rdfarnham This a Disney film that most people have never heard of and, to me, it is one of the funniest. OK, some of it is a little hokey, but, by and large, it is a film the whole family can enjoy. Roddy McDowall is perfect as the straight-laced butler who tries his best to help his young friend in the gold fields of 1849 California. Suzanne Pleshette (beautiful as ever) plays the love interest that Bullwhip can't bring himself to admit. She can also belt out a pretty good barroom tune. Add a crooked judge who is also a thief, one of the funniest fist fights ever filmed and likable villains and you have an entertaining romp in the old west.

moonspinner55 At the height of the Gold Rush boom of the 1840s, a Bostonian butler and his twelve-year-old charge sail to San Francisco in search of a fortune--followed by the boy's big sister, whom the butler harbors a crush on. Long-winded, unsuccessful live-action comedy from Walt Disney with wild-eyed character bits and a linking folk ballad (accompanied by animated inserts). Adapted from Sid Fleischman's novel "By the Great Horn Spoon", the screenplay gets off on the wrong foot and rarely recovers its balance. Casting mannered Roddy McDowall in the lead was suicidal; tiresome even in guest appearances, McDowall has two expressions throughout: upper-crust (i.e., snippy) indifference and comedic indignation. Suzanne Pleshette would seem to fare better as the proverbial love-interest, but she's not convincing as the musical attraction at the local saloon, nor does she get her share of amusing lines. *1/2 from ****

Cyrn With nothing else on cable , I happened upon this one night and I thought would be a good ride from Disney like 'Swiss Family Robinson' or 'Light of the Forest'. Here was a movie that took place in what was one of the most dynamic times and settings in US History (so far)-California,1848 and what a premise: a kid wants to make things right for his debt-ridden family by striking it rich in Californie having just heard about Sutter's Mill but his family retainer doesn't want him to come to harm so he follows along. Of course, in the opening scenes when discussing the late grandpa's will, the film has the geezer's painted pic make faces and the soundtrack making clanging noises. Thinking this was just a one-time anomaly, I'm willing to shrug that off so I could get to the eventual payoff. Will the boy (and retainer) make it to Californie in on that ship having to sail all the way around South America? And what's to become of the kid's much older sis Arabella played by the always fetching Suzanne Pleshette?Unfortunately, the Disney kiddie syndrome that starts with Grandpa's pic making faces intensifies as the picture gets more and more cartoonish. And the concept of the butler Griffin having an unspoken crush on Arabella that he's considering acting upon now that they're starting new lives in this very dynamic frontier city/world class port of San Francisco? Great idea but, unfortunately, Roddy McDowell's character just isn't able to muster believability in terms of being attracted to Arabella(paging Bob Newhart!). And what about the gold panning idea? It soon gets scuttled for some lame fighting deal the mouthy kid gets them into!Unfortunately, the whole thing ends in a complete mess with nothing resolved as an incoherent montage of buildings representing San Francisco in the future literally annihilates the on-screen action while the corny song screams over the remaining dialogue! Does this mean that Griffin became a major player in the building of Frisco and he got Suzanne? If so, how? Who can tell?So much potential could have been had with this movie but between miscasting McDowell and Disney kiddie stuff, it got totally ruined!

sylmar8 This movie is sweet, fun, entertaining for the whole family. For those who appreciate the more innocent days that are no longer. (The boxing match scene is a bit overdone though.) Roddy and Suzanne are cute together. Can't understand why this is not available on VHS!