Product Details

• Actors: Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Basil Ruysdael, Hans Conried, William Bakewell
• Directors: Norman Foster
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, Live, NTSC
• Language: English, Spanish
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• VHS Release Date: August 26, 1997
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000623Y
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,928 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #4 in	Video > Kids & Family > Disney Home Video > Live Action > Classics (pre-1970)
  #56 in	Video > Drama > Television
  #60 in	Video > Action & Adventure > Adventure

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Fess Parker captured the hearts of millions with his strong, confident portrayal of the legendary king of the wild frontier. There's never been a folk hero quite like Davy Crockett, and you'll see why when you watch him "grin" down a bear, battle an Indian chief in a tomahawk duel, and fight for freedom at the Alamo. Disney's popular action-adventure inspired millions of children to sport coonskin caps and sing "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett," which topped the nation's hit list for 13 weeks! As Walt Disney himself proclaimed, the story of Davy Crockett, with its entertaining blend of drama, humor, and adventure, will always be a colorful reflection of the frontier spirit.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The original Disney trilogy of Davy Crockett adventures, April 14, 2003

By	Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

I missed out on the Davy Crockett craze, which means I did not have a coonskin cap and was not running around the neighborhood singing 'The Ballad of Davy Crockett" over and over again. By the time I was watching television Fess Parker was Daniel Boone and not Davy Crockett, so it took a bit of mental rearrangement to get my young mind around the idea that he was both when "The Wonderful World of Disney" rebroadcast the three adventures of Davy Crockett that were combined into the theatrical film, "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier." They made enough of an impression that my brother and I compelled our parents to buy us the Disney record that had audio versions of the three adventures. So it has been nigh on thirty, thirty-five years since I done seen these original adventure of Davy Crockett and I was a might surprised to learn they hold up pretty well.

"Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" combines "Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter," "Davy Crockett Goes to Congress," and "Davy Crockett at the Alamo." Davy and his sidekick Georgie Russell (Buddy Ebsen) stop a Creek uprising and convince Chief Red Stick (Pat Hogan) to return to the ways of peace despite the help of Captain Norton (William Bakewell) and with the tactic approval of General Andy Jackson (Basil Ruysdael), spends some time speechifying in the United States Congress, and then joins the small band of volunteers led by Jim Bowie (Kenneth Tobey) defending the Alamo against the Mexican army of General Santa Ana. The middle part of the trilogy is the weakest of the adventures seeing as how Davy has to dress up in fancy duds to walk around the halls of Congress. The conclusion at the Alamo is the most memorable sequence, having a more serious tone and some impressive production values when you consider the entire battle is being shot on a soundstage (for years when I drew the Alamo it was the Disney version and not the real one that I was drawing).

Directed by Norman Foster and written by Thomas Blackburn, the biggest surprise in these episodes is Davy's attitude towards the Indians. Instead of just killing Red Stick in their tomahawk duel Davy persuades the chief to return to the land. He stops Bigfoot Mason (Mike Mazurki) from stealing the land of Charlie Two Shirts (Jeff Thompson), gives a speech in Congress defending the right of Indians to their tribal lands, and befriends the brave Busted Luck (Nick Cravat) on the way to the Alamo. The climatic battle has an appropriate gravity and does a tolerable job of sticking to history beyond reducing the role of Colonel Travis (Don Megowan). When Davy sings a final song on the last night of the battle there is an unexpected poignancy, which contrasts well with the simple determination to stay there until the end. The sight of Davy swinging old Betsy as a club while about to be overwhelmed by the Mexican troops is a memorable final image of our hero.

Ultimately the main strength of these stories are the performances of the two leads. Parker completely natural in the role and Ebsen shows an understated comic touch throughout. The friendship between Davy and Georgie becomes the one constant throughout the adventures. There are several fine supporting performances as well, particularly Ruysdael as Andy Jackson and Tobey as a fatalistic Jim Bowie. Veteran character actor Hans Conreid plays Thimbelrig, a gambler the boys pick up on their way to Texas. Granted, the nostalgic aspects of "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" is going to be a strong part of the entertainment value here, but these are very good yarns for the Fifties. Walt Disney made two more adventures in the series, "Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race" and "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates," both of which are much more comedic than the original trilogy while making more of an attempt to present Davy as a proper role model for the younguns.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Legends Are Made Of, October 18, 2000

By	gobirds2 (New England) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Davy Crockett is one of Walt Disney's most endeared and remembered live action characters from the television and silver screen as personified by Fess Parker. This colorful and entertaining film was re-edited from three segments of Disney's TV show for theatrical distribution. Parker, with his coonskin cap and homespun drawl and witticism created a nationwide phenomenon in 1955. Who can forget "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett" composed by George Bruns and Tom Blackburn. Buddy Ebsen played his sidekick George Russel, whose adventures take them from Tennessee to Washington, D.C. to the Alamo. The film's third act focusing on the defense of the Alamo, though well remembered, is somewhat labored until we see the final image of Davy Crockett passing into legend and glory. This straightforward and beautifully photographed film expounds the virtues of honesty, integrity and bravery. Highly recommended family viewing personally produced by Walt Disney.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A clean classic and still fits in 2001, June 28, 2001

By	Peter Ingemi (Worcester County, Massachusetts United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is a fun movie. If you want a clean movie that promotes all the clean values of the much maligned 50's then this movie does it. Lots of adventure and action and a few laughs for all ages, a timeless story of right and good, and perhaps a bit more. If you're looking for CITIZEN KANE you're in the wrong place. But there is something for people of every stripe. The old heroic ideal. The Alamo and creek fight scenes (not the specticle of John Wayne's Alamo but in some FEW spots more accurate). The comic relief provided by Hans Conried (in a very good supporting role.) And in a kids movie of the 50's the American Indian protrayed not as a bumpkin or a savage, but as people, and the "indian bill" sequence showing (rightly) government attempts to cheat the indian and also showing (misleadingly) Jackson himself involved. It also portrays that now frowned upon idea that you must be willing to FIGHT for what it right. This movie is more than meets the eye. And its worth meeting.