The Apple Dumpling Gang

1 9 7 5 (USA)

Three orphan kids strike gold in 1878 California in this better-than-average Disney romp. Meanwhile, a con man agrees to take possession of some property for a friend, unaware that the three orphans are included in the deal.

Old West gambler Russell Donovan wins more than he bargained for when he's forced to care for the three rambunctious kids. Looking for help, he arranges a marriage of convenience to spunky stagecoach driver Magnolia Dusty Clydesdale. The kids prove they may be worth more than it first seemed when gold is discovered in a mine they inherited. A discovery like this can't go unnoticed for long, and soon the gold-crazy townspeople are converging on the site.

Knotts and Conway play Theodore Ogelvie and Amos Tucker, incompetent outlaws with eyes on the gold but soft spots in their hearts for the kids. When rotten-to-the-core bandit Frank Stillwell and his gang show up, Theodore and Amos side with the kids, leading to a slapstick showdown.

The antics hit big with audiences, leading to an inferior 1979 sequel, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again.

Region 1 (USA) DVD

Region 2 (UK) DVD