This kid pulls all kinds of crap...and gets away with it! Man, my dad would have killed me had I even thought of this sh*t.
Okay, it's a fun movie, but it seems to be made up of various mini-plots rather than a single main theme: There's the kid screwing up getting to camp so he can win the cup again; then there's the circus poster mishap business; the devious plans of the circus manager's wife against the kid bareback rider; the sleeping pill & lion episode; & Mr. & Mrs. Peck both giving in to the kid scenario.
Spoiler...
The movie begins with Billy polishing his prized cup which he has won two years in a row at camp.
Billy is a very mischievous kid who has pulled many stunts and now his parents have forbidden him to go to camp where he can win the cup for the third time (he gets to keep the cup permanently after the 3rd win). This is especially devastating to Billy since he is a braggart and has harassed his rival (who he calls "ice truck") about winning.
Both parents (separately) relent and give Billy money to reach camp. But Billy (and his gang) encounter the circus. When they are cheated by the circus promoter who forges a pass for Billy & his buddies, they attempt to sneak into the circus. But to get back at Billy, his rival "ice truck" snitches on him and Billy has to use the money his parents gave him to pay for circus tickets.
Meanwhile, the woman lion-tamer (wife of circus mgr.) has finagled her way to top billing over the more-talented child bareback rider. But the lion-taming performance is ruined when Billy & his friends put sleeping pills in hotdogs and feed them to the lions.
Now, later in order to get to camp, Billy hitches a ride with the circus and gets acquainted with the young girl bareback rider. And when she gets injured by a malicious act of the woman lion-tamer, Billy dresses as a girl and takes her place as the bareback rider. (This was presumably supposed to be a comical scene, but it only consisted of Billy swinging on the supporting rope trying to hang on to the horse from time to time...although he caught the tail finally.) This was a tough decision for Billy because he knows he'll miss the cup race at camp by subbing in the circus.
But, alas, the lion-keeper gives billy a wild ride in a chariot to the camp and billy enters the race...still dressed as a girl. Billy wins the race with a last-minute flagpole stunt featuring his arch-rival "ice truck".
Even "ice truck's" dad gets (unfairly) bashed by the lion-keeper who mistakes him for Mr. Peck whose name was on the sleeping pill package which was found near the lions' cage earlier.
Thankfully, the woman lion-tamer gets canned by the big wig. (Now, I would have liked it better had one of the lions taken a big bite out of her butt).
All ends well for Billy (imagine that), and the movie ends with Billy again polishing his cup and gloating over his success.
This movie was cute but would never withstand today's standards. I mean, that kid just got away with too much crap. I can just see every parent blaming this movie for all their kids' misbehaviour.
If you like stuff like "Our Gang", "East Side Kids", or "Dennis The Menace" this should entertain you.
Copyrights have expired on this movie and it is available for free download. Quality is good for age of movie. (See forum discussion for download info.)
Okay, it's a fun movie, but it seems to be made up of various mini-plots rather than a single main theme: There's the kid screwing up getting to camp so he can win the cup again; then there's the circus poster mishap business; the devious plans of the circus manager's wife against the kid bareback rider; the sleeping pill & lion episode; & Mr. & Mrs. Peck both giving in to the kid scenario.
Spoiler...
The movie begins with Billy polishing his prized cup which he has won two years in a row at camp.
Billy is a very mischievous kid who has pulled many stunts and now his parents have forbidden him to go to camp where he can win the cup for the third time (he gets to keep the cup permanently after the 3rd win). This is especially devastating to Billy since he is a braggart and has harassed his rival (who he calls "ice truck") about winning.
Both parents (separately) relent and give Billy money to reach camp. But Billy (and his gang) encounter the circus. When they are cheated by the circus promoter who forges a pass for Billy & his buddies, they attempt to sneak into the circus. But to get back at Billy, his rival "ice truck" snitches on him and Billy has to use the money his parents gave him to pay for circus tickets.
Meanwhile, the woman lion-tamer (wife of circus mgr.) has finagled her way to top billing over the more-talented child bareback rider. But the lion-taming performance is ruined when Billy & his friends put sleeping pills in hotdogs and feed them to the lions.
Now, later in order to get to camp, Billy hitches a ride with the circus and gets acquainted with the young girl bareback rider. And when she gets injured by a malicious act of the woman lion-tamer, Billy dresses as a girl and takes her place as the bareback rider. (This was presumably supposed to be a comical scene, but it only consisted of Billy swinging on the supporting rope trying to hang on to the horse from time to time...although he caught the tail finally.) This was a tough decision for Billy because he knows he'll miss the cup race at camp by subbing in the circus.
But, alas, the lion-keeper gives billy a wild ride in a chariot to the camp and billy enters the race...still dressed as a girl. Billy wins the race with a last-minute flagpole stunt featuring his arch-rival "ice truck".
Even "ice truck's" dad gets (unfairly) bashed by the lion-keeper who mistakes him for Mr. Peck whose name was on the sleeping pill package which was found near the lions' cage earlier.
Thankfully, the woman lion-tamer gets canned by the big wig. (Now, I would have liked it better had one of the lions taken a big bite out of her butt).
All ends well for Billy (imagine that), and the movie ends with Billy again polishing his cup and gloating over his success.
This movie was cute but would never withstand today's standards. I mean, that kid just got away with too much crap. I can just see every parent blaming this movie for all their kids' misbehaviour.
If you like stuff like "Our Gang", "East Side Kids", or "Dennis The Menace" this should entertain you.
Copyrights have expired on this movie and it is available for free download. Quality is good for age of movie. (See forum discussion for download info.)