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SHELLEY DUVALL'S TALL TALES AND LEGENDS: DAVY CROCKETT (TV)

Summary

One in this series of whimsical adaptations of well-known tales and legends hosted and produced by Shelley Duvall. This episode is a dramatic retelling of the story of Davy Crockett, the "King of the Wild Frontier."

The story begins as Ben, a mischievous eighth-grader, is given a spare textbook by his substitute history teacher Mr. Wallace. When instructed to read the first three chapters, he finds himself transported into the past, right next to Davy Crockett himself. Ben assumes the experience to be some sort of elaborate trick, but when his widowed mom sends his prank-playing best friend Whitey home, Ben returns to the book and finds himself in 19th-century Tennessee. Deciding to go along with the "trick," he introduces himself to Davy as a distant relative and the two head out hunting, though Davy sternly instructs him to "shoot only what he has to." After an encounter with a talking raccoon, Ben and Davy are surprised by a bear. Davy, though frightened, scares it into submission with an aggressive grin.

Back in the present, Whitey is confused to observe his friend actually doing schoolwork, though Ben hints that it's "no ordinary book." He heads back to the past and finds that eight years have passed, and Davy is now an officer in Andrew Jackson's "Creek War," though he wonders if it wouldn't be better to "palaver" with the natives rather than slaughtering them. Ben and Davy find themselves surrounded by four natives, though their lives are spared when the Creeks assume Ben to be a mystical figure, thanks to his strange 20th-century clothes. In the present, Ben's mother grows suspicious at her son's abrupt change from his troublemaking ways. When Ben again reunites with Davy, he meets his pet bear, "Death Hug," and learns that Davy is mourning his late first wife, as Ben is mourning his dad. Some of Davy's pals invite them to go "coon-huntin'," by the bright light of the harvest moon, but Davy quickly realizes that it's actually Halley's Comet. He somehow manages to save the planet from destruction by grabbing the comet's tail and tossing it back into the night sky. Ben is flabbergasted, but Davy casually explains that "nothing's impossible" if one has faith.

Later, Ben catches up with Davy, now an elected congressman, in "the city of Washington," though he is shunned by the local gentry for his country ways and manners – and his pet bear. Davy tells Ben that he "can't get the hang of this town" and disagrees with President Andrew Jackson and his Indian Land Bill, which would take away even more of the natives' land. At Ben's urging, Davy stands up to the bullying leader and makes a public speech declaring his intentions to fight the bill no matter what. Bewildered, Ben's mother eventually "forbids" him from doing any more homework. ,Back at school, Ben is shocked to learn that Davy is destined to die at the Alamo in 1836. He rushes back "into" the book and, confessing that he's from the future, tries to warn his friend not to go to Texas. However, Davy accepts his fate and heads off to do his part in the famous battle. Whitey and the other kids poke fun at Ben's distress over a long-ago historical death, and Ben borrows Davy's trick as he finally stands up to others. Mr. Wallace calms the class and then passes the "special" book on to Whitey, feeling he'd benefit from its lessons, and he gives Ben a coonskin cap. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: Showtime
  • DATE: November 30, 1999 7:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:49:11
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:15386
  • GENRE: Drama
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; History - American; Frontier and pioneer life - U S; Legends; Indigenous Peoples Collection
  • SERIES RUN: Showtime - TV series, 1985-1988
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Shelley Duvall … Executive Producer
  • Bridget Terry … Producer
  • Fredric S. Fuchs … Producer
  • Deveney Marking … Associate Producer
  • Melissa Rhys Moore … Associate Producer
  • David Grossman … Director
  • Susan Denim … Writer
  • Jack Carrerow … Writer, Lyrics
  • Lisa A. Bannick … Writer, Lyrics
  • Stephen Barber … Music by
  • Mac Davis … Music by
  • Rob Meurer … Lyrics
  • Shelley Duvall … Host
  • Mac Davis … Cast, Davy Crockett
  • Adam Carl … Cast, Ben
  • McLean Stevenson … Cast, Andrew Jackson
  • Mimi Kennedy … Cast, Ben's Mom
  • Michael McKean … Cast, Mr. Wallace
  • Gino DeMauro … Cast, Whitey
  • Jennifer Joan Taylor … Cast, Polly
  • Monica Miller … Cast, Marsha
  • Harry Frazier … Cast, Caleb
  • Edward Duke … Cast, Waiter
  • Daniel Davis … Cast, Congressman
  • Jane Alden … Cast, Congressman's Wife
  • Stewart Duvall … Cast, Bumpkin
  • Bryan Brightcloud … Cast, Medicine Man
  • Derek Coleman … Cast, Indian (Stunt)
  • Ty Crowley … Cast, Death Hug