The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Pat O’Brien is Capt. Oren Hayes, a retired Texas Ranger who arrives in the town of Boulder to visit his daughter Hannah and her husband Jeff Rose (Ricky Nelson as Jefferson Rose).

Jeff is a newspaperman and mayor candidate, but figures he has little chance against corrupt incumbent Nard Lundy (Edward Andrews) and his henchmen.

But Hayes is itching for action, itching to be needed, so he sends out the Brazos (come quick) summons to old colleagues Nash Crawford (Walter Brennan), George Agnew (Chill Wills) and Jason Fitch (Edgar Buchanan).

The quartet soon realize they’re not the fearsome foursome they once were. And that means they’re going to have to rely on experience and wits to rid Boulder of its evil element.

After all, Andrews controls the town sheriff (Jack Elma as Clyde Barnes) and the town judge (Andy Devine as Amos Polk) and is used to using bullying tactics to get his way.

Pat O’Brien as Capt. Oren Hayes in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Walter Brennnan as Nash Crawford in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Review:

Aaron Spelling and company raided the retirement home for this one. Brennan and O’Brien were born in the 1890s; Elam is the spring chicken of the cast at age 49.

But it you were a fan of Brennan, Buchanan, Devine and Wills when they were supporting bigger-named Western stars, this quickie TV movie will likely strike a nostalgic chord.

The best scene comes when Wills’ character tells two of Barnes’ deputies that he can fire a shot that will put out a light, ricochet and strike a bell, then ricochet again so he can catch the bullet between his teeth. Then seems to do just that, with some help from his friends.

Those friends include Gypsy Rose Lee as a saloon owner named Cassie. Her customers are being chased away by the mayor, who would prefer they spend their time at his Helldorado saloon.

This would mark her final screen appearance. She died of lung cancer in 1970 at age 59.

But the gang — minus O’Brien, but plus Fred Astaire — would ride again in a 1970 sequel.

Chill Wills as George Agnew in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Edgar Buchanan as Jason Fitch in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Directed by:
Jean Yarbrough

Cast:
Pat O’Brien … Capt. Oren Hayes
Walter Brennan … Nash Crawford
Chill Wills … George Agnew
Edgar Buchanan … Jason Fitch
Gypsy Rose Lee … Cassie
Andy Devine … Judge Amos Polk
Jack Elam … Sheriff Clyde Barnes
Edward Andrews … Mayor Lundy
Ricky Nelson … Jeff Rose
Kristin Harmon … Hannah Rose
as Kris Nelson
Dennis Cross … Sheriff
Rex Holman … Deputy Dolby
Myron Healy … Deputy Tucker
Bruce Glover … Deputy Steel
Lillian Bronson … Mrs. Louise Murphy
Don Wilbanks … Big Red Connors

Runtime: 75 min.

Edward Andrews as Mayor Lundy in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Jack Elam as Sheriff Clyde Barnes in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Memorable lines:

Sheriff Barnes, after shooting holes in a Jeff Rose for Mayor poster attached to a barrel: “Just like I always figured. Jeff Rose is full of pickle juice.”

Mayor Lundy, of Jeff Rose: “He’s a smart man who’s handy with words — a tough opponent. But when he starts to smear you with the truth, he is deadly.”

Nash Crawford: “No Ranger retires perpendicular.”

Ricky Nelson as mayoral candidate Jeff Rose and Kristin Harmon as his wife Hannah in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Gypsy Rose Lee as Cassie in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Cassie: “They’re going to have to pound me into Tombstone like a stake. Because I’m just too stubborn to lie down.”

Nash Crawford: “No man in the wrong can stand up to a man in the right who keeps coming.”

Chill Wills: “Seven aces in one deck? That’s a lot of aces!”

Andy Devine as Judge Amos Polk in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)

Jack Elam as Sheriff Clyde Barnes with Edward Andrews as crooked Mayor Lundy in The Over the Hill Gang (1969)