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 

Secrets of Life

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland

Michael's Movie Grade: B
Year Released:1956

                                                History
Unlike previous Disney nature documentaries, this film was not dedicated to one specific theme. This film would show many different areas and animals.

This film has much of the same crew as the previous True-Life Adventures, including director James Algar, producers Ben Sharpsteen and Walt Disney (of course), composer Paul Smith and narrator Winston Hibler. However with much more areas to shoot there were much more photographers than there were on previous nature documentaries. While there were some photographers who had previously worked with Disney such as Robert H. Crandall,  Murl Deusing, Stuart V. Jewell, and Tilden W. Roberts, there were also some who had never before worked for Disney such as William A. Anderson, Jack Couffer, George MacGinitie, and Nettie MacGinitie, and some who this would be their only time working at Disney such as Arthur Carter, Fran William Hall, Claude Jendrusch, Donald L. Sykes, and Roman Vishniac (in fact for a few of those photographers this would be the only film they worked on). This is also the very first feature-length Disney nature documentary to use time-lapse photography. This time lapse photography was done by Rex R. Elliott, William M. Harlow, Stuart V. Jewell, John Nash Ott Jr, Vincent J. Schaefer.

Like The African Lion this film has much less humor injected into it than the earliest Disney nature documentaries. This is because the humor had been was considered intrusive by many critics. and Walt look back and discovered they were right. Walt knew that he could always improve, and took the faults of previous Disney films to heart to make sure that his studio could keep making better and better movies.

Secrets of Life was a big hit with both audiences and critics. Critics piratically loved it, not only because of less humor but also because they considered the photography (particularly the time-lapse photography) revolutionary.

Review

One of Disney's best nature documentaries.

The photography in this film is down right amazing. The images of flowers blooming, volcanoes erupting, and more will stay in your mind after the film is done as absolutely amazing images. Also the time-lapse photography deserves all the praise the critics gave it and more. Technologically speaking this film was ahead of it's time.  

Again I don't much care for either the narration or humor in this series but luckily it was lessened from some of the series' earlier entries. The music can be a bit distracting at times, but at other times it works very well.

Overall despite some faults this is a great movie.

Film Credits 

Director: James Algar.

Writer: James Algar

Narrator: Winston Hibler

Producers: Ben Sharpsteen, Walt Disney

Music: Paul J. Smith, Edward H. Plumb, Franklyn Marks, Evelyn Kennedy

Photographers: William A. Anderson, Arthur Carter, Jack Couffer, Robert H. Crandall, Murl Deusing, Fran William Hall, Claude Jendrusch, George MacGinitie, Nettie MacGinitie, Tilden W. Roberts, Donald L. Sykes, Roman Vishniac, Stuart V. Jewell

Time-Lapse Photographers: Stuart V. Jewell, Rex R. Elliott, William M. Harlow, John Nash Ott Jr., Vincent J. Schaefer

Film Editor: Anthony Gerard

Production Manager: Erwin L. Verity

Sound Artist: Robert O. Cook

Special Effects: Ub Iwerks, Joshua Meador, Art Riley

Researchers: Rutherford Platt, Tilden W. Roberts

Resources Used

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Secrets%20of%20Life

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049733/?ref_=rvi_tt

-Michael J. Ruhland

Day Crockett and the River Pirates

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland














Michael's Movie Grade:C+
Year Released:1956

                                                  History
After the success of the first three Davy Crockett episodes, and Davy Crockett: The King of the Wild Frontier, everyone at the Disney studio knew they had a good thing going, and needed to continue this character's adventures. There was only one problem with this. That problem was that Davy Crockett had been killed off. The answer to this was to not make sequels, but rather a couple more stories about Davy that took place at an unknown time in Davy's life. These stories were first aired as two T.V. episodes and then edited into a theatrical feature film. Though Davy's previous adventures had been based off of true events (though very, very loosely), these would be all original stories created by the Disney staff. Like the previous film parts of the episodes were cut out when making it into a feature.Again like the previous feature audiences had seen the two episodes only in black and white, so this was their first time to be seen in color.

Naturally this film would feature much of the same crew that worked on King of the Wild Frontier. This would include director Norman Foster, writer Thomas W. Blackburn, producer Bill Walsh, musician George Burns, and actors Fess Parker and Buddy Ebson.

When this film was released it made money,but it was nowhere near as big of a hit as King of the Wild Frontier was. The Davy Crockett craze was dying down. However Fess Parker would go on to star in many more Disney films, and Norman Foster would go on to direct Disney's Zorro TV series and the Disney feature The Sign of Zorro based off the show.

These stories inspired two rides. The Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes (Originally called Indian War Canoes) ride appeared at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in 1956. It is still at Disneyland, but not at Walt Disney World. Mike Fink Keel Boats also used to exist at both parks but are not at either anymore.

Review

Good, silly fun, even if it is not as good as the first film.

The story here isn't as strong as the first film, and it lacks that film's epic scope, but regardless this movie is simply quite fun. The acting is quite great. Fess Parker and Buddy Ebson are just as good as ever for these characters. However here adding to the fun is a fantastic performance by Jeff York as Mike Finn. Peter Ellenshaw's backgrounds are as good as ever as well.

Despite the story not being that strong, and even weak at times, this is a fun way to spend 81 minutes. Not as good as the first but still worth a watch.

Film Credits

Director: Norman Foster

Writers: Thomas W. Blackburn, Norman Foster

Cast: Fess Parker (Davy Crockett), Buddy Ebsen (George Russel), Jeff York (Mike Fink), Kenneth Tobey (Jocko), Clem Bevans (Cap'n Cobb), Irvin Ashkenazy (Moose), Mort Mills (Sam Mason), Paul Newlan (Big Harpe), Frank Richards (Little Harpe), Hank Worden (Fiddler), Walter Catlett (Col. Plug), Douglass Dumbrille (Saloon Owner), William Fawcett (Old Man), George J. Lewis (Black Eagle)

Producers: Bill Walsh, Walt Disney

Music: Thomas W. Blackburn, George Bruns

Songwriters: George Bruns, Thomas Blackburn

Cinematographer: Bert Glennon

Editor: Stanley E. Johnson

Art Director: Feild M. Gray

Set Decorators: Bertram C. Granger, Emile Kuri

Painter: Peter Ellenshaw

Special Effects: Ub Iwerks

Makeup Artists: David Newell, Phillip Scheer

Production Manager: John Grubbs

Assistant Director: Ivan Volkman

Sound Artist: Robert O. Cook

Costume Creator: Carl Walker

Resources Used

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049125/?ref_=ttsnd_snd_tt

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Davy%20Crockett%20and%20the%20River%20Pirates

https://www.mouseplanet.com/guide/737/Disneyland-Resort/Disneyland-Park/Critter-Country/Davy-Crocketts-Explorer-Canoes

-Michael J. Ruhland

The Great Locomotive Chase

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland









Michael's Movie Grade:A
Year Released: 1956

                                                  History
With Walt's love of trains, and Fess Parker's success as Davy Crockett, The Great Locomotive Chase seemed like a natural film for Disney to do at this time. The story would be based off of a true story that happened during the civil war. This story had been filmed before for Buster Keaton's 1926 classic The General (which if you haven't seen watch it now).However this time it was going to be filmed in quite a different light. It would be more serious here, and not a comedy like The General, and it would feature the north as the main characters rather than the south (as in Keaton's film). That is closer to the truth than Keaton's version as these character in the true story were from the north. This happened because Buster didn't feel he could make southerner's into the bad guys. However these films are too different from each other, and even though they are based off the same source this is by no means a remake of the earlier film.

This film was directed by Francis D. Lyon, who had previously worked for Disney on the Spin and Marty segment of The Mickey Mouse Club TV show. Lyon spent much of his career directing various westerns for both theaters and TV. This would include The Oklahoman (with Joel McCrea), Escort West, and episodes of the Laramie TV show. The Great Locomotive Chase would mark his first and last time directing a Disney feature. This film would also be the film debut of actor Morgan Woodward, who would later be in the film Cool Hand Luke and the TV show Dallas.  He would also appear in the Disney film Westward Ho, the Wagons!.

The train used in this film was a train called the William Mason. This train was built in 1856, and was actually used during the Civil War to transport Union troops and supplies. This locomotive has also appeared in other films such as The Swan, Raintree Country, Wild Wild West, Tuck Everlasting and Gods and Generals.

Much of this film takes place in Georgia, and much of the outdoor shooting was shot there on location. However the indoor shooting was mostly done at the Disney studio in Burbank, California. Walt was not as involved with this film as he usually was. This is because at the time he was busy doing work at Disneyland. However he did play a role in the story meetings, and he visited the filming in Georgia for a weekend. 

The Great Locomotive Chase was a big hit both critically and at the box office. Some critics were happy to see this film go back to the big budget spectacle they excepted from Disney, after the modest budget The Littlest Outlaw. 

Review

Fantastic film. This film is great on nearly all levels. 

While the story is fairly simple and easy to follow, it never talks down to the audience and is not afraid to show the complexities of the history it is representing. I love that this is a movie without any real bad guys, but rather just people fighting for what they believe is right. This is truly fascinating and something that should be more common in films of this kind. While not to give anything away the ending is simply incredibly powerful, and something that should be seen by people who claim that Disney films are just simple minded escapism for kids, as it will definitely prove those people wrong.

One thing that really makes this film  great is the fact that it takes it's time to get to the big action scene. Because of this we are fully invested in the story and characters when it happens. This of course makes the scene much more exciting.

Like all Disney films of this era this film looks great. Peter Ellenshaw's paintings and Charles P. Boyle's cinematography are especially well done.

Overall this is an incredible film that deserves more attention than it currently gets.

Film Credits

Director: Francis D. Lyon

Writer: Lawrence Edward Watkin

Cast: Fess Parker (James J. Andrews), Jeffrey Hunter (William A. Fuller), Jeff York (William Campbell), John Lupton (William Pittenger), Eddie Firestone (Robert Buffum), Kenneth Tobey (Anthony Murphy), Don Megowan (Marion A. Ross),  Claude Jarman Jr. (Jacob Parrott), Harry Carey Jr. (William Bensinger), Leonard P. Geer ( J.A. Wilson), George Robotham (William Knight), Stan Jones (Wilson Brown), Marc Hamilton (John Wollam), John Wiley (John M. Scott), Slim Pickens (Pete Bracken), Morgan Woodward (Alex), W.S. Bearden (Switchman), Harvey Hester (Jess McIntyre), Robert Kent (Switchman), Rudy Bowman (Townsman), Richard H. Cutting (Gen. Mitchell), John Daheim (Cox), Robert Foulk (Gen. Ledbetter), Roy Gordon (Stanton),  Herman Hack (Townsman), Dick Johnstone (Townsman), Jack Kenny (Townsman), Mitchell Kowall (Raider), Billy McCoy (Townsman), Hank Patterson (Jailer), John Pickard (Lt. Fletcher), Chuck Roberson (Prison Captain), Dick Sargent (Soldier), Dale Van Sickel (Alonzo Martin)

Producers: Lawrence Edward Watkin, Walt Disney

Music: Paul J. Smith, Franklyn Marks

Songwriters: Lawrence Edward Watkin, Stan Jones

Cinematographer: Charles P. Boyle

Art Director: Carroll Clark

Editor: Ellsworth Hoagland

Set Decorators: Patrick Delany, Emile Kuri

Paintings: Peter Ellenshaw, Albert Whitlock

Special Effects: Ub Iwerks

Assistant Director: Robert G. Shannon

Make-up Artists: Louis Haszillo, David Newell

Unit Manager: Russ Haverick

Sound Department: Robert O. Cook, Virgil Smith

Stunt Artists: Chuck Roberson, Terry Wilson

Wardrobe:  Joseph Dimmitt, Chuck Keehne

Researcher: Harper Goff

Technical Advisor: Wilbur G. Kurtz

Resources Used

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Great%20Locomotive%20Chase%20%28The%29

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049279/?ref_=rvi_tt

http://www.borail.org/William-Mason.aspx

-Michael J. Ruhland

The Littlest Outlaw

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland

















Michael's Movie Grade:C+
Year Released:1955

                                History  
The Littlest Outlaw began as an idea for a segment on the Disneyland T.V. Show. This idea came from a man name Larry Lansburg. Lansburg had worked as a cameraman on a few Disney films like So Dear to My Heart, Saludos Amigos, and The Three Caballeros. He had also directed a Disney live action documentary short called Stormy. Walt liked Lansburg's idea but felt it work better as a theatrical feature rather than a T.V. show segment, and handed the idea to  writer Bill Walsh to make into a feature film script. Though Bill Walsh had produced some of the Disney T.V. output, and Davy Crockett: The King of the wild Frontier, and written for the Disney T.V. special One Hour in Wonderland, this was the first time Bill Walsh would write a script for a Disney theatrical release. Walsh would later write for such films as The Shaggy Dog, The Absent Minded Professor, Mary Poppins, That Darn Cat. and more Disney films. 

Since this film was shot in Mexico, and had a mostly Mexican cast, the film was shot in both English and Spanish rather than being dubbed. Also because of this the film also had a Mexican director, Roberto Gavaldón. Roberto Gavaldón has directed such Mexican films as Macario, In the Palm of Your Hand and The Hidden One.  This was his first and last film for Disney. 

The main child actor of this film was Andrés Velázquez, whose film career was very short. He had previously appeared in the feature films, One Big Affair (an American film directed by Peter Godfrey) and Nunca es tarde para amar (a Mexican film directed by Tito Davison), and an episode of the American T.V, show, Schlitz Playhouse. After The Littlest Outlaw, he would appear in only one more film, the Mexican feature, Feliz año, amor mío, directed by Tulio Demicheli.

At this time Disney was known for more extravagant films, like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or Cinderella, so a lot of audiences didn't warm up to this gentle low budget film, because it wasn't what they expected from Disney. Because of this the movie lost money at the box office. Critical reactions were quite mixed, some praising it for it's atmosphere and acting, and some disliking it because it was not what they expected from Disney.  The same year the film was released Disney also released a record where Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Cliff Edwards) narrated the story.

                                                  

Review

   Sweet, Charming, but not especially memorable. 

This film's acting is quite good, even from the child actors. The cinematography is also quite good. The story is charming. However despite all this there is little to make this film stand out among other good films. We have seen it all before, and although it is done quite well though, there is little to make it anything special among other good, and simular films.

Overall this is a good film that I recommend, but it is not a Disney classic, or a film that really stands out.

                                                            Film Credits

Director: Roberto Gavaldón

Writers: Larry Lansburgh, Bill Walsh

Cast: Andrés Velázquez (Pablito), Pedro Armendáriz (Gen. Torres), Joseph Calleia (Padre), Rodolfo Acosta (Chato),  Laila Maley (Celita),  Pepe Ortiz (Matador), Gilberto González (Tiger), José Torvay (Vulture), Jorge Treviño (Barber), José Ángel Espinosa 'Ferrusquilla' (Señor Garcia), Enriqueta Zazueta (Señora Garcia), Irving Lee (Gypsy), Carlos Ortigoza (Doctor), Margarito Luna (Silvestre), Ricardo Gonzáles (Marcos), María Eugenia (Bride), Pedrito Vargas (Groom)

Producers: Larry Lansburgh, Walt Disney

Music: William Lava, Charles Maxwell

Songwriters: William Lava. Jeff Chandler

Cinematographers: Carl Carvahal, Alex Phillips

Editors: Carlos Savage

Set Design: Rafael Suárez

Production Manager: Luis Sánchez Tello

Assistant Director: Jesús Marín

Sound Department: Manuel Topete

Head Wrangler: 'Chema' Hernandez


                                                     Resources Used
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048304/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Littlest%20Outlaw%20%28The%29


-Michael J. Ruhland