L'Honorable Griffin

Playing the title role of Bullwhip Griffin is Roddy McDowell, a gentleman's gentleman and guardian to heirs Bryan Russell and Suzanne Pleshette from Boston. It seems as though their father has died and the family fortune isn't quite what they've been led to believe. Never mind that, young Russell has lived on an intellectual diet of dime novels and is convinced that he can go to California and strike it rich with the Gold Rush.

The Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin has a Mark Twain feel to it and it's not too bad, I think Mr. Clemens might have approved of it in his younger and less cynical days. The chief villain of the piece is Karl Malden playing a confidence man who goes by the name of 'Judge' Griffin. He's a man full of tricks, he's a lot like the 'king' and 'duke' characters from Huckleberry Finn. Twain would have really relished Malden's performance.

As for Roddy McDowall he's as innocent as those Americans going abroad for the first time as tourists in Innocents Abroad. In point of fact San Francisco and the gold fields of California were a whole continent away and might as well been a foreign country. In fact McDowall would have been more at home in London than in San Francisco had he gone east instead of west.

But this is America and it's the land of no titled classes. McDowall dares dream he too could win the hand of Suzanne Pleshette who has shaken her proper eastern upbringing to sing in Harry Guardino's Barbary Coast saloon. Guardino is another villain playing his part with relish, he's interested in Pleshette for more than her singing career.

Highlight of the film is McDowall taking on Mike Mazurki in a prize fight. Only in the movies would you think that McDowall could beat Mazurki in a fight. Still it's a very funny sequence.

The cast looks like they're having a real good time making this film and the enthusiasm is infectious. The Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin is one of the better products to come from the Magic Kingdom in the Sixties.

The next film on my alphabetical trip through the Disney Plus archive is "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" one in a large number of live action Disney films from the 1960's and 1970's that I haven't seen before and, frankly, am approaching with a sense of sad resignation, rather than hopeful anticipation. This one though, I rather enjoyed.

With the news that his estate is to be liquidated following his grandfathers death, 12 year old Jack Flagg (Bryan Russell) heads to 1840's San Francisco to try and make his fortune in the gold rush. His loyal family butler, Griffin (Roddy McDowall) tracks Jack to the shipyard, but then is stuck on board when the ship departs. Learning of a map to a 'motherload', the pair team up with Quentin Bartlett (Richard Haydn) to discover it, but the villainous Judge Higgins (Karl Malden) also has ideas on that gold and is prepared to cheat and threaten to get it.

As I said, I rather enjoyed "Bullwhip Griffin" it was mostly knockabout fun, with some really good comedic performances from McDowall and Malden especially. Judge Higgins gave me similar vibes to Count Olaf from the "Unfortunate Events" series, repeatedly showing up in different outfits with only our heroes able to spot him. There is an episodic nature to the film in general, which perhaps stems from the fact that it's adapted from a book, but unlike other things that I've criticised for being like that, I don't feel that this film lost sight of the characters overall goals.

The version on Disney plus both is edited somewhat, to remove some racial slurs, but also has the new "negative cultural stereotypes" warning, that will appear in front of a number of films. There is a scene with a Mexican bandit that I didn't think was too bad, but the scenes with the Chinese actors and Malden dressing as one of them, is where it starts to get a bit less acceptable.

I don't tend to comment on how women look in films, being a modern 21st century guy like I am, but I can't not mention how beautiful Suzanne Pleshette is, playing Jack's (much) older sister Arabella. (The horizon tries but it just not as kind on the eyes).

Whilst I don't think it's some forgotten masterpiece, given that my expectations were low "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" was a pleasant surprise.

This oldie finally showed up again -- and I hope it continues to bring laughter to many others. Watching Roddy McDowall reminds me how long he has entertained us, too often without recognition. Karl Malden makes a wonderful villain, in so many guises!! Susanne Pleshette shows off her singing talent while appearing to have a ball making this movie. In fact, it appears everyone involved enjoyed their work. The plot moves from Boston (after the reading of a will that seems unbelievable) to California's gold rush. Adventures and misadventures are encountered by a boy, his sister and their butler, along with colorful characters along the way. Not until well into the movie do we see the love interest played out. I don't know how critics view it, but for fun entertainment, this is well worth our time.

Just don't let Brian hear Stewie pronounce the title!

'The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin' is a strange one. From start-to-finish I never once cared for the actual premise to this, but unusually that actually isn't a negative as the film doesn't either! It's just one that is all about the adventure and it's certainly entertaining in that way, even if the supposed point of it does get lost almost completely.

The casting is splendid. Roddy McDowall gives a very good performance in the titular role, while Suzanne Pleshette (Arabella), Bryan Russell (Jack), Karl Malden (Higgins) and Mike Mazurki (Ox) are all enjoyable too.

The editing and humour is pretty solid as well, even if it does get a little weird in parts. I can't honestly rate this any higher, but it is a film I had a fairly fun time with - despite the earlier mentioned 'issues'. It's worth a watch.

Lastly, if they ever remake this they gotta get Ioan Gruffudd in as Griffin, he'd be perfect. Not that I'm saying they should redo this, but you simply never know with film companies.

This a Disney film that most people have never heard of and, to me, it is one of the funniest. OK, some of it is a little hokey, but, by and large, it is a film the whole family can enjoy. Roddy McDowall is perfect as the straight-laced butler who tries his best to help his young friend in the gold fields of 1849 California. Suzanne Pleshette (beautiful as ever) plays the love interest that Bullwhip can't bring himself to admit. She can also belt out a pretty good barroom tune. Add a crooked judge who is also a thief, one of the funniest fist fights ever filmed and likable villains and you have an entertaining romp in the old west.