Other than a chimpanzee suit, Roddy McDowall had few chances to be a leafing actor, that part of his career having ended in his late teens/early twenties. Disney took a chance by casting him as the title character in this amusing, but not often really finny, adventure comedy. He's the butler to a broke Boston family who is lost when he sets out to find the rub- away grandson of his recently deceased employer. Gorgeous Suzanne Pleshette is an eyeful as the sultry heiress to a fortune that no longer exists, and I really wanted to see more of her.

McDowall gets tied up with con-artists Richard Hayden and Karl Malden, the later a clever crook who continuously fleeces McDowall. There are individual moments of amusement, but overall, I found this to be ultra dry and extra dull. The unbelievable subplot of huge Mike Mazurki setting up a fight with wimpy looking McDowall (thanks to unscrupulous Harry Guardino) is absurd realistically although the fight sequence has a few funny moments. Mainly, it's mostly cartoonish.

A ton of veterans do their best to brighten up the other experience, but they are defeated by a story that just didn't grab me even with that cast. A fight scene between McDowall and Pleshette proves what an able comic she was. Disney over the period of 1960's and 1970's gave Disney many generic and oddly filmed family movies, and this ranks as simply second rate.

Playing the title role of Bullwhip Griffin is Roddy McDowell, a gentleman's gentleman and guardian to heirs Bryan Russell and Suzanne Pleshette from Boston. It seems as though their father has died and the family fortune isn't quite what they've been led to believe. Never mind that, young Russell has lived on an intellectual diet of dime novels and is convinced that he can go to California and strike it rich with the Gold Rush.

The Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin has a Mark Twain feel to it and it's not too bad, I think Mr. Clemens might have approved of it in his younger and less cynical days. The chief villain of the piece is Karl Malden playing a confidence man who goes by the name of 'Judge' Griffin. He's a man full of tricks, he's a lot like the 'king' and 'duke' characters from Huckleberry Finn. Twain would have really relished Malden's performance.

As for Roddy McDowall he's as innocent as those Americans going abroad for the first time as tourists in Innocents Abroad. In point of fact San Francisco and the gold fields of California were a whole continent away and might as well been a foreign country. In fact McDowall would have been more at home in London than in San Francisco had he gone east instead of west.

But this is America and it's the land of no titled classes. McDowall dares dream he too could win the hand of Suzanne Pleshette who has shaken her proper eastern upbringing to sing in Harry Guardino's Barbary Coast saloon. Guardino is another villain playing his part with relish, he's interested in Pleshette for more than her singing career.

Highlight of the film is McDowall taking on Mike Mazurki in a prize fight. Only in the movies would you think that McDowall could beat Mazurki in a fight. Still it's a very funny sequence.

The cast looks like they're having a real good time making this film and the enthusiasm is infectious. The Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin is one of the better products to come from the Magic Kingdom in the Sixties.

"The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" is a wildly uneven film---with some portions that are likable and engaging while other portions are pretty dopey and strictly for kids. It's a strange combination...one that unfortunately doesn't work very well. It's a watchable family film...and not much more.

The story begins in Boston. A seemingly rich old man dies and his grandchildren, Arabella and Jack (Suzanne Pleshette and Bryan Russell),are left wondering how to afford to live. Jack, though only 12, decides to disappear...heading west for the California Gold Rush. But the devoted family butler, Griffin (Roddy McDowell) follows after Jack and promises to bring him back to Boston as soon as possible. However, a long series of unforeseen events occur...making their trip out west much longer and more productive than they anticipated.

Roddy McDowell is surprisingly good in the film and at times, I liked the plot--especially in the interplay between him and Bryan Russell. I also was shocked by how good Pleshette sand (and it really did sound like her singing). But two major problems are in the script....first, I really found Karl Malden's character annoying (like a cartoon villain) and he kept re-appearing in the film again and again AND the big boxing match at the end was just dumb....1960s Disney dumb. Adults will hate this portion....and who knows what kids will think of it. Overall, a very mixed bag...one that is watchable but a bit dopey.