The comic themes of this TV movie western makes it seem cartoonish and never really provides any tension or danger in the struggles that a town goes through to get the railroad near to them. Once again, as he was for years on "Bonanza", Dan Blocker is the big hearted oaf, the blacksmith of a town he helped create, and now out of favor because the railroad that is being built will not be going anywhere near it, like that is his fault.
So because of his good nature and determination, he causes school teacher Susan Clark to fall in love with him, and she encourages him to pursue his dream by going out to change things. They end up being responsible for bringing a train engine into the village, aided by a group of friendly natives led by Iron Eyes Cody, and having several adventures as they make their way through the wilderness.
There's a cute encounter with a mama bear and her cub (more curious than dangerous), as well as the shotgun wedding demanded by Clark's family. Character actors Henry Jones and Edgar Buchanan are among the others in the cast.
Being one of the first official TV movies (a genre that only started two years before officially outside of a few experiments), it has not held up well as far as the print that I saw, faded greatly and dreary, and the script isn't optimum. While Clark and Blocker aren't exactly a realistic romantic couple, they are amusing together, and there are a few minutes among the silliness that are genuinely funny.
But as far as comic westerns go, it isn't all that good, although I can say that if I had to wander through the wilderness trekking a steam engine I'd want someone like Susan Clark tagging along in assistance. A few surprises along the way are a plus, one involving the steam engine that is rather bizarre.
So because of his good nature and determination, he causes school teacher Susan Clark to fall in love with him, and she encourages him to pursue his dream by going out to change things. They end up being responsible for bringing a train engine into the village, aided by a group of friendly natives led by Iron Eyes Cody, and having several adventures as they make their way through the wilderness.
There's a cute encounter with a mama bear and her cub (more curious than dangerous), as well as the shotgun wedding demanded by Clark's family. Character actors Henry Jones and Edgar Buchanan are among the others in the cast.
Being one of the first official TV movies (a genre that only started two years before officially outside of a few experiments), it has not held up well as far as the print that I saw, faded greatly and dreary, and the script isn't optimum. While Clark and Blocker aren't exactly a realistic romantic couple, they are amusing together, and there are a few minutes among the silliness that are genuinely funny.
But as far as comic westerns go, it isn't all that good, although I can say that if I had to wander through the wilderness trekking a steam engine I'd want someone like Susan Clark tagging along in assistance. A few surprises along the way are a plus, one involving the steam engine that is rather bizarre.