To me, this movie is perfection.

Expected more

As Good As It Gets

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

I remember the summer of 1955 when this movie was THE movie of that summer, and when I felt it was a must to have a rabbit-skin cap and a Davy Crockett suit, all of which my mother bought me, and it was all because of the influence of that unforgettable movie. As much as I liked it, and as much as I play it now on my own video tape of it, it was definitely not your typical Walt Disney movie, like "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs", and "Pollyanna"; the latter came along later. (Who would have ever connected Kenneth Tobey, who portrayed Jim Bowie, with a Disney movie, or Helene Stanley, who played the small role of Davy's wife Polly, since she was a lady who did often play not-so-nice girls?) Basil Ruysdael performed well the role of the then pre-president Andrew Jackson, and in these his pre-"Beverley Hillbillies" days, Buddy Ebsen was excellent as Crockett's sometimes-comical sidekick George Russell, and the large Don MacGowan was convincing as Colonel Travis the second-in-command to Bowie. Hans Conreid did a good turn as the shifty riverboat gambler, who perhaps surprisingly was very brave at the Alamo. Nobody else could have played Crockett as well as did the large Fess Parker; Crockett was a sometimes-rough man, but always good-hearted and honest. The movie followed well the man's life, all the way from his resolving the Creek Indian wars in 1814, to Davy's term in Congress where the man with butchered English expressed himself articulately and bravely his negative feeling about the Indian Bill when expansion was on everyone's minds, then to the battle at the Alamo in 1836. Again, some of the actors were rough and brave, and the fighting Mexicans at the Alamo were as mean as they could be. What also stood out to me was the song toward the end entitled "Farewell", which was soothing and beautiful in its own right. Definitely, an outstanding production.

I first saw this film as a nine year old living in London back in 1955. This was at a matinée performance and the cinema was filled to the rafters with kids and we loved it. This was the era of the baby boomers and we youngsters had no shortage of friends to play with. After the film about thirty of us went to our local park and re-enacted scenes from it even forming two sides, Mexicans and Americans, for the attack on the Alamo, an old air raid shelter. But my most prominent memory is of the Davy Crockett hat my Dad made me. This was the 'must have' of 1955 for us kids and so many were made it led to a very sharp decline in the cat population. My dad also made me a very credible musket that I kept for years. Happy memories of a great movie and a great time to be young.

I saw this film when I was a lad and along with the coonskin cap it was so coolfor a young boy of the mid fifties. The Film was and remains funny, full of action, with great scenery and a good musical score with of course the great catchy Title song which was a big pop hit. Although the acting was at times not great Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsenm were great together and it remains my favourite all time film despite all the movies since then to 2012. My children have watched it with me several times and enjoyed it while commenting at the acting such as much delayed Indians falling down when shot. But hey it was fun, it was entertainment and I think was and is just great!

Watching Disney's Davy Crockett at the impressionable, ripe old age of seven in 1954 started me on a lifelong love affair with American History. I now have in my den a flintlock Kentucky long rifle on one wall replete with arrowheads, powder horn, etc. and lots of Civil War (my other interest) books and just historical stuff in "my" room/retreat. Interestingly, I gave my co-worker (much younger than me) the Disney DVD to show his son. He gave it back to me stating he didn't want his son saying Injun or Redskin and wondered why the term "Native American" hadn't been dubbed in. I told him history was history and wasn't politically correct and that if the PC crowd had their way American history would indeed be revised. And by the by, I, as a person born in the USA was a "Native American". What a shame...am sure his son would have been enthralled!!! Watching those DVD's today brings my childhood rushing back to me and as I get older a keener sense of appreciation to Walt Disney and a gratitude to him for sparking my interest in our nation's history...thanks Walt!! And thanks Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen!!!