The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again

As far as the plot goes, "The Over the Hill Gang Rides Again" should not be compared to Westerns of its time period, but rather with those of the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's which is what this film is a tribute to. Back then you either liked Westerns or you didn't. One did not really care too much about the plot, they were for the most part rather simple and interchangeable. The story here is basically one of trying to restore the reputation of an ex Texas Ranger, played by Fred Astaire. What sets this film apart, and why the film should be reappraised is mostly due to the once in a lifetime Western film fans dream cast. Not many can compare with it(except maybe "The Bounty Killer"[1965] which had Broncho Billy Anderson, Bob Steele, John Mack Brown and Rod Cameron). OK, first of all you have Walter Brennan. He can be found in Westerns as early as 1927 with "Ridin Rowdy" and then later in classics like "Red River"(1948), "The Far Country"(1955), "Rio Bravo"(1959), "Support Your Local Sheriff"(1969) and his not to be forgotten Oscar winning role in "The Westerner"(1940) in which he played Judge Roy Bean. Speaking of Judge Roy Bean, the actor who portrayed him in the same titled early 1950's TV series, Edgar Buchanan is next in the cast line-up. His credits include "When the Daltons Rode"(1940), "Abilene Town"(1946), "Shane"(1953), "The Comancheros"(1961) and "Ride the High Country"(1962). Lana Wood may not be a household name, but not only was she in one of the most well known Westerns of all time, "The Searchers"(1956), but also in the remake, which was titled "GrayEagle"(1977). Next in line is Chill Wills, who by himself, can make any film fun. His presence can be felt in "Way Out West"(1937), "Western Union"(1941), "Rio Grande"(1950), "The Alamo"(1960) and "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid"(1973). Then there's Andy Devine who was in "Destry Rides Again"(1932) with Tom Mix, "Stagecoach"(1939), "Two Rode Together"(1961), "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"(1962) and played the sidekick in the TV & radio series "Wild Bill Hickock". And rounding out the cast of Western vets is the actor who played the part of Chester in the radio version of "Gunsmoke", Parley Baer. It should also be mentioned that Andy Devine acted with Buchanan previously in "When the Daltons Rode" and Chill Wills had appeared with Brennan before in "The Westerner". And as a real curio, making his debut in a Western film is Fred Astaire, who had teamed with Brennan before also, in a non Western, "The Story of Irene and Vernon Castle"(1939). The closest Astaire had come to a Western was in the "Daddy Long Legs"(1955) DREAM SEQUENCE playing a Texas millionaire wearing a cowboy hat and boots! Did Fred ever sport a mustache before? Yes, in the BABBITT & THE BROMIDE # from "Ziegfield Follies"(1946) and in the CLAP YO HANDS # from "Funny Face"(1957). As a final note, the same year that Mr. Astaire acted in his only Western, his dancing rival Gene Kelly participated in HIS only Western, "The Cheyenne Social Club", as director!

When retiring Texas ranger Walter Brennan (as Nash Crawford) learns old pal Fred Astaire (as "The Baltimore Kid") is in trouble, he rounds up three co-stars from "The Over-the-Hill Gang" (1969) for a western sequel. Still spry, Mr. Brennan finds Chill Wills (as George Agnew) cheating at poker, Edgar Buchannan (as Jason Fitch) in a retirement home, and Andy Devine (as Amos Polk) working on a newspaper. The geriatric set is stunned to discover Mr. Astaire is on a bender, but he cleans up well. This ABC-TV Tuesday "Movie of the Week" repeats the sure-fire viewer pull Brennan and his old friends still had and, in a rare appearance, Astaire shows he's definitely not ready for the old folks home.

***** The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (11/17/70) George McCowan ~ Fred Astaire, Walter Brennan, Chill Wills, Edgar Buchanan

Former Texas Rangers Walter Brennan, Edger Buchanan, and Chill Wills get back together in order to help their old comrade Fred Astaire, who's apparently landed in jail. Arriving, they find Astaire dead - dead drunk that is and the jailed impostor lynched. The gang decides to stick around to keep Astaire sober and out of trouble, as he gets hired on as the new town marshal.

Marginally better than the first film, this still seems a little too much like a long episode of a television series. Still, the cast of veteran actors and old western stars are entertaining, especially Astaire in his first and only western.

Eighteen years later, a new group of aging stars stepped into Brennan, Buchanan, and Wills' shoes for a second, much belated sequel, Once Upon A Texas Train.

After getting a message stating that an old colleague by the name of "The Baltimore Kid" (Fred Astaire) was about to be executed in Waco, Texas for bank robbery, a former Texas Ranger named "Nash Crawford" (Walter Brennan) decides to ride out there to see what he can do. Joining him are some of his fellow Texas Ranger comrades "Jason Fitch" (Edgar Buchanan) and "Gentleman George" (Chill Wills) who also hope to testify as character witnesses. To their surprise, once they get to Waco, they are told by an old acquaintance named "Amos Polk" (Andy Devine) that The Baltimore Kid had just been lynched a couple of days earlier and his grave is on the outside of town. Needless to say, they are quite saddened by this news and, to help ease their sorrow, they decide to head over to the local saloon to commiserate with one another. While there, they each happen to see an extremely intoxicated man who looks exactly like their long-lost comrade. And it's then that they realize that the bank robber who was lynched was an imposter and that their friend is alive and well. The only problem, however, is that the gang who robbed the bank think that Amos Polk knows where the money is and that, to get their hands on it, they to kill the former Texas Rangers in the process. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an adequate sequel to the previous film with both Walter Brennan and Chill Wills putting in solid performances overall. Admittedly, although some of the scenes were rather light-hearted, the comedy itself wasn't very sharp or unique. Even so, it managed to pass the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

The first Over-The-Hill-Gang movie proved so popular on television that a sequel was practically demanded from producers Walter Brennan, Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas. Probably only the age of the protagonists kept this from becoming a regular series. Maybe if Walter Brennan, Edgar Buchanan, and Chill Wills had been ten years younger it might very well have become a weekly series.

After settling things in Nevada for Pat O'Brien in the first movie the other three retired Texas Rangers go back to their settled lives and then they receive another summons. It's from Andy Devine who was a crooked judge in the first movie, but who now is a newspaper editor in Waco. An old friend of their's, the Baltimore Kid has been accused of a stagecoach robbery and murder. When Brennan, Wills, and Buchanan, arrive in Waco they hear the Baltimore Kid has been lynched for those crimes.

But that can't be when they spot the Baltimore Kid in a saloon looking three sheets to the wind. The Kid is played by Fred Astaire who finally got a western to his credits. He dances nary a step, but he staggers a lot.

The old Rangers sober him up the way Robert Mitchum was in El Dorado and Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou and clear the blot upon his reputation. So much so that the town offers to make him marshal. After that they have to stay around and back him up so he doesn't get himself killed. And that gang that did the robbery is still around.

Brennan, Wills, Devine, and Buchanan settle back comfortably in their parts. So does Lillian Bronson who Buchanan was about to get married to when the second summons comes. Parley Baer plays the unctuous mayor of the town and Lana Wood plays a femme fatale saloon girl with quite a scheme of her own.

If you liked the first Over-The-Hill Gang movie, no reason you won't like The Over-The-Hill Gang Rides Again.