Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier

The mid fifties television production of Walt Disney's "Davy Crockett" struck a nerve in the physic of American children. This three part TV mini-series launched the "Davy Crockett Craze", a phenomena that swept the Nation for some time.

Davy Crockett collecting cards, coonskin caps, toys, other assorted memorabilia, and the ever popular recording of the "Ballad of Davy Crockett", were only some of the outward signs of it's vast popularity. Actors, Fess Parker, as Davy Crockett, and Buddy Ebson as his sidekick, Georgie Russell became popular with almost most every child in America, practically over night. The show was so successful that the original three part series was clipped together and released to theaters as a full length movie. Then the Disney Studio produced a two part TV sequel the following year.

There is little doubt that by today's standards there was nothing special about it's plot, or dialog, or the acting, etc. Some critics might go as far to say it was rather silly, childish, and a mediocre production at best.

Perhaps that's all true, but it would miss the most important point. Seldom has any TV production cause so many young people to love a couple of screen characters so deeply, and with such spontaneous joy. In this regard it is a Classic and holds a special place in the history of television art.

1st watched 9/23/2001 - 6 out of 10(Dir-Norman Foster): Simple yet BIG-hearted hero in Davy Crockett is represented here as doing many bigger than life things than dying as a martyr for the American old west at the Alamo but living on in the hearts of others. Fess Parker displays this hero with much humor along with his partner played by Buddy Epsen which helps because we have a hard time believing all of the stories of grinning a bear down(or 'bar' according to Crockett) and fighting injuns with his bare hands and winning. Light-hearted fare with wonderful character shown in the Davy Crockett legend should always be appealing to the American spirit.

How can you say anything bad about a movie that gave you so much joy as a child and one that you can watch over and over again? The acting is a little bad and the script is a little stupid. Reference General Jackson "stoppered?" But even thought those things I feel are true, the joy is still there and you hate to see it end. Since no one knows how Crockett really died, not having him dead at the end but knowing it was only moments away was the best way they could have done it. The movie even had some historic truths which other movies about the Alamo lacked such as the attack before dawn. It seemed longer when I was a kid and I know they have cut some; yea even important scenes, which I wish they would restore to DVD or VHS.

Perhaps not a masterpiece, or the best Disney film or live-action Disney film. However, it is more than easy to see why the 'Davy Crockett' series and films and merchandise were so popular.

'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier' still holds up quite well now, and to me more than just nostalgic value (have had several childhood favourites that have not held up, but 'Davy Crockett' still has a huge amount to like). Due to it being basically three episodes of the series rolled into one film, 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier's' episodic nature is inevitable but it doesn't hurt the film that much, the middle third may not be quite as exciting as the outer two but not in a bad way.

Some of the exaggerated action sequences may come over as a bit silly and childish now and the dialogue (with some hilariously bad grammar) even more so. However, 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier' has a huge amount to like and is impossible to dislike, a lot happens and very rarely does it lull.

It is a good-looking film, with gorgeously epic scenery and evocative production design that looks like a lot of care and homework went into it, all handsomely filmed. The music is rousing, especially the timeless theme song that is one of Disney's and childhood's best and most memorable theme songs.

There is some endearingly-good natured dialogue, and as said the story is eventful and often exciting, especially the final third in the Alamo. The characters are a lot of fun, with a charismatic and likable hero in Davy Crockett, and direction is breezy and bright.

Fess Parker is jovial, charismatic and immensely likable in the title role and Buddy Ebsen counteracts with him very nicely. The acting may not be "great" but hardly bad, more than competent.

On the whole, an impossible to dislike film and with a lot of good things. 8/10 Bethany Cox

"Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier" is a movie made up edited portions of three episodes of Disney's VERY popular television series. It is a highly fictionalized version of the exploits of the frontier scout and adventurer, Davy Crocket. It's odd, as when the film begins there is a statement reading 'The characters and events in this photoplay are fiction....'. Well, this isn't completely true...quite a bit of the movie is truth. Crockett DID exist, as did many others in the film, such as General Andrew Jackson. And, some of the events happened...but the Disney writers decided that the real story of the man's life was too dull and so they just made stuff up. It's a shame, as Crockett was a very interesting and unusual character from 19th century American history.

The plot of the first portion of the film is something that wouldn't work well today. First, it shows Andy Jackson as a heroic man--but today his image has been re-assessed and he's known mostly for being a crazy President who was rash, a bit derranged and responsible for the Trail of Tears. Second, the Indians are the baddies and it's a bit of simplistic depiction of the Creek War....and again, I cannot see this sort of depiction being done today on film. These aren't necessarily complaints....just observations about how times have changed. Plus, the film DID show one of Crockett's better qualities....his standing up for the rights of the native Cherokee tribe....in this sense, he was a very honorable and decent man.

As far as the rest of the film goes, it, like the Creek War, is often true...and often completely made up. It follows Crockett to Congress as well as fighting at the Alamo...both of which did occur but the details are completely fictionalized. Not bad but it leaves you wishing a more fact-based film would be made about his incredible life.

Because so much of the film is fake, I cannot give the movie an especially high score. Parker is just fine in the lead and the film is reasonably well made even if it was written by someone who lies more than Pinocchio! Fun and enjoyable. The theme song, in particular, is incredibly catchy! That and most of the cinematography (aside from asome grainy stock footage) is nice, as it was filmed in the Smoky Mountains and looks authentic.

By the way, although this film is mostly forgotten today, back in the 1950s, this picture ushered in a sort of 'Crockett Mania'....with little kids all wanting coonskin caps and other paraphernalia in order to have their own adventures. It also was such a popular film that Fess Parker later starred in the "Daniel Boone" television series--and it was pretty much Davy Crockett all over again.