Hot Lead and Cold Feet

Hot Lead and Cold Feet was one of the last comedy westerns that Disney made in the 70s, starring Don Knotts. Also starring Darren McGavin, Jack Elam and Jim Dale; who were essentially Disney regulars by this time. The story is quite interesting, about a town founder (played by Jim Dale) leaving his fortune behind to his two sons (both played by Jim Dale). The only problem, his son Billy doesn't know he has a brother, therefore competition for the inheritance.

The film is filled with gags and funny lines, delivered by Don Knotts and Jim Dale mostly. Darren McGavin also plays a good villain in the form of Mayor Ragsdale. And the ending of the film has a twist, but watch to see. It's a great family film, no bad language or adult situations.

I seen this movie at the movie theater when I was a little girl....it is one of my first memories of being at the movies.....and I loved it....very funny with little life lessons along the way..after all these years I never forgot hot lead and cold feet...I even remember the theme song..."hot lead and cold feet..may the best man win...hot lead and cold feet..may the best man win.." dadadada....What stands out in this movie is the performance of the lead character playing both parts of the gunfighter twin and the mild mannered twin...I think that kids today need to rediscover this movie....it should be remembered as a family classic...I cannot wait to purchase this on DVD and you should to especially if you have young children....

This lively comedy-Western from Disney is largely a vehicle for the talented British comic Jim Dale, who is given the opportunity to play three roles. Jasper Bloodshy, an ornery old fart who created a town in his name, his hell raising outlaw son Wild Billy, and a son, Eli, who nobody but Jasper knew about. Eli has been working as a missionary in Philadelphia, and comes to Bloodshy when Jasper apparently perishes. The old man had a will, but the proviso is that the two sons / heirs compete in a series of gruelling races before things are settled. However, the greedy mayor (Darren McGavin) schemes to get the money for himself, with the help of various bumbling goons.

Oddly enough, it's when we get to the climactic race that the movie loses some of the momentum that it's built up. While the action and the stunts are first rate, the material just isn't as humorous. A shame, because up until then, everything is played quite speedily and breathlessly. The fact that the town is basically a lawless place allows for a lot of chaos.

The star laden cast easily give it everything that they've got. Don Knotts is right at home in one of his standard bumbling authority figures, complete with all of the comic actors' nervous tics and reactions. Jack Elam is perfectly cast as his nemesis. Karen Valentine (as an aspiring schoolteacher) and Debbie Lytton & Michael Sharrett (as Eli's young charges) have plenty of appeal. McGavin is simply a wonderful slimeball villain. And Dale has a ball with his three very different roles, especially old coot Jasper, who must suffer several indignities as he spies on the proceedings with his long suffering butler (John Williams).

Beautiful scenery and a bouncy theme song help to make this pretty good, if not hysterical.

Seven out of 10.

Saw this years ago when I tended to spend a lot of time in the great outdoors. The Oregon forest in which this was shot looks like all of the parts of the Sierras and Rockies I ever spent time in. So when I first saw this film there was a kind of tangibleness to it that I was familiar with on a very intimate "dyed-in-the-wool" kind of way.

But even as a child I can't really say I was too amused by the antics of the characters. Oh sure, I saw and understood what they were all about, and accepted them for what they were, but I can't recall myself ever really laughing. "Hot Lead and Cold Feet" was made during a time when Disney higher-ups said that they had to re- examine their approach to film making because the kids in their focus group said that their films were corny.

Well, "Hot Lead and Cold Feet" isn't exactly "Citizen Kane" nor was it ever meant to be. And as fascinating as it was in a detached sort of almost clinical kind of way, it was still shot in that period when Disney was thinking of and needing to upgrade their feature film production. As such this 1970s film has a kind of retro-feel as if a 1950s Disney crew travelled to the 1970s and made a western. Because that's kind of how this movie feels, and in essence I'm pretty sure that's close to home.

The basic story of two brother from different sides of the tracks succumbing and overcoming the plot of a schemer is well enough, and the actors do their best to bring the script alive. Overall it's not a bad film, and unlike a lot of other live action Disney offerings at the time, this one doesn't have any split screen nor rear projection shots. It's all shot on location or on a fully dressed set, even though, again, it has that retro-feel so apparent with Disney films of that time.

It's not a bad film, but as boy for whom this film was meant, and having seen other comedies and westerns, I think this film is about average. Having seen it again after all these years, I think it's okay, but not really anything spectacular. Then again I've shot rapids, ridden horses, and been on steam trains as well as hiking and camping throughout North America, it's familiar territory to me.

I'm not sure I'd recommend it for today's school age audience, but maybe see it with your kids and see what they think.

Give it a shot.

Western comedy about the twins brothers who never know each other, one bad and one good, his sick father supposedly died left to them a lot of money, however according the will has to be a contest between them, the winner takes all, the contest are many, the first one locomotive racing, second canoe racing on rapids, climb mountain, pass through over the canyon on tightrope and the last carriage chase, has a subplot more interesting a endless duel over Sheriff Denver Kid vs. Rattlesnake, since the beginning they have been trying make this duel, nonetheless something disrupt and postpone it, amusing Disney family comedy, with Don Knots, Jack Elam, Darren McGavin, John Williams and Jim Dale on triple role, not bad at all, be ready to laugh a lot!!

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First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 7