The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again: Exactly What You Expect

The Apple Dumpling Gang returns, sort of

Tonight's nostalgic pic is "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again" (Disney, 1979). Theodore Ogelvie (Don Knotts) and Amos Tucker (Tim Conway) are back in the wild west, growing restless since retiring from crime in the original "Apple Dumpling Gang" movie (see my previous review). 

The comedic duo returns!

First, we are given a brief courtesy mention of the characters from the previous film before they are never referred to again. The trio, Amos, Theodore, and their mule Clarice (uncredited) ride into the bustling western town of Junction City (not "Quake City" from the original movie) looking to make their fortune on the straight and narrow, their absolutely uncanny incompetence immediately gets them in trouble with local businesses, then gets them blamed for a bank robbery in which they are unwitting victims. Now identified as "The Apple Dumpling Gang," Amos and Theodore are pursued by eccentric lawman Marshal "Woolly" Bill Hitchcock (played by the towering comedic actor Kenneth Mars) while they make their escape, soon shanghaied into the service of the U.S. Military at the besieged Fort Concho. 

You've almost definitely seen a movie with this guy in it.

The commanding officer of the fort, Major Gaskill (played by Harry Morgan, who viewers may recall played mayor Homer McCoy in the first film) and his right hand man, Lt. Jim Ravencroft (Robert Pine) have been hit by a number of murders and robberies that have disrupted the fort's supply line for months. 

Pictured: Not the mayor.

Little do they realize that their problems are about to get worse, as Amos and Theodore try their best to be good soldiers. Can Theodore, Amos, and Clarice clear their names and escape? Will the soldiers uncover the sinister inside plot to steal their payroll? Or will "Woolly" Bill get his men?

Nope. Nothing at all suspicious about Robert Pine playing a "good guy."

Much more character, yet somehow less character development

So this is the second (and final) Apple Dumpling Gang film, and while it's somewhat heavier on plot than the first film (which it shares almost no throughline with), it continues the comedic tradition.

"The Wire" prequel you never heard about.

Whereas the first movie's central focus was on a bank robbery, the stakes here are raised with a bank robbery, a jailbreak, and a train robbery! 

Also, so many explosions.

We have a young Tim Matheson playing Private Jeff Reed (or is he..?), who is the most complex character in the film, first as a red herring villain before becoming the hero character and love interest of Major Gaskill's daughter, Millie (played by Elyssa Davalos). 

Hired for smarminess.

Pictured: Southern belle.

A very strong supporting cast including former silver screen vixen Audrey Totter as Martha Osten, Richard X. Slattery as the tough-as-nails Sgt. Slaughter, and the always funny Ruth Buzzi as "Tough Kate" thankfully deprive the film of the sin of being boring. 

No. Not the wrestler. No.

Veteran character actor Jack Elam plays the film's ultimate villain, "Big Mac," continuing the series' odd tradition of casting grandfatherly goofballs as the humorless baddies.

Okay, maybe a scary grandpa.

My thoughts

Is this better than the first film? Well, that's debatable; while it certainly has more comedic chops, lots of welcome changes of scenery, and a more intriguing spy movie plot, it does lack the heart and familial tone of the first film. For some this might be a detriment, but for others the more prominent roles of Knotts and Conway make this a more desirable film. 

Pictured: Desire. *hrrk*

There was clearly more effort put into making this film seem like a western than the first one, having been filmed in mostly desert locations rather than just a forest in California, and that greatly helps the pacing. I'm actually pretty sure that when people think of "The Apple Dumpling Gang," this is probably the movie that they remember. If you like slapstick family-friendly comedy, you really can't go wrong with this film.

For every positive, there must be negatives

Negatives: There are only two (extremely minor) roles featuring POC, but that's still a step up from other Disney movies at the time. 

Clarice the mule has more spoken lines than the entire non-white cast. *sigh*

We still have indigenous people depicted as offensive stereotypes played by white men in "redface," but it's only for a brief scene which serves to bring the real criminals to justice (still quite offensive). The romantic arc between Tim Matheson's character and Elyssa Davalos's Millie is best not to think about too much: They only know each other a short time and Matheson's character is VERY forward… it's kind of creepy, in a "James Bond" sort of sexual harassment way. These are only small gripes, though, and don't necessarily hurt the film as a whole; most viewers probably won't even notice… Which is sad in itself.

Where can you watch it?

"The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again" is currently streaming on Disney+.

The Apple Dumpling Gang -- Not what you expect

That fondly remembered comedic duo: Bixby and Clark

Cute font, though.

The basics:

Tonight's Nostalgia pic is "The Apple Dumpling Gang" (Disney, 1975). When professional gambler Russel Donavan (Bill Bixby, who old-timers will know from his television show "The Magician," AND NOTHING ELSE, EVER) comes to the waning western boomtown Quake City (named for the earthquakes that trouble the small fault line straddling town), he is almost waylaid by the "Hashknife Outfit," consisting of Theodore Ogelvie (Don Knotts) and Amos Tucker (Tim Conway), who almost hold him up and almost rob him… Only to be beaten by their own incompetence. 

Pictured: Magical magician man.

While playing and not doing particularly well in the local poker game, Donavan is approached by local ne'er do-well John Wintle (Don Knight), who convinces the naïve Donavan to pick up some goods for him while he takes a trip to San Francisco. 

Poker faces.

When Donavan shows up the next day, he discovers that the "items" are three children: Bobby Bradley (Clay O'Brien), Clovis Bradley (Brad Savage), and their sister Celia (Stacy Manning), whose parents have passed away and were being sent to Wintle who is their legal guardian by blood. 

Burdensome? Some burdens.

Now stuck with guardianship of the children by the local sheriff, judge, justice of the peace, and barber (all the same person), Homer McCoy (played by the always delightful Harry Morgan), Donavan must stop his plans to start a casino in the city to take care of the orphans. When the plucky kids find a giant gold and jewel-encrusted nugget after nearly dying in a cave-in at their inherited mine, they become the target of shady opportunistic townspeople, their recently returned uncle John, the Hashknife Outfit, and the much more competent criminal Frank Stillwell (Slim Pickens, professional cowpoke) and his gang.

At least showing the kids almost dying MIGHT prevent actual kids from playing in old mines.

Will Donavan do right by the children, or will he flee from his obligation?

And this giant gold nugget?

Expectation versus reality:

The first thing that most people remember about this film is that it's the first collaboration between Don Knotts and Tim Conway, and while their antics do take up a considerable amount of the movie's runtime it is important to note that they are not the focus of the film. 

Even the bloody shootout scene is funny!

When they team up with the kids near the end of the film, the five collaborators are collectively known as "The Apple Dumpling Gang," a moniker the kids choose because of their love of apple dumplings. The main focus of the film is on Bill Bixby's Donavan, his love interest Magnolia "Dusty" Clydesdale (played by the tomboyishly stunning Susan Clark), and their interaction with the children. 

Pictured: The most masculine character in the film, played by Susan Clark.

But you know what? It works, and it works well. This film is extremely comedic with some action elements thrown in, such as a burning stagecoach chase by a fire department wagon, a fistfight on a moving wagon later in the film which continues even after said wagon goes into the whitewater rapids of a conjoining river. 

It's weird seeing the lovable Slim Pickens playing a conniving villain, but he does a great job.

Bad grampa.

My thoughts:

This film is a great embodiment of what made Walt Disney Studio's 70s movies so interesting: It's certainly cheesy, but it's also family-friendly fun, with interesting characters, somewhat goofy special effects, and a comedic take on the western genre (which they pioneered with "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates," expanded with "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" and would revisit later with "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again"). I enjoyed it, and it's absolutely kid-friendly, but would kids today like it? I'm going to say… probably not.

"You darned kids and your CGI!"

Look, I know some modern kids, and I'm just not sure that they'd be that invested in a film that puts story and slapstick comedy over something with loud noises, computer graphics, and modern celebrities… but you never know. Give it a shot if you're feeling nostalgic, and maybe the kids will have a good time too!

Dodo birds on a wire.

Where can I find it?

"The Apple Dumpling Gang" is currently streaming on Disney+.