utgard14
The second Davy Crockett movie made from episodes of Disney's "Disneyland" television series. The first part has Davy (Fess Parker) and his comic relief sidekick Georgie (Buddy Ebsen) in a keelboat race with blowhard Mike Fink who calls himself the "King of the River." The second part continues from the first and deals with Crockett fighting river pirates Samuel Mason and Big & Little Harpe. It's a fun movie with a lot of action and humor. Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen are both great. The rest of the cast includes Kenneth Tobey, Jeff York, Clem Bevans, and Mort Mills. It's a beautiful-looking movie, with lovely scenery and filmed with that wonderful old-school Disney polish. Some cute songs in it, too. In addition to Crockett, some of the other characters, like Mike Fink and the Harpe brothers, are based on real people. Obviously this is no documentary so don't expect a history lesson. It's a fun movie that should appeal to the kid in all (well, most) of us. Definitely worth a look.
oscar-35
*Spoiler/plot- 1956, The story contains two major plots, both dealing with American river history. Mr. Crockett meets and become friends with Mr. Fink on the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers after a challenge of a river race to New Orleans. Then, both heroes team up to clean-up outlaw river pirates that are threatening the peace with the local river Indian tribes.*Special Stars- Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Jeff York, Kenneth Tobey*Theme- Honesty will win out every time.*Based on- Crockett and Fink legendary tales of history*Trivia/location/goofs- Crockett and Fink were real men and historical folk heroes. This is the second feature film released from Watt Disney Buena Vista Productions consisting of several Disneyland ABC TV show episode material. The Mike Fink keel boat race was one TV episode and the river pirates were another TV episode. The first Davey Crockett feature film was 'Davey Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier'. Davey Crockett and the River Pirates were filmed on the actual locations of the Ohio River and other great American rivers. The 'Davey Crockett' fan mania was huge in America due to the popularity of Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen with this TV show. Disney went on to create more of these public fan 'mania' with Guy 'Zorro' Williams and many other folk heroes. These actors were now for making personal appearances at Anahiem's Disneyland theme park and across the country. Look for the typical Disney on screen non-violence in the fight scenes and the obvious moral to the actions of the series heroes at the episode's end scenes.*Emotion- Rather well made movie and thoroughly enjoyable especially for those who lived through this era of Disney TV history in the first ABC network series. Full of fun and good memories for the 'Baby Boomer' crowd, hopefully new ones for the younger set.
jesssup
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates starts off with the credits at the beginning of the movie, so you know you are in for an old fashioned adventure.Set in the 1800's, the dialog is based on the way words were spoken back then, so it might be a little hard for youngsters to maintain focused, I know it took me a little while to get used to the talk. Other than that, this movie is a fast moving fun story.Davy sets out on a journey to sell some fur caps, and along the way comes into contact with pirates, Indians and many more fun situations.The viewer can tell many of the scenes have been shot in a studio with the background added in, especially water scenes, but this shouldn't hinder any person's watching of the movie.
dougbrode
This was the second of two Disney Crockett theatrical features, edited from a pair of Disneyland TV episodes during that show's second season. The first three Crockett stories, run during the first season and then later released theatrically as a mini-epic, were all at least in part based on Crockett's life, as the opening image - his journal allowing us to slip inside - makes clear. The follow-ups were based on the famed Almanacks that appeared after Crockett's death in 1836, and so are right filmed in a much broader style, visually suggesting a tall tale rather than a fact based adventure. In the first half, Davy (Fess Parker) and pal Georgie (Buddy Ebsen) engage in a legendary keel boat race with Mike Fink (Jeff York). Lots of good natured action-fun. In the second part, they join forces to eradicate the wicked river pirates who not only prey on innocent passersby but blame their wicked deeds on the innocent Indians. That allows for a highly effective message, much like that in the first film, whereby Crockett becomes a spokesman for Indians' rights. As always in Disney, the entertainment qualities are balanced with an attempt to educate the audience on the greatness of ethnic diversity. Some fifty years after its release, this is still a delight.