The Covered Wagon is a story about two caravans headed west in the mid-1800's United States. The two caravans face hardship, including love and Native Americans. My understanding is that this film was fun and highly regarded in its time–The Pie-Covered Wagon is anything but fun, and a sad attempt at a spoof of the aforementioned film.
In this parody remake of The Covered Wagon, a series of young individuals, including Shirley Temple, make their way westward across the American Plains. They find themselves in a number of precarious situations, including coming face to face with Native Americans, the harsh weather, and being chased by a black bear. The young individuals must come together to overcome these difficulties. Their plans will prove to be far more difficult than they had expected, and Manifest Destiny hangs in the balance.
I’ve come to the sad conclusion that I do not like young Shirley Temple. I find her incredibly annoying, whiny, and a tad overrated in terms of her acting abilities. The second she opened her mouth toward the start of The Pie-Covered Wagon I was already fed up with the film–and that’s not a good way to start any project. I had already had my fill just seconds into the short film, and Temple, in all of her juvenile ridiculousness, sent me on a journey of true shenanigans and frustration.
I did my best to bounce back from the negativity that I felt early on in the film, but as annoying as Temple is, I’m sometimes just as stubborn. The reality is that none of the other characters in the film, with the exception of maybe the dog, bring much to The Pie-Covered Wagon. The sad truth is that these children are here to provide gimmicky entertainment to a generation that was unfamiliar with major Hollywood blockbusters; and I suppose, had I been a part of that generation, I may be able to better appreciate The Pie-Covered Wagon. Here, in the twenty-first century, viewers aren’t likely to enjoy what The Pie-Covered Wagon provides, and the film fails in this day and age. The only interesting part of the entire film–and it’s ironically interesting–is the talking dog. The dog is adorable, and the fact that he talks (if only briefly) is wildly odd and unexpected–allowing it to provide some level of enjoyment.
The storyline is derivative of The Covered Wagon, the acting is simply sad, and the majority of the film fails to entertain on any level. I can’t help but think that at some point in time–potentially when The Pie-Covered Wagon was first released–the film entertained its viewers, but it certainly doesn’t now. Temple’s acting (and her voice) is antagonistic from beginning to end, and I was never able to overcome this frustrating aspect. This may be entertainment to someone, but to me it’s a veritable nightmare.
Directed by Charles Lamont.
Written by Jack Hayes.
Starring Shirley Temple, Georgie Smith, Eugene Butler, Philip Hurlic, Arthur J. Maskery, & Jimmie Milliken.
⭐⭐/10
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