Snowball Express: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Film | name = Snowball Express |
{{Infobox Film |
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| name = Snowball Express |
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| image = |
| image = |
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| caption = |
| caption = |
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| director = Norman Tokar |
| director = Norman Tokar |
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| writer = Frankie O'Rear (book "Chateau Bon Vivant") |
| writer = Frankie O'Rear (book "Chateau Bon Vivant")<br>John O'Rear (book "Chateau Bon Vivant")<br>Don Tait<br>Jim Parker<br>Arnold Margolin |
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| starring =[[Dean Jones (actor)|Dean Jones]]<br |
| starring = [[Dean Jones (actor)|Dean Jones]]<br>[[Nancy Olsen]]<br>[[Harry Morgan]]<br>[[Keenan Wynn]]<br>[[Johnny Whitaker]]<br>[[Michael McGreevey]]<br>[[George Lindsey]]<br>[[Kathleen Cody]]<br>[[Mary Wickes]] |
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| producer = Ron Miller |
| producer = Ron Miller<br>Tom Leetch |
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| editing = Robert Stafford |
| editing = Robert Stafford |
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| cinematography = Frank V. Phillips |
| cinematography = Frank V. Phillips |
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| distributor = [[Walt Disney Pictures]] |
| distributor = [[Walt Disney Pictures]] |
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| music = Robert F. Brunner |
| music = Robert F. Brunner<br>Evelyn Kennedy<br>Franklyn Marks |
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| released = {{USA}} [[December 22]], [[1972]] |
| released = {{USA}} [[December 22]], [[1972]]<br>{{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Brazil]] [[March 26]], [[1973]]<br>{{flagicon|Australia}} Australia [[August 23]], [[1973]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[France]] [[December 5]], [[1973]]<br> {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Italy]] [[December 7]], [[1973]]<br>{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Japan]] [[December 15]], [[1973]]<br>{{flagicon|Finland}} [[Finland]] [[April 5]], [[1974]]<br>[[Sweden]] [[April 8]], [[1974]]<br>{{flagicon|Hong Kong}} [[Hong Kong]] [[January 2]], [[1975]]<br>{{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Mexico]] [[January 15]], [[1976]] |
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| runtime = |
| runtime = 93 minutes |
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| country = {{USA}} |
| country = {{USA}} |
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| language = [[English language|English]] |
| language = [[English language|English]] |
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| awards = |
| awards = |
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| budget = |
| budget = |
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| amg_id = |
| amg_id = 1:45389 |
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| imdb_id = 0069291 |
| imdb_id = 0069291 |
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| preceded_by = |
| preceded_by = |
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| followed_by = |
| followed_by = |
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}} |
}} |
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==Plot Summary== |
==Plot Summary== |
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Johnny Baxter ([[Dean Jones (actor)|Dean Jones]]) is at his usual corporate [[desk job]] one day when an [[probate]] [[attorney]] ([[David White (actor)|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 town of Silver Hills, [[Colorado]]. |
Johnny Baxter ([[Dean Jones (actor)|Dean Jones]]) is at his usual corporate [[desk job]] one day when an [[probate]] [[attorney]] ([[David White (actor)|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 Hills, [[Colorado]]. |
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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. |
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. |
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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 |
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 interest in Baxter's daring idea, but continually offers to pony up some cash to take the dilapidated lodge off of Baxter's shoulders to convert it into a boys' school in honor of the deceased uncle. Bzxter's wife Sue ([[Nancy Olsen]]) does not trust Ridgeway one iota and says so from the get go. |
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Baxter then searches for funding elsewhere and finds a friendly banker named Mr. Wainwright ([[George Kirkpatrick]]) at an nearby town who is genuinely interested in Baxter's venture. Wainwright agrees to meet with Baxter a ski lodge, as Baxter admits he is an avid skier. Sue Baxter nearly passes out, 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 his way down the mountain, taking out several skiers and ultimately plowing into a tree in the process. |
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Recovering from injuries sustained from smashing face-first into a tree, 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 exthusiastically 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. The money covers the repair, but leaves nothing for the ski lift Baxter had in mind. Jesse comes to the rescue by pulling an old [[Steam donkey|donkey engine]] out of mothballs, ties a rope around it, and uses it for a makeshift ski lift. After successfulyl hauling the mammoth donkey engine up the mountain, the Baxters are ready to roll, though Sue still feels uncomfortable knowing the resort's repairs were financed by the scheming Ridgeway. |
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The restored Grand Imperial Hotel opens to little fanfare. The Baxters and Jesse stand in an empty resort for several days, with nary a single customer setting foot in the immaculate hotel. Meanwhile, bricks-for-brains Wally is outside trying to dynamite a tree stump from the ground. The explosion sets off an avalanche that blocks a nearby passenger train, stranding several hundred skiers aboard. Jeese quietly suggests getting the skiers to a warm place in the interim. Realizing they are about to be inundated with customers, the Baxters quickly start shuttling the stranded skiers to the resort. |
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All goes well until Wally starts a ski training class. Having never taught skiiing before (he is reading the 1970 version of "How to Ski" shortly before the lesson), 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 Baxter down the mountain to rescue Wally, Jesse accidently jostles a loose piece of lit firewood onto a rope anchoring the donkey engine in place. Baxter successfully rescues Wally who suffers a broken arm as a result of the fall. Just then, the burning rope brakes loose, setting the donkey engine free. The steam-powered beast rapidly glides down the mountain, with Baxter is tow, still roped to the machine after having rescued Wally. Unfortunately, Jesse cannot steer nor slow the careening the donkey engine, and it plows through the center of the hotel 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 following the disaster, leaving the Baxters flat and out of money. |
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John Baxter sheepishly goes back to Martin Ridgeway, asking for an extension on his $3,000 loan, to which Ridgeway flatly refuses. Undaunted, Baxter notices a sign for the annual Silver Hills Snowmobile Race with a $5,000 as prize money. Like skiing, Baxter has never rode nor driven a snowmobile, so he simply assumes Wally can drive his slapdash snowmobile. Unfortunately, Wally's his broken arm from his skiing incident prevents any sort of involvement on his part. Baxter then decides to drive the snowmobile himself, with Jesse as his partner. When Sue Baxter gets wind of this act of desperation, she is convinced her husband has lost all touch with reality, practically risking his life in order to win the prize money to save the resort. |
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The day of the race comes, and 75-year-old Jesse has second thoughts about partaking in the wild snowmobile aboard Wally's decrepit snowmobile (dubbed "The Mighty Mongrel"). Unfortunately, Baxter is acutely aware that Marting Ridgeway has won the race three years in a row. Knowing he is the underdog, Baxter pushes the ailing snowmobile to the limit, ripping around snowbanks at 70 miles per hour. Before he reaches the finish line, both skis manage to break off the Mongrel. With Ridgeway on their tail, Baxter and Jesse practically push the snowmobile towards the finish line, but never actually cross over it. Ridgeway wins first place, but Baxter wins nothing as he does not cross the finish line (as there are 1st, 2nd, 3rd place prizes), and as a result of pushing the mongrel past its limit, ends up riding the snowmoble for hours as it will not shut off or stop. Later that night, a nearly frostbitten Baxter comes home, with his loving wife Sue waiting for him with open arms. |
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Baxter is about to throw in the towel on his dream for a successful ski resort when Ridgeway threatens to begin the foreclosure process. Again, Ridgeway offers to buy the crippled resort from Baxter for practically nothing, hoping to convert it into the Jacob Barnesworth School for Boys. Ridgeway's secretary Miss Wigginton ([[Mary Wickes]]) happens to also be present during this exchange, and finally blows her stack in from of Ridgeway, Jesse, Wally, and the Baxters. She tells all the truth about Ridgeway, that he wants to buy the resort to mine for gold knowing there are a few untapped veins below the ground. Jesse is also aware of this, having been a former miner himself, and adds to Wigginton's story. By the time Wally chimes it, it becomes known that Baxter's uncle Barnesworth actually maintained the original deed to many of the Silver Hills' properties, including Ridgeway's bank. Realizing his plot has been revealed, Ridgeway tries to patch things up, but it is too late. |
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The Baxters obtain money for all the neccessary repairs to the resort, and it opens for business once gain. |
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== Foreign Titles == |
== Foreign Titles == |
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Revision as of 15:51, 25 February 2008
| Snowball Express | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Norman Tokar |
| Written by | Frankie O'Rear (book "Chateau Bon Vivant") John O'Rear (book "Chateau Bon Vivant") Don Tait Jim Parker Arnold Margolin |
| Produced by | Ron Miller Tom Leetch |
| Starring | Dean Jones Nancy Olsen Harry Morgan Keenan Wynn Johnny Whitaker Michael McGreevey George Lindsey Kathleen Cody Mary Wickes |
| Cinematography | Frank V. Phillips |
| Edited by | Robert Stafford |
| Music by | Robert F. Brunner Evelyn Kennedy Franklyn Marks |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Pictures |
Release dates |  United States December 22, 1972 Brazil March 26, 1973 Australia August 23, 1973 France December 5, 1973 Italy December 7, 1973 Japan December 15, 1973 Finland April 5, 1974Sweden April 8, 1974  Hong Kong January 2, 1975 Mexico January 15, 1976 |
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
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.
Plot Summary
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 Hills, 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 interest in Baxter's daring idea, but continually offers to pony up some cash to take the dilapidated lodge off of Baxter's shoulders to convert it into a boys' school in honor of the deceased uncle. Bzxter's wife Sue (Nancy Olsen) does not trust Ridgeway one iota and says so from the get go.
Baxter then searches for funding elsewhere and finds a friendly banker named Mr. Wainwright (George Kirkpatrick) at an nearby town who is genuinely interested in Baxter's venture. Wainwright agrees to meet with Baxter a ski lodge, as Baxter admits he is an avid skier. Sue Baxter nearly passes out, 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 his way down the mountain, taking out several skiers and ultimately plowing into a tree in the process.
Recovering from injuries sustained from smashing face-first into a tree, 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 exthusiastically 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. The money 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 successfulyl hauling the mammoth donkey engine up the mountain, the Baxters 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 Baxters and Jesse stand in an empty resort for several days, with nary a single customer setting foot in the immaculate hotel. Meanwhile, bricks-for-brains Wally is outside trying to dynamite a tree stump from the ground. The explosion sets off an avalanche that blocks a nearby passenger train, stranding several hundred skiers aboard. Jeese quietly suggests getting the skiers to a warm place in the interim. Realizing they are about to be inundated with customers, the Baxters quickly start shuttling the stranded skiers to the resort.
All goes well until Wally starts a ski training class. Having never taught skiiing before (he is reading the 1970 version of "How to Ski" shortly before the lesson), 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 Baxter down the mountain to rescue Wally, Jesse accidently jostles a loose piece of lit firewood onto a rope anchoring the donkey engine in place. Baxter successfully rescues Wally who suffers a broken arm as a result of the fall. Just then, the burning rope brakes loose, setting the donkey engine free. The steam-powered beast rapidly glides down the mountain, with Baxter is tow, still roped to the machine after having rescued Wally. Unfortunately, Jesse cannot steer nor slow the careening the donkey engine, and it plows through the center of the hotel 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 following the disaster, leaving the Baxters flat and out of money.
John Baxter sheepishly goes back to Martin Ridgeway, asking for an extension on his $3,000 loan, to which Ridgeway flatly refuses. Undaunted, Baxter notices a sign for the annual Silver Hills Snowmobile Race with a $5,000 as prize money. Like skiing, Baxter has never rode nor driven a snowmobile, so he simply assumes Wally can drive his slapdash snowmobile. Unfortunately, Wally's his broken arm from his skiing incident prevents any sort of involvement on his part. Baxter then decides to drive the snowmobile himself, with Jesse as his partner. When Sue Baxter gets wind of this act of desperation, she is convinced her husband has lost all touch with reality, practically risking his life in order to win the prize money to save the resort.
The day of the race comes, and 75-year-old Jesse has second thoughts about partaking in the wild snowmobile aboard Wally's decrepit snowmobile (dubbed "The Mighty Mongrel"). Unfortunately, Baxter is acutely aware that Marting Ridgeway has won the race three years in a row. Knowing he is the underdog, Baxter pushes the ailing snowmobile to the limit, ripping around snowbanks at 70 miles per hour. Before he reaches the finish line, both skis manage to break off the Mongrel. With Ridgeway on their tail, Baxter and Jesse practically push the snowmobile towards the finish line, but never actually cross over it. Ridgeway wins first place, but Baxter wins nothing as he does not cross the finish line (as there are 1st, 2nd, 3rd place prizes), and as a result of pushing the mongrel past its limit, ends up riding the snowmoble for hours as it will not shut off or stop. Later that night, a nearly frostbitten Baxter comes home, with his loving wife Sue waiting for him with open arms.
Baxter is about to throw in the towel on his dream for a successful ski resort when Ridgeway threatens to begin the foreclosure process. Again, Ridgeway offers to buy the crippled resort from Baxter for practically nothing, hoping to convert it into the Jacob Barnesworth School for Boys. Ridgeway's secretary Miss Wigginton (Mary Wickes) happens to also be present during this exchange, and finally blows her stack in from of Ridgeway, Jesse, Wally, and the Baxters. She tells all the truth about Ridgeway, that he wants to buy the resort to mine for gold knowing there are a few untapped veins below the ground. Jesse is also aware of this, having been a former miner himself, and adds to Wigginton's story. By the time Wally chimes it, it becomes known that Baxter's uncle Barnesworth actually maintained the original deed to many of the Silver Hills' properties, including Ridgeway's bank. Realizing his plot has been revealed, Ridgeway tries to patch things up, but it is too late.
The Baxters obtain money for all the neccessary repairs to the resort, and it opens for business once gain.
Foreign Titles
- West Germany - "Erbschaft in Weiß"
- Portugal - "Hotel da Barafunda, O"
- Finland - "Hupihotelli", "Lumipallo express"
- Italy - "Pistaaa... arriva il gatto delle nevi"
- Sweden - Snöbollsexpressen
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