Snowball Express (1972)

This is a Disney plot that they repeated many times during the 1970's in their string of fun but generic comedies. Once again, Keenan Wynn a miserly businessman (here a banker) who wants to get his hands on a dilapidated hotel for his own greedy reasons, secretary Mary Wickes seemingly knowing why. New York accountant Dean Jones ("The Love Bug") has discovered that he is the heir to a presumably luxurious, profit making establishment, only to find out that it is in the middle of nowhere infested with bats and raccoons. Grizzled Harry Morgan moves in as a handyman while Disney regular Michael McGreevey takes an interest in Jones' daughter Kathleen Cody and offers to teach skiing lessons. The only issue is getting the money to re-build the hotel to its full potential, and Wynn won't give him a loan. But when Jones becomes determined to turn it into a ski lodge, Wynn changes his mind, certain it will fail and that he'll be able to foreclose on the hotel. An upcoming snowmobile race just might help Jones gain the money he needs to pay back Wynn after an unfortunate accident destroys part of the hotel, and ultimately, Wynn's motives are revealed with a nice twist delivered by the feisty Ms. Wickes.This is a by-the-numbers comedy that Disney kept repeating over and over again, and while the situations are amusing, you know exactly how this is going to turn out. McGreevey, often cast as Kurt Russell's sidekick in the series of "college comedies" that dominated Disney's 70's output, gets the young romantic lead here, a nice young man whose innocent claims that he knows how to ski leads Jones into all sorts of trouble. The snowy photography is beautiful and the slapstick is funny, but it's really nothing original. It was frustrating for me to see Mary Wickes, my favorite character actress, lingering around doing nothing, but near the final, she lets it out loose but is lacking the wisecracks of her many other wonderful characters that she played in her long career. Nancy Olson tries her best as Jones' long-suffering wife but is overshadowed in a thankless role, but Johnny Whitaker gets some great moments as the young son. George Lindsey ("The Andy Griffith Show") is also present as the unfortunate victim of Wynn's, blackmailed by him into doing his dirty deeds.Jones is amusing as the accident ridden hero, getting good revenge on his nasty boss Dick Van Patten in the opening scene, but ending up in several snow-related gags that after a while seem to be repeating themselves. There's the large cowardly dog (hysterically seeming to be a bear in a shadowy night scene), a funny looking train like contraption which pulls skiers up the hill and an underground mine thrown in for visual comedy. It's all pleasant family fun, but the type where afterwards, the only thing you can think of to say is "What next?".

um. there wasn't really anything to this film. it's almost judgment proof because how can anyone have a problem with material this unambitious and lightweight. it was pretty much commercial junk from the seventies. it probably has more in common with television of that time period than with theatrical fare. however, as usual with most of the formula Disney live action films at this time, this is a lot better than you would really think something like this would be.although the budget utilizes the same efficient cost cutting methods always used by Disney, it manages to pull in a polished, commercially slick entertainment. i mean Disney had to keep their audiences coming back so they didn't resort to a "take the money and run" approach that some low budget films and kid's films in particular often tried to get away with back then. it's not that there was much to this film, but it was a lot more engaging and funny then it should've turned out to be.there is some nice location photography here which was unusual for older Disney films of that time. most things were done "in House" utilizing their regular facilities and staff, or they shot location at the Disney Gold Oaks Ranch. the acting and characterization is a lot better than this deserves as well. the family seems sweet and likable. i've also felt Dean Jone's performances in Disney movies were underrated. a lot of this film clicks and works out nicely and competently for what it is. which it really doesn't profess to do much except pass about 93 minutes.Harry Morgan was pretty funny here. a lot of the gags involving his "old geezer" routine work and are a "old geezer" hoot. it's also nice to see Fred MacMurray's love interest from 'The Absent Minded Professor', Nancy Olsen.what really distinguishes this film as Disney fun is the fact that it strangely resembles a old 1940's Disney cartoon short with Goofy that was called 'How to Ski or Shee'. much of the slapstick gags involving ski stunts look straight out of Goofy's toon. if you also own the Goofy cartoon it makes a great companion short to this movie.there was one guy on IMDb here who claimed in his review that Dean Jones made 75 comedies for Disney. WHAT THE HEY?! no way. Disney's output in the old Burbank days were far less than most studios. Disney only released a few films a year. all the Dean Jones movies for Disney only amount to a about a dozen. geez. get your facts straight people. i guess because fans don't inform themselves much on the old Burbank studio that they don't really know much about their operations and output.this Disney film is not a great movie or a great Disney film for that matter. but it is still entertaining even after all these years. it's fun nostalgia and it's genuinely funny. most of the old Burbank studio films were. although some of the Disney live action films from the past often amounted to more than this and a good many of them were outstanding.this movie is a definite must for any Disney fan interested in the Disney archives. if just for that reason alone.

TITLE: SNOWBALL EXPRESS was release in theaters on December 22 1972 and if you watch this movie it will take you 99 minutes. Snowball Express is a 1972 screwball comedy film made by Walt Disney Pictures about a man who leaves his desk job to run a hotel left to him by his uncle. Starring in this picture was Dean Jones, Nancy Olson, and Harry MorganSUMMARY: Johnny Baxter (Dean Jones) is at his usual corporate desk job one day when an probate attorney (David White) appears. The attorney tells Baxter that his recently deceased uncle, Jacob Barnesworth, has left him sole ownership of the lucrative Grand Imperial Hotel in the fictional town of Silver Hill, Colorado. Baxter impulsively quits his job in a grand spectacle and moves his family to Colorado to take up proprietorship of the hotel. Arriving at the hotel, the family finds it to be an immense but ramshackle building with no heat, and a colorful old codger, Jesse McCord (Harry Morgan), living in the shed. Accepting the situation for the meantime, Baxter attempts to build the hotel up to its former glory and comes upon the idea to turn the hill adjacent to the hotel into a ski lodge. The biggest problem for Baxter is obtaining some capital for his venture. Local banker Martin Ridgeway (Keenan Wynn) expresses great interest in Baxter's daring idea, but continually offers to pony up some cash to take the dilapidated lodge off Baxter's shoulders to convert it into a boys' school in honor of the deceased uncle. Baxter's wife Sue (Nancy Olson) does not trust Ridgeway one iota and says so from the get go. Realizing there are too many strings attached involving Ridgeway, Baxter searches for funding elsewhere and finds a friendly banker named Mr. Wainwright (George Kirkpatrick) in a nearby town who is genuinely interested in Baxter's venture. Wainwright agrees to meet with Baxter at a ski lodge, as Baxter admits he is an avid skier. Sue Baxter nearly passes out when she hears this, knowing that her husband has never skied a day in his life. Chaos ensues when Baxter hops on the ski lift with Wainwright and promptly glides uncontrollably down the mountain, taking out several skiers and ultimately plowing into a tree, face first. While Baxter is recovering from injuries sustained from the skiing incident, Martin Ridgeway drops by to give Baxter a check for $3,000, taking feigned pity on his recent skiing disaster. Baxter quickly takes the money and starts making a list of repairs needed for the lodge. As Baxter is enthusiastically building his dream resort, local bumpkin Wally Perkins (Michael McGreevey) works feverishly with Jesse to repair an ailing hot water heater. No sooner does Baxter relish his $3,000 check when the water heater explodes, tearing a hole in the kitchen wall. Luckily, the recently acquired capital covers the repair, but leaves nothing for the ski lift Baxter had in mind. Jesse comes to the rescue by pulling an old donkey engine out of mothballs, ties a rope around it, and uses it for a makeshift ski lift. After successfully hauling the mammoth donkey engine up the mountain, the Baxter's are ready to roll, though Sue still feels uncomfortable knowing the resort's repairs were financed by the scheming Ridgeway. The restored Grand Imperial Hotel opens to little fanfare. The Baxter's and Jesse stand in an empty resort for several days, with nary a single customer setting foot in the immaculate hotel. Meanwhile, Wally is outside trying to dynamite a tree stump from the ground. The explosion sets off an avalanche that blocks a passing passenger train, stranding the several hundred skiers aboard. Astute Jesse quietly suggests transporting the skiers to a warm place in the interim. Realizing they are about to be inundated with customers, the Baxter's quickly start shuttling the stranded skiers to the resort. The Baxter's quiet resort becomes a Mecca for the skiers, and it looks as if John Baxter's gamble has paid off. All goes well until bricks-for-brains Wally commence ski-training class. Having never taught skiing before (he is reading the 1970 version of "How to Ski" shortly before the lesson begins), Wally manages to lose his balance and skis down a steep mountain, dangling over a ledge while clinging to a pine tree. Using the venerable donkey engine and a rope to lower John Baxter down the mountain to rescue Wally, Jesse accidentally jostles a loose piece of lit firewood onto one of the thick ropes anchoring the donkey engine in place. Baxter successfully rescues Wally, who suffers a broken arm because of the fall. Just then, the burning rope tears, setting the donkey engine free. The steam-powered beast rapidly glides down the mountain, with Baxter in tow, still roped to the machine after having rescued Wally. Unfortunately, Jesse cannot steer nor slow the careening the donkey engine and it plows right through the center of the Grand Imperial Hotel situated at the bottom of the mountain. Sue Baxter comes running after the runaway donkey engine, and feels a chill come over her as a bone-chilling breeze rustles through the hole created by the disaster. All guests check out immediately, leaving the Baxter's flat and out of money once again.QUESTIONS: Why was John Baxter afraid to go see Martin Ridgeway? Who was Martin Ridgeway and what business did he have with John Baxter? How did John find out about the Silver Hills Snowmobile Race? Where did Wally come from and what did he have to do with all of this? How has Ridgeway won the last three-snowmobile races? What was on John Baxter's property that Ridgeway wanted so badly? MY THOUGHTS: There are some great scenes in this movie and the pictures of the mountain are beautiful. I can't give this movie 10 weasel stars because it had no leading actress, however I will give this movie 8 weasel stars for the comedy alone.

This is another one of those all-star-cast Disney films that we just don't see made anymore...and that's a shame. Dean Jones stars as an over worked blue-collar type that loads up the family and moves them to the mountains. Lots of silly antics; the comedy sequences are timed so right, and the story flows evenly throughout. Harry Morgan is a gem in this film. There are great skiing scenes throughout, and a rip-roaring race at the end. This is a classic '70s Disney comedy that still holds up today. It's out on DVD too, so, if you're a collector, add it to your collection. I did. Yes...from start to finish, you'll laugh enough times to make you want to watch it again!