The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin

The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin

I don't sympathize with works based on books in which much of the story is changed, character names change, in addition to suppressing and creating others, the work itself looked wonderful, it didn't need so many adjustments, the film is fun, a so long, but very catchy, children's slapstick western...

Based on the novel By the Great Horn Spoon! By Sid Fleischman, this was the last Disney film directed by James Neilsen, who also made Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow; The Moon-Spinners; Summer Magic; Gentle Giant and Moon Pilot for the studio. It also boasts songs by the Sherman Brothers, who produced more movie scores than any other songwriting team in history. They're best known for their songs from Mary Poppins as well as one of the most performed songs of all time, "It's a Small World (After All)." After Jack (Bryan Russell) and Arabella Flagg (Suzanne Pleshette) are orphaned in Boston, Jack and the family butler Eric "Bullwhip" Griffin (Roddy McDowall) head for the gold rush in San Francisco. Jack is obsessed with the books he's been reading about the Wild West, which leads them across the country and into the orbit of the villainous Judge Higgins (Karl Malden). Wrestling fans will enjoy seeing Mike Mazurki, who in addition to being a grappler and a heavy in plenty of movies, was also the first president of the Cauliflower Alley Club, an association of professional wrestlers. He plays Mountain Ox, who boxes against McDowall. And Disney history fans will get to see Jimmy MacDonald, the voice of Mickey Mouse from 1947 to 1988, as a percussionist in the saloon scenes.

I just loved the stylization of the film! With special effects and speeding up of the footage, it felt very cartoony in a good way! The characters are fun and truly seem to have a history and care for each other. Was pleasantly surprised when the young woman was brimming with personality and, while she was a love interest it was not her sole purpose. The story would have been almost exactly the same without the romance. I think it's great that Griffin was able to maintain his prim personality despite being able to "buck up" and take on the persona of Bullwhip. No toxic masculinity in the main characters! I am deducting points for the cultural caricatures of Chinese immigrants, though. Given that the film is from 1967, I was glad that it wasn't worse.

"The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" is a wildly uneven film---with some portions that are likable and engaging while other portions are pretty dopey and strictly for kids. It's a strange combination...one that unfortunately doesn't work very well. It's a watchable family film...and not much more. The story begins in Boston. A seemingly rich old man dies and his grandchildren, Arabella and Jack (Suzanne Pleshette and Bryan Russell), are left wondering how to afford to live. Jack, though only 12, decides to disappear...heading west for the California Gold Rush. But the devoted family butler, Griffin (Roddy McDowell) follows after Jack and promises to bring him back to Boston as soon as possible. However, a long series of unforeseen events occur...making their trip out west much longer and more productive than they anticipated. Roddy McDowell is surprisingly good in the film and at times, I liked the plot--especially in the interplay between him and Bryan Russell. I also was shocked by how good Pleshette sand (and it really did sound like her singing). But two major problems are in the script....first, I really found Karl Malden's character annoying (like a cartoon villain) and he kept re-appearing in the film again and again AND the big boxing match at the end was just dumb....1960s Disney dumb. Adults will hate this portion....and who knows what kids will think of it. Overall, a very mixed bag...one that is watchable but a bit dopey.

The next film on my alphabetical trip through the Disney Plus archive is "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" one in a large number of live action Disney films from the 1960's and 1970's that I haven't seen before and, frankly, am approaching with a sense of sad resignation, rather than hopeful anticipation. This one though, I rather enjoyed. With the news that his estate is to be liquidated following his grandfathers death, 12 year old Jack Flagg (Bryan Russell) heads to 1840's San Francisco to try and make his fortune in the gold rush. His loyal family butler, Griffin (Roddy McDowall) tracks Jack to the shipyard, but then is stuck on board when the ship departs. Learning of a map to a 'motherload', the pair team up with Quentin Bartlett (Richard Haydn) to discover it, but the villainous Judge Higgins (Karl Malden) also has ideas on that gold and is prepared to cheat and threaten to get it. As I said, I rather enjoyed "Bullwhip Griffin" it was mostly knockabout fun, with some really good comedic performances from McDowall and Malden especially. Judge Higgins gave me similar vibes to Count Olaf from the "Unfortunate Events" series, repeatedly showing up in different outfits with only our heroes able to spot him. There is an episodic nature to the film in general, which perhaps stems from the fact that it's adapted from a book, but unlike other things that I've criticised for being like that, I don't feel that this film lost sight of the characters overall goals. The version on Disney plus both is edited somewhat, to remove some racial slurs, but also has the new "negative cultural stereotypes" warning, that will appear in front of a number of films. There is a scene with a Mexican bandit that I didn't think was too bad, but the scenes with the Chinese actors and Malden dressing as one of them, is where it starts to get a bit less acceptable. I don't tend to comment on how women look in films, being a modern 21st century guy like I am, but I can't not mention how beautiful Suzanne Pleshette is, playing Jack's (much) older sister Arabella. (The horizon tries but it just not as kind on the eyes). Whilst I don't think it's some forgotten masterpiece, given that my expectations were low "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" was a pleasant surprise.

Other than a chimpanzee suit, Roddy McDowall had few chances to be a leafing actor, that part of his career having ended in his late teens/early twenties. Disney took a chance by casting him as the title character in this amusing, but not often really finny, adventure comedy. He's the butler to a broke Boston family who is lost when he sets out to find the rub- away grandson of his recently deceased employer. Gorgeous Suzanne Pleshette is an eyeful as the sultry heiress to a fortune that no longer exists, and I really wanted to see more of her. McDowall gets tied up with con-artists Richard Hayden and Karl Malden, the later a clever crook who continuously fleeces McDowall. There are individual moments of amusement, but overall, I found this to be ultra dry and extra dull. The unbelievable subplot of huge Mike Mazurki setting up a fight with wimpy looking McDowall (thanks to unscrupulous Harry Guardino) is absurd realistically although the fight sequence has a few funny moments. Mainly, it's mostly cartoonish. A ton of veterans do their best to brighten up the other experience, but they are defeated by a story that just didn't grab me even with that cast. A fight scene between McDowall and Pleshette proves what an able comic she was. Disney over the period of 1960's and 1970's gave Disney many generic and oddly filmed family movies, and this ranks as simply second rate.

After a really interesting start with the reading of a will, (and a portrait oil painting which amusingly changes it's countenance during each revealing cut-away) this standard Disney family comedy drags a little before a reasonably amusing boxing match at the end between 'Bullwhip' and 'The Ox', but overall this is very disappointing. There's some nice illustrated animated 'bookends' which divide up segments of the film with music (similar idea to 'Cat Ballou') but it's nowhere near in the same league as that film. It's a shame as I was expecting this film to be a lot better. Bizarrely, one of the main characters disappears a third of the way into the film and then turns up again near the end. Feels slightly disjointed. The acting is quite good and Roddy McDowall was perfectly cast. I like the way in which the 'Ox' character throws people through the air in a ridiculously exaggerated manner – which is reasonably slapstick funny and actually quite cleverly done. There are some nice typical 'Disney-fied' matte painted wide scenes.

Just don't let Brian hear Stewie pronounce the title! 'The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin' is a strange one. From start-to-finish I never once cared for the actual premise to this, but unusually that actually isn't a negative as the film doesn't either! It's just one that is all about the adventure and it's certainly entertaining in that way, even if the supposed point of it does get lost almost completely. The casting is splendid. Roddy McDowall gives a very good performance in the titular role, while Suzanne Pleshette (Arabella), Bryan Russell (Jack), Karl Malden (Higgins) and Mike Mazurki (Ox) are all enjoyable too. The editing and humour is pretty solid as well, even if it does get a little weird in parts. I can't honestly rate this any higher, but it is a film I had a fairly fun time with - despite the earlier mentioned 'issues'. It's worth a watch. Lastly, if they ever remake this they gotta get Ioan Gruffudd in as Griffin, he'd be perfect. Not that I'm saying they should redo this, but you simply never know with film companies.