Release Date: May 25, 1955
Fess Parker plays the titular role, and I absolutely love his performance! While he had a role in several future Disney movies, this is the movie that made him a star. When Disneyland was built, Fess Parker was hired to continue to play his role at the theme park. I admit I am jealous of the generation before me that could go to Disneyland and meet Fess Parker in person. That would have been a dream!
In movies today, there seems to be a lot of focus on character flaws. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, and many compelling stories have been told with this focus. But what makes Davy Crockett (and other movies from this Disney era) stand out is the pure goodness of the character. He is a true role model and a perfect depiction of what a good person should aspire to be.
Some of these lessons were obvious to me as a child. One of my favorite scenes from the movie takes place during the Creek Indian war. Davy Crockett is an expert frontiersman and skilled in battle. When facing off against Red Stick, the Indian chief, Davy Crockett spares his life on the condition the chief will sign a treaty with the government. Red Stick replies, "Promises no good. White government lie." To which our hero replies, "Davy Crockett don't lie." This exchange taught me about the confidence that comes with integrity.
Before agreeing to the treaty, Red Stick asks Davy Crockett why he didn't just kill him. He had a fair point. They were in a fight to the death, Davy Crockett had the upper hand, and could have wiped out all resistance. But his reply again speaks to the integrity of his character: "Maybe because of another law. We have trouble living up to it. It ain't bad for red man or white man alike. Thou shalt not kill."
Future scenes show Davy Crockett defending the rights and dignity of Native Americans and standing up to oppressors no matter who they are. He is persuaded to run for political offices and eventually joins the U.S. House of Representatives. As a kid, I loved the scenes where Davy Crockett fights off the bad guys, beating them in both shooting matches and fist fights. It wasn't until I was older that I appreciated the profound role model he became as a congressman.
Davy Crockett is originally friends with Andrew Jackson and supports his campaign to be president. But then Davy is tricked into going on a speaking tour while Andrew Jackson tries to pass a bill to take land away from Native Americans. Upon learning of this, Davy and his friend George Russell ride back to Washington as quickly as they can and he storms into the congressional chamber, despite the warning that opposing the bill will be political suicide.
He proceeds to give a brief speech to the other members of congress. In part, he says, "Expansion is a mighty fine thing. Sure, we gotta grow. But not at the expense of the things this country was founded to protect... Expansion ain't no excuse for persecuting a whole part of our people because their skin is red and they're uneducated to our ways... The real scallywags in this here capital of the brave and free is us--you and me, and I'm the worst of the lot... We got a responsibility to help [this country] grow into the kind of nation the good Lord meant it to be."
This movie has action and adventure, but most of all it has goodness. I will forever love the goodness of the movie, and of Davy Crockett's example. I am grateful for the role model he was to my childhood self, and I am grateful for the role model he continues to be today. Our country and our world would be a lot better off if more people tried to emulate the example of Walt Disney's Davy Crockett.
No comments:
Post a Comment