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Scandalous John (DISNEY)
Customer Reviews
Rating:  - one of the very best
This remarkable and unique film is many things: it is an analogue of Don Quixote, with John McCanlis (or Don Juan) as Quixote and Paco as his sidekick. He saves a damsel (not) in distress, and battles imaginary enemies. He was a bookworm in his youth, but now regards books as useless.
The Quixote image is poignant, as the theme of this movie is the environment and its destruction in the name of "progress." And Don Juan is trying to save it. As he says, the land is to be destroyed to make "a fishpond for dudes." Don Juan meets some Apaches and speaks to them in their own language. Problem is--they don't understand their own language! And Don Juan battles the people who are doing this, whom he calls "Blackjack" and who are personified by Whittacker.
This movie is a deliberate monument to all the people, like McCanlis, who built the West, and to the principles of self-reliance, help of neighbors and all-around honor that this man represents.
The movie was in fact in Cinemascope and should be released on DVD in that format. Many of the scenes in the VHS version are either chopped off at the sides or elongated. We need to see both Don Jan, the "herd", and Paco as they trek across the desert.
This is a unique and monumental film. It should not be lost and should not be forgotten. If people see it, it won't be.
Rating: - Very unique film for Disney
STORY: John McCanless is a 79 year old cowboy rancher living physically in modern times, while his mind is still in the wild west. A descendant of the Old West's greatest rancher, he protects his Crazy M Ranch in New Mexico from "them varmits, Apaches, and bandits" that no one can see but him. Turns out the real bandits are the bankers snatching up the area land for development. He hires a handyman from Mexico named Paco, after first trying to fill him full of lead. Paco is convinced to stay by the rancher's grandaughter and he quickly gets over his initial fear. Eventually he sees the West through the eyes of the old rancher, gains new respect for him and joins him in his vision. They hit the trail to bring the herd (1 scrawny bull) to market for the "big payoff", encountering lawmen and crooks along the way.
BEHIND THE SCENES: Released in 1971, this film was in production while Walt was alive, but was not released until after his death. A very unconventional movie, especially for Disney. For whatever reason, it was a limited release and was never promoted much on its theatrical release, or booked for major theatres in New York City. Brian Keith had appeared in several Disney films before this one, but none quite like this. They utilized the talents of studio make-up wizard Robert Schiffer to age him very, very realistically. Keith gives an unparalled performance as the crotchety rancher. Harry Morgan stars as a sherriff wiith no gun. John Ritter has a non-speaking role. The unknown but very talented Alfonso Arau plays Paco perfectly, in a departure from most hollywood films that selected a known actor and used make-up to appear as another race. Michelle Carey is Johns grandaughter, Rick Lenz plays the son of the banker, and he soon decides she is worth more than his fathers land deals. And the big bad banker is played by Simon Oakland. Quite a few cameos from other famous actors.
Directed by Robert Butler, his pacing moves from hilarious to sweet nostalgia very comfortably and he gives us a very touching ending. According to the credits the film is shot in Panavision, but the book Disney A to Z Encyclopedia says it was in Cinemascope. I would assume the film credits are correct in this case. Either way I can only hope to see it in widescreen someday. The scenery is beautiful with the entire film being shot on location in New Mexico - downtown in the town of Alamogordo, outside the City of Las Cruces, and at the White Sands National Monument. The left the state briefly to film at the old western town movie sets at Old Tuscon, Arizona; and on a section of train track in South Dakota.
Emile Kuri was a set decorator/designer hired personally by Walt in 1952, and after that he was in charge of set decoration for almost every Disney movie, big and small, in addition to interior design at the studio offices and Disneyland. His set for this movie was inspired chaos. The ranch house is very realistic, like no movie ranch house seen before or since, it has more dust inside than out and fits the old ranchers personality perfectly.
The films gentle soundtrack was composed by Rod McKuen, and he sang the song "Pastures Green". There are some great train scenes with full size period steam trains, and some miniature work with model trains for special effects crashes. The film was based on the book of the same name by Richard Gardner.
This is one of the few movies that never saw re-release on the Disney television show. It was released to video in 1986, but not to DVD yet at the time of this review. At 114 minutes long, it moves at a gentle pace but is never distracting or boring. I found this movie to be a real gem, much better than I had anticipated. This is one of thse movies that stays in your mind for a long time after seeing it. Very enjoyable and I reccommend!
Rating: - Great Cowboy Comedy!! Brian Keith Rules!!
Brian Keith rules as a grouchy old rancher refusing others to run his life including the law.It's a great comedy!!
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