short Saim, but may be better know to Disney fans as a writer for the studio's animated films. He worte for shorts such as Donald's Crime, No Sail and Plutopia, as well as features such as Bambi, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp.   

This film featured the use of nine cameramen, including co-director N. Paul Kenworthy Jr., and Walt's nephew Roy Edward Disney. These cameramen spent two years filming in the Uintah National Forest of Utah so that they could get enough usable footage for the film. They also spent a winter in Jackson Hole Wyoming, Though they got 200,000 feet of footage. only 8,000 feet were actually used in the film. 

Perri was quite successful at the box office, and was somewhat successful with critics as well.  

Review

Incredibly lovely film. 

Thanks to the film having more of a story-line, and it being more character driven than the straightforward nature documentaries from the studio, the narration and humor are no longer intrusive upon the rest of the film. While that felt out of place in those films, they work great here. They help in establishing this film's great characters. Perri and Toro are in fact just as great as the animal characters in Disney's animated films. This film not only doesn't have as strong of faults as those in previous Disney nature films, but it still does everything that made those films good just as well, and sometimes even better. The photography is amazing. Every moment is just beautiful to look at. The fiction aspect of this story even allows for some great moments of film making that would not appear in a straightforward nature documentary. The dream sequence for instance is fantastic. The mixing of documentary and fiction film making is great here.

Overall this is one of Disney's most overlooked gems. A must see.  

Film Credits

Directors: N. Paul Kenworthy, Ralph Wright

Writers: Ralph Wright, Winston Hibler

Based on a book by Felix Salten

Narrator: Winston Hibler

Producers: Winston Hibler, Walt Disney

Music: Paul J. Smith

 Songwriters: Hazel George, George Bruns, Winston Hibler, Paul J. Smith, Ralph Wright

Photographers:  Joel Colman, Roy Edward Disney, Warren Garst, John P. Hermann, N. Paul Kenworthy, David Meyer, Walter Perkins, William Ratcliffe, James R. Simon

Editor: Jack Atwood

Production Manager: Louis Debney

Sound Artist: Robert O. Cook

Special Effects: Ub Iwerks, Joshua Meador, Peter Ellenshaw

Resources Used 

The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050837/?ref_=ttsnd_snd_tt

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Perri

-Michael J. Ruhland

Johnny Tremain

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland














Year Released:1957
Michael's Movie Grade:A-

                                                    History
Johnny Tremain was originally going to be a two part episode of the Disneyland TV show. However as the episodes went over budget, Walt decided to release it as a theatrical feature instead.  Assistant director William Beaudine Jr. later stated about this film "We did shorten the schedule, but it was very difficult to economize to the point of making it practical just for television release, because Walt Disney expected top quality."

This film was the first time Robert Stevenson had directed a Disney film. Robert Stevenson would soon become one of the most important Disney live action directors, directing such films as Old Yeller, The Absent Minded Professor, Mary Poppins, The Love Bug, Darby O Gill and the Little People and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. However before coming to Disney he already had a fairly good career as a director, directing such films as Jane Eyre and Meet Me in Los Vegas. 

This film was also the only feature film Hal Stalmaster appeared in. Other than this he played characters that only appeared in one episode of TV shows like My Three Sons, and The Rebel. In this film we also see an old friend, Launa Patten, who was the first actress to have a contract with the Disney studio. This is the first time she had played a more grown up role for the Disney studio.

It was originally planned to have an area of Disneyland based off this film. That area was going to be called Liberty Street. This area never came to be. However the idea would appear in Walt Disney World in 1971 as Liberty Square. In the center of Liberty Square is the Liberty Tree, which has lanterns hanging from it just like the Liberty Tree in this film. 

It is unfortunately very hard to find whether this film did well at the box office or with critics. 

                       

Review

Fantastic film is entertaining and engaging from beginning to end.

The characters in this film are fantastic, as none of them are black and white, but instead fully fleshed out characters. All of these characters are very well thought out and quite likable. This is only improved by the great performances given here. Hal Stalmaster is great and it is sad his career never went any further. Time has only made Launa Patten a better actress.

This film also has a fantastic atmosphere. Like most Disney films from this era it is a treat to look at. However this great look is completely in service to the story line, That it is in the service of a very good story only helps that. Adding to the atomsphere is the great song Sons of Liberty.

The patriotism and uplifting spirit in this film are very contagious and it is hard to leave this film without feeling good.

Overall this is a very good film that I highly recommend.

Film Credits

Director: Robert Stevenson

Writer: Thomas W. Blackburn

Based on the book Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

Cast: Hal Stalmaster (Johnny Tremain), Luana Patten (Priscilla Lapham), Jeff York (James Otis), Sebastian Cabot (Jonathan Lyte), Richard Beymer (Rab Silsbee), Rusty Lane (Samuel Adams), Walter Sande (Paul Revere),  Whit Bissell (Josiah Quincy), Walter Coy (Dr. Joseph Warren), Will Wright (Ephraim Lapham), Virginia Christine (Mrs. Lapham), Ralph Clanton (Gen. Gage), Lumsden Hare (Adm. Montagu), Gavin Gordon (Col. Smith), Geoffrey Toone (Maj. Pitcairn), Walter Bacon (Townsman), Paul Bradley (Spectator), John Breen (Spectator), Dick Cherney (British Soldier), Jack Clinton (Officer), John Close (Ship Captain), Cyril Delevanti (Robert Newman), George DeNormand (Spectator), Sharon Disney (Dorcus), Robert Foulk (Mr. Larkin), David Frankham (Officer), Anthony Ghazlo Sr.(Jehu), James Gonzalez (Council Member), Dabbs Greer (Nat Lorne), Chuck Hamilton (Mate), Robin Hughes (Officer), Whitey Hughes (Spectator), Michael Jeffers (Spectator), William F. Kraemer (Silversmith), Frank McLure (Spectator), William H. O'Brien (Spectator), Paul Palmer (British Soldier), House Peters Jr. (Commander), Dick Rich (Constable Hooper), John Roy (Soldier), George Russell (Spectator),  Charles Smith (Caleb), Robert Stevenson (Sentry)

Producer: Walt Disney

Music: George Bruns

Songwriters: George Bruns, Thomas W. Blackburn

Cinematographer: Charles P. Boyle

Editor: Stanley E. Johnson

Production Designer: Peter Ellenshaw

Art Director: Carroll Clark

Set Decorators: Emile Kuri, Fred M. MacLean

Costume Designers: Gertrude Casey, Chuck Keehne

Makeup Artists: Lois Murray, David Newell

Assistant Director: William Beaudine Jr.

Special Effects: Ub Iwerks

Sound Artists: Robert O. Cook, Frank McWhorter

Resources Used

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050567/?ref_=ttsnd_snd_tt

The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Johnny%20Tremain

-Michael J. Ruhland

Westward Ho, The Wagons!

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland













Year Released:1956
Michael's Movie Grade:C

                                      History
With how popular westerns were in America at this time and the success Disney had with Davy Crockett, it seemed natural for the studio to do another western. Because of the success with Davy Crockett. this film would also star Davy himself, Fess Parker, and be written by Tom Blackburn who had written for the Davy Crockett episodes and movies. Also popular at this time was Disney's TV show The Mickey Mouse Club, because of this the children in this movie are played by the mousekteers themselves, Tommy Cole, Doreen Tracey, Cubby O'Brien and Karen Pendleton. This film also marked the last film appearance by George Reeves, who is of course today remembered for playing superman in The Adventures of Superman TV show.

This film was directed by William Beaudine, who had been a director since the silent era. He had directed such films as Sparrows, Little Annie Rooney,  Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, and The Ape Man. He also directed quite a few episodes of the TV shows, Lassie, and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. This is the first Disney feature he directed though he had already directed some episodes of Disney TV shows like The Mickey Mouse Club and The Adventures of Spin and Marty. He would later direct Ten Who Dared for Disney. His son William Beaudine Jr. was the assistant director for Westward Ho the Wagons!. William Beaudine Jr. would also be the assistant director on Disney's next feature film, Johnny Tremain. Another assistant director on this film was Yakima Canutt, who was very capable at working on westerns. His credits as assistant director include The Angel and the Badman, Rio Lobo, Stagecoach, and many more popular westerns. He would also be assitant director with Disney again on the films Old Yeller, and Swiss Family Robinson.  

William Beaudine Jr. remembered that some scenes were shot at the Canejo Ranch in Thousand Oaks California. He also noted that at that time there weren't all the buildings there then as there are now. They could only get access to shoot there was during the winter. They were worried about this because rain might have made the area muddy and hard to move heavy equipment. They had already planned to prepare to shoot within the Disney studio. However California had an extremely dry winter that year and they were able to shoot much of the movie on location. However some of the longer shots used Peter Ellenshaw's paintings as a background.

Sadly little information can be found about how this film did at the box office or with critics.

                                   

Review

Quite likable and enjoyable, but far from Disney's best work.

This film has quite a bit going for it. Like all Disney films of this era, it visually looks spectacular. Both the on location and the in studio shooting are filled with great visual beauty. Of the 5 songs in this film 4 of them are quite good (Wringle Wrangle is the exception). The acting is spot on, and even the child actors give decent performances. The characters are quite likable, if a bit underdeveloped. The action scene is quite exciting. 

However the story doesn't completely work. Often times the story just seems to be going through the motions and simply not involving the viewer in the way a Disney film usually does. The story is not bad, but it's not exactly great either. However this film still offers enough in other areas to make it quite an enjoyable film.

Film Credits

Director:  William Beaudine

Writer: Thomas W. Blackburn

Based off the novel Children of the Covered Wagon by Mary Jane Carr

Cast: Fess Parker (John 'Doc' Grayson), Kathleen Crowley (Laura Thompson), Jeff York (Hank Breckenridge), David Stollery (Dan Thompson), Sebastian Cabot (Bissonette), George Reeves (James Stephen), Doreen Tracey (Bobo Stephen), Barbara Woodell (Mrs. Stephen), John War Eagle (Wolf's Brother), Cubby O'Brien (Jerry Stephen), Tommy Cole (Jim Stephen), Leslie Bradley (Spencer Armitage), Morgan Woodward (Obie Foster), Iron Eyes Cody (Many Stars), Anthony Numkena (Little Thunder), Karen Pendleton (Myra Thompson), Jane Liddell (Ruth Benjamin), Jon Locke (Ed Benjamin),  Beulah Archuletta (White Antelope), Gertrude Astor (Wagon Woman), Kathy Beaudine (Child), Ray Berwick (Wagon Man), Buff Brady (Wagon Man), Chuck Courtney (Wagon Man), Dorothy Crider (Wagon Woman), Dewey Drapeau (Pawnee Chief), Grey Eagle (Indian), Clancy Hurrell (Child), Pete Kellett (Wagon Man), Eddie Little Sky (Pawnee Brave), Carl Mathews (Indian), George Ross (Wagon Man), Sandy Sanders (Wagon Man), Brand Stirling (Tom Foster), Max Wagner (Wagon Man)

Producers: Bill Walsh, Walt Disney

Music: George Bruns, Edward H. Plumb

Songwriters: George Bruns, Thomas W. Blackburn,  Fess Parker, Stan Jones, Paul J. Smith, Hazel George

Production Managers: Ben Chapman, Bill Anderson

Cinematographer: Charles P. Boyle

Editor: Cotton Warburton

Art Director: Marvin Aubrey Davis

Set Designers: Bertram C. Granger, Emile Kuri

Costume Designers: Gertrude Casey, Chuck Keehne

Makeup Department:  Lois Murray, David Newell

Assistant Directors: William Beaudine Jr., Yakima Canutt, Vincent McEveety

Propman: Jack Colconda

Sound Department: Robert O. Cook, Dean Thomas, Ben Hendricks, Albert E. Kennedy, Malcolm Rennings, Lou Skelton

Paintings: Peter Ellenshaw, Albert Whitlock

Special Effects: Ub Iwerks

Stunt Artists: Jerry Brown, Forest Burns, Joe Canutt, Tap Canutt, Chuck Courtney, John Epper, Bob Folkerson, Don Happy, Robert 'Buzz' Henry , Ace Hudkins, John Hudkins, Whitey Hughes, Leroy Johnson, Eddie Juaregui, Cliff Lyons, Carl Mathews, Boyd 'Red' Morgan, Sandy Sanders, Rocky Shahan, George Steele, Boyd Stockman, Eugene White, Bob Woodward, Al Wyatt Sr., Joe Yrigoyen

First Grip: Garry Lambrecht

Camera Operator: Jack Whitman

Technical Adviser: Iron Eyes Cody

Caterer: Rolly Harper

Script Clerk: Fred Hartsook

Dialogue/dance Director: Ralph Maxheimer

Publicist:   Leonard Shannon

Resources Used

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049945/?ref_=ttsnd_snd_tt

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Westward%20Ho%20the%20Wagons

The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin

-Michael J. Ruhland