This western was Disney's attempt to cash in on the popularity of Fess Parker and the Mousketeers. The lean story is about a wagon train that is obliged to pass through Indian country during a westward trek. The attack on the train is done in fine style by Yakima Canutt. The battle is intense and the Indians display expert horsemanship but seem more content to capture horses than to lift hair. Parker comes through as the hero later in the film as a doctor who must match skills with a medicine man to save a boy's life. The movie has the usual Disney gloss and fine western vistas but seems self-conscious and mannered. The Mouseketeers maintain their wholesomeness through the stress of the battle and tensions at the fort. Kathleen Crowley is pretty as Parker's romantic interest.
7 Reviews
The Mouseketeers Go West
bkoganbing3 October 2011
How well I remember seeing this film in theaters when it first opened back in 1956. For those of you not old enough to remember the Mickey Mouse Club attained a cult following among juveniles back then. So Westward Ho The Wagons had a built in audience before a dime was made at the theater box office.
The dividing line between Walt Disney's television work and his theatrical work was invisible, both supported the other. As it happened back then his theatrical releases eventually were part of his Wonderful World of Color show and the films were built with the places obvious for commercial break.
This was never more true than with Westward Ho The Wagon. In fact it's like two separate films spliced together, the better for a two part extravaganza on TV. The first part consists of the Oregon bound settlers fending off a Pawnee attack until they can get through a canyon gap. Once through they're in Sioux country where Chief Iron Eyes Cody has taken a fancy to little Karen Pendleton of the Mouseketeers because his medicine man says that blonds are scarce and little blonds bring good luck. Her sister Kathleen Crowley has a big divergence of opinion on that premise.
In addition to the Mouseketeers playing children on the Oregon bound wagon train, the train has Fess Parker fresh from Davy Crockett as the scout. No doubt Parker's presence brought a few dollars in, he was another icon at this height of his career.
Playing the head of the wagon train and father of several Mouseketeers is George Reeves who was making his final attempt to escape typecasting as Superman. Reeves wears a beard, the better to hide his well known face and be accepted as another actor in a role rather than in his iconic character from those days.
Despite being episodic Westward Ho The Wagons holds up very well for today's audience if it were only seen. But Disney's old products for the most part are in the vault while we see endless reruns of Zack and Cody.
The dividing line between Walt Disney's television work and his theatrical work was invisible, both supported the other. As it happened back then his theatrical releases eventually were part of his Wonderful World of Color show and the films were built with the places obvious for commercial break.
This was never more true than with Westward Ho The Wagon. In fact it's like two separate films spliced together, the better for a two part extravaganza on TV. The first part consists of the Oregon bound settlers fending off a Pawnee attack until they can get through a canyon gap. Once through they're in Sioux country where Chief Iron Eyes Cody has taken a fancy to little Karen Pendleton of the Mouseketeers because his medicine man says that blonds are scarce and little blonds bring good luck. Her sister Kathleen Crowley has a big divergence of opinion on that premise.
In addition to the Mouseketeers playing children on the Oregon bound wagon train, the train has Fess Parker fresh from Davy Crockett as the scout. No doubt Parker's presence brought a few dollars in, he was another icon at this height of his career.
Playing the head of the wagon train and father of several Mouseketeers is George Reeves who was making his final attempt to escape typecasting as Superman. Reeves wears a beard, the better to hide his well known face and be accepted as another actor in a role rather than in his iconic character from those days.
Despite being episodic Westward Ho The Wagons holds up very well for today's audience if it were only seen. But Disney's old products for the most part are in the vault while we see endless reruns of Zack and Cody.
Wringle wrangle! It's another ho-hum Disney western
moonspinner552 August 2002
Fess Parker is his usual stolid self leading wagon train to Oregon, crossing paths with bloodthirsty Pawnee tribe. Fans were attracted to Parker's workmanlike acting style and amiable, almost-shy personality. He's a headliner simply by default. This Disney film has nice outdoor scenery, some strong scenes of survival and a good supporting cast (including hammy, amusing Sebastian Cabot and a few Mouseketeers); otherwise, it's a formula-bound, banal sagebrush saga. B-grade director William Beaudine does his usual anonymous work behind the camera. Tom Blackburn adapted his screenplay from Mary Jane Carr's book, "Children of the Covered Wagon" (also the film's pre-production title). ** from ****
Disney have done much worse but that doesn't stop it leaving negative thoughts
r96sk27 January 2021
Simply boring.
'Westward Ho, The Wagons!' is a slow watch, despite a relatively low run time of 90 minutes. Fess Parker, who I enjoyed in fellow 1956 release 'The Great Locomotive Chase', and Jeff York, co-star in the latter, fail to entertain. Some of the music is catchy, namely the opening/closing theme, but that's about it.
The plot is as problematic as you'd expect. It basically splits itself in two in terms of its portrayal of Native Americans, one is exactly what you would unfortunately predict from a '56 release but the other part is actually, surprisingly, well intentioned. Even taking all the aforementioned out, it feels pretty disjointed and majorly uninteresting throughout.
I just found it all underwhelming, sure Disney have done much worse but that doesn't stop it leaving negative thoughts.
'Westward Ho, The Wagons!' is a slow watch, despite a relatively low run time of 90 minutes. Fess Parker, who I enjoyed in fellow 1956 release 'The Great Locomotive Chase', and Jeff York, co-star in the latter, fail to entertain. Some of the music is catchy, namely the opening/closing theme, but that's about it.
The plot is as problematic as you'd expect. It basically splits itself in two in terms of its portrayal of Native Americans, one is exactly what you would unfortunately predict from a '56 release but the other part is actually, surprisingly, well intentioned. Even taking all the aforementioned out, it feels pretty disjointed and majorly uninteresting throughout.
I just found it all underwhelming, sure Disney have done much worse but that doesn't stop it leaving negative thoughts.
Wagon train stops at Fort Laramie, where Anglo-Indian hostilities break out.
dougbrode14 March 2006
This is one of several westerns that the Walt Disney studio tailored for Fess Parker in the years immediately following Davy Crockett's success. The first half hour is an enjoyable but relatively routine wagon trail tale, involving a stalwart boy (David Stollery, of Spin and Marty fame) who, like the legendary John Colter, must run from hostile Indians on foot. The action-oriented first half culminates in a rugged shootout that action-western fans will enjoy. In the minds of many, Westward Ho slows down there as the train arrives in Fort Laramie and no further big battles occur. In fact, this is where the movie takes off dramatically, promoting the sort of racial tolerance and mutual acceptance so essential to the Disney vision. Parker is a doctor, and along with a Lakota medicine man (Iron Eyes Cody), helps a dying Indian boy. "Two medicines are better than one" is the message, and a beautiful one at that, suggesting that mutual cooperation is indeed possible between the races. Fess even gets to sing several sings, and one of them, "Wringle Wrangle," became a top ten hit. This is a forgotten treat, waiting to be rediscovered.
LOOKING WESTWARD IN 1956
Sunsphxsuns28 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
It's 1956 and Fess Parker's acting career is at its peak, fresh after playing the lead role of Disney's surprise hit, "Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier." In 1956 kids like myself were literally begging their parents to buy them a fake but serviceable "Davy Crockett raccoon skin hat complete with a tail at the back!" Along with the cap, if you also owned a "Red Ryder BB Gun" (I didn't) you had achieved the kids' holy grail of popular 50s Western TV and film.
In Westward Ho! The Wagons (an odd title for sure) Walt Disney tosses Cowboys, Indians, and Fess Parker into an appetizing mix. But does this recipe work or is this just another film we hoped would be better?
I think it works. It's simple and the going is slow-paced as we watch John Doc Grayson lead a wagon train of families to the Oregon territory in the year, 1846. Good and bad Native Americans appear, there are songs to be sung, certain conflicts arise, and essentially, we are offered a 90 minute glimpse of what life must have been like for the hopeful White Settlers and the Native Americans (who were already quite happy and settled) in the Good Old West. It's a simple plot with little excess fat.
Five years after its film debut, Westward Ho! The Wagons was shown in two parts on The Disneyland TV show. Walt probably had it planned this way - he wasn't fond of "accidental marketing."
This 1956 film has a few tense and politically uncomfortable moments, specifically the portrayals of Native Americans. But to Walt's credit, several Native Americans were cast in the film and Disney consciously made an effort to emphasize the native customs.
Like many Disney feature films, this movie resides in its own category, and it would be unfair (as some reviewers have done) to criticize it because of its political incorrectness. This is classic Disney, a film that parents can confidently watch with their children without having to keep a finger on the "mute" button for fear of unsavory dialogue. Enjoy this movie for what it is, and not for what it could have been. It plays as well in 2021 as it did in 1956.
In Westward Ho! The Wagons (an odd title for sure) Walt Disney tosses Cowboys, Indians, and Fess Parker into an appetizing mix. But does this recipe work or is this just another film we hoped would be better?
I think it works. It's simple and the going is slow-paced as we watch John Doc Grayson lead a wagon train of families to the Oregon territory in the year, 1846. Good and bad Native Americans appear, there are songs to be sung, certain conflicts arise, and essentially, we are offered a 90 minute glimpse of what life must have been like for the hopeful White Settlers and the Native Americans (who were already quite happy and settled) in the Good Old West. It's a simple plot with little excess fat.
Five years after its film debut, Westward Ho! The Wagons was shown in two parts on The Disneyland TV show. Walt probably had it planned this way - he wasn't fond of "accidental marketing."
This 1956 film has a few tense and politically uncomfortable moments, specifically the portrayals of Native Americans. But to Walt's credit, several Native Americans were cast in the film and Disney consciously made an effort to emphasize the native customs.
Like many Disney feature films, this movie resides in its own category, and it would be unfair (as some reviewers have done) to criticize it because of its political incorrectness. This is classic Disney, a film that parents can confidently watch with their children without having to keep a finger on the "mute" button for fear of unsavory dialogue. Enjoy this movie for what it is, and not for what it could have been. It plays as well in 2021 as it did in 1956.
No Billy The Kid, No Dracula. Doreen Tracey Plays A Dang BoBo Though.
johnstonjames27 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
there was no Dracula in this western. so i guess Beaudine fanz might be a tad disappointed. this also wasn't terribly exciting either and sort of deserves it's "westward ho-hum the wagguns" rep, and it is a little derogatory in it's depiction of the United States/native American conflict, but still, i enjoyed it immensely and found it very entertaining. then again, i'm partial to old school Disney films and i also happen to LOVE Fess Parker. so i think i'm bias here in my criticism.
is there any such thing as a quasi-musical? if so, then i think this is one. there is not just one or two songs here, but at least four that i can think of, so i think this qualifies as practically a musical. not quite, but almost. it's also a reminder, that Fess Parker was really the last of the true singing cowboys. something Fessy is never given much credit for and something people who berate the film needlessly seem to forget. it's the kind of western where the singing cow dude is the draw, not the action sequences. if you're in this for the action sequences, you'll be a bit disappointed.
the attitude toward native Americanos needs to be discussed and mentioned here too. sometimes the depiction of Indians is good and somewhat accurate, other times it's just plain racist and arrogant with the white settlers calling the Indians savages and ignorant heathens. not good unca Walt. but i can't exactly say John Ford's film masterpiece 'Stagecoach' is exactly sympathetic to the native American conflict either. but basically the attitude here is "whitey good. Indian bad and in need of big heap spankum".
mostly i bought this movie because of Fessy and the Meeskateers. Doreen Tracey plays BoBo Stephen. no academy award here but she plays a BoBo very well. Cubby O'Brien and Karen are here also for a little added scrumptious cuteness. Marty, of 'Spin & Marty' Disney fame, basically plays himself. Tommy is here fer the ol' role call too. i miss Annette though. Annette would have really livened things up. she could have sung a duet with Fessy.
is there any such thing as a quasi-musical? if so, then i think this is one. there is not just one or two songs here, but at least four that i can think of, so i think this qualifies as practically a musical. not quite, but almost. it's also a reminder, that Fess Parker was really the last of the true singing cowboys. something Fessy is never given much credit for and something people who berate the film needlessly seem to forget. it's the kind of western where the singing cow dude is the draw, not the action sequences. if you're in this for the action sequences, you'll be a bit disappointed.
the attitude toward native Americanos needs to be discussed and mentioned here too. sometimes the depiction of Indians is good and somewhat accurate, other times it's just plain racist and arrogant with the white settlers calling the Indians savages and ignorant heathens. not good unca Walt. but i can't exactly say John Ford's film masterpiece 'Stagecoach' is exactly sympathetic to the native American conflict either. but basically the attitude here is "whitey good. Indian bad and in need of big heap spankum".
mostly i bought this movie because of Fessy and the Meeskateers. Doreen Tracey plays BoBo Stephen. no academy award here but she plays a BoBo very well. Cubby O'Brien and Karen are here also for a little added scrumptious cuteness. Marty, of 'Spin & Marty' Disney fame, basically plays himself. Tommy is here fer the ol' role call too. i miss Annette though. Annette would have really livened things up. she could have sung a duet with Fessy.
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