Davy Crockett, (Fess Parker) his sidekick/rival Mike Fink (Jeff
York) and Superman (George Reeves) lead some mousketeers and other folk down
the Oregon Trail in horse drawn wagons, in which one of the wagons actually has
written on the canopy ‘Oregon or Bust’. Along the way out west there was no
radios, hand-held gadgets, or rest stops. Not a single luxury. Like Robinson
Crusoe in the West it was primitive as can be.
But there was dancing, story-telling, books (mostly medical because Davy
in this film is really named John 'Doc' Grayson). When the story
begins the little group of frontier adventures is camping out in Wyoming (Janss
Conejo Ranch, California) hoping to make it to Oregon.
When not running away from, shooting at, or trying
not to get killed by native Americans (Indians) John tries to woe Miss New
Jersey 1949 (Kathleen Crowley) by singing one of his many fine cowboy folk
songs. It was really touching to see all
the kids put on their mouse ears and sing their tribute to Mickey right before
they run for their lives as Indians attack the camp.
One
of the plot points involves the friendly Indian chief taking a fancy to one of
the cute pretty little orphan mousketeers. Not for himself, this is 1950’s
Disney G-Rated fare people, but for his son ‘Little Thunder’. He also thinks of
her as some type of goddess who will bring good fortune to his people. Think how the Ewoks thought C3PO was a god and
maybe it will make sense. Of course Superman says a big fat NO! This causes
tension until the time Doc has a chance to save the chief’s son (who happens to
be Little Thunder) after a riding accident.
While not a great ride into the frontier it is a
pleasant ride into the 1950’s version of the old west and a good film to seek
out for a true Disney affectado.
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