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Once Upon A Dime
Reviewed: 11/01/2009
There was a future Wildcat named Young Scrooge...
You know that number one is so important to Scrooge that he even tries to shed it's McGruffin image by actually having an origin story on his making of said dime. Is it any good?! Let's rant on and find out shall we...?!
This episode is written by Ken Koonce, David Weimers (That's #6 for the duo) and Richard Esckilsen. The story is edited by Tedd Anasti and Pasty Cameron. I have nothing on Richard Esckilsen which tells me it's a ghost writer for Richard Merwin I guess. And after Back Out In The Outback; I would not be shocked if it IS Merwin again.
We begin this one with the STOCK FOOTAGE OF DOOM as we zoom in and go into Scrooge's bedroom as his alarm clock rings. He's wearing the purple shirt this time around as he stops his alarm clock and looks at the calender and it's Kilt Day which is on July 1st which is Canada Day. Considering how Jymn Magon has been to Canada before; I'm not shocked. Scrooge gets giddy and goes to his dresser drawers (NOT THOSE...Oh wait...) and picks out his fancy kilt that he never wears in the series until now. In comes Duckworth saying happy dime polishing day as he calls the kilt a skirt and Scrooge blows him off for it as Scrooge is going all Scottish style today. Scrooge storms off as he tells Duckworth to begin the yearly polish as we cut to the downstairs drawing room as Mrs. Beakly and Webby has joined in for fun. They gather around the room complete with dime on glass which I guess Scrooge moved from the Money Bin after Dime Enough For Luck which is quite smart methinks. He removes the glass and he is SHOCKED AND APPALLED as the dime is replaced by a shiny quarter. I see Wang Films and Sun Woo are teaming up today. Duckworth calls the quarter large for a dime.
Scrooge panics and sounds the alarm as someone took his number one dime and everyone scatters as the alarms sound off. The nephews come out of their rooms as Duckworth checks a fern plant that would be slaughtered if it came within 25 feet of Stephen Colbert. The nephews ask Duckworth what is going on and Duckworth proclaims that someone took Scrooge's McGruffin....ERRR...I mean dime. Scrooge storms in and Louie tells them that they got the dime. Scrooge ignores them for about three seconds (crisis can do that to you) and then gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY. Now pardon me for being a fuddy duddy and all; but the nephews stealing the dime this late in the season seems really out of character for them. I can sense Webby taking the dime to play pretend with it during her tea parties; but the nephews?! Huey gives Scrooge the dime and Scrooge breathes a sigh of relief as he pulls the conveniently placed lever (WRONG LEVER!) and the alarms stop. Now that is just asking for a prank to be called. The nephews stole his dime in exchange for their lucky quarter because they felt it had more value and 2 ½ times luckier than the lucky dime see. They won six rounds of Ducky Kong (Nintendo...isn't... amused....guys.) with it. In other words; they CHEATED by using the slot coin trick to trick the video game in accepting the quarter without actually accepting the quarter. Okay; I made that up; but it makes sense. Although Louie almost proves my point.
So we cut to the living room as they go down the steps and Scrooge puts the glass and gold dollar sign pillar onto the fireplace and Scrooge orders them never to touch his lucky dime again. Huey asks what is so special about it. Scrooge proclaims that it was responsible for his move to America and his wealth see. Dewey isn't impressed by that as it's only a measly ten cents. I think we are going to find out since the writers felt that the fans were thinking that the dime is nothing more than a McGruffin plot device. Everyone sits down in the chairs (except for Duckworth and Scrooge of course) as Scrooge uses his white hanky to polish the dime and then starts telling the story of his life. Seriously; that is what he does. And thus we begin the flashback in ancient Scotland about 1920ish.
The bagpipes are playing (man; that sound appears to be played on a bad recording) as we pan left to a house that looks something out of Teddy Ruxpin's house and then cut to inside Young Scrooge's bedroom as Young Scrooge is playing the bagpipes and he looks like Fenton Crackshell; only ten years younger than he was. Scrooge explains that he wanted to be a musical player during his young years (even more so as an electronic bagpipe player; which makes no sense in this era; but since ducks are notorious for creating full of themselves stories (Fenton and Drake; I'm looking at you!); I'll play along here) as we cut to the living room at the red chairs as Scrooge's mother and father cannot take the noise. HAHA! Scrooge address his father as McPoppa McDuck for goodness knows what reason and he wanted him to partake in business because it was his talent see. No; he said it because you play the bagpipes too loud Scroogie. McPoppa is angry as hell as we go to the scene changer before any more damage is done and so we head to town in front of the Firth of Fourth National Bank as Young Scrooge is standing right in front of it. Young Scrooge enters inside the bank and goes to the bank manager in his desk writing something on the papers as Young Scrooge sits down and tells him that he would like to be president of the bank. Now that is thinking big there Young Scroogie. Too bad it's thinking too big for your britches....
Young Scrooge is voiced by Patrick Fraley (Our third major TaleSpin voice in this series and two more to come) who started voice acting in 1979 with Scooby & Scrappy Doo. He is Ace in G.I. Joe, Slick The Turtle in The Littles, Hillbilly Jim in Rock'N' Wrestling, Coach Frogface/Sludge in Galaxy High School, Krang/Baxter Stockman in TMNT 1987, Marshall Bravestar/Thunder Stick in Bravestarr, Denver in Denver The Last Dinosaur, Marshall Moo Montana in The Wild West COW – Boys of Moo Mesa, Cousin It in The Addams Family, and was a cameo in too many others to count or mention here. Ducktales is his DTVA debut and he will appear in an earlier season episode before this. His first major role (and probably his favorite one too) is WildCat from TaleSpin. A voice in Gummi Bears, Wally in Goof Troop, Bucky Buzzsaw in Bonkers, Gargoyles as Brendan, Grumps in Quack Pack , Marco in WITCH and appeared in Toy Story 2 , Chicken Little and Monsters Inc. He recently appeared in I am Legend as the president and appeared in several video games in Gedo Senki, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath, The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft, Gothic 3, and Bloodrayne 2. The most recent credit is as narrator in Training Mules and Donkeys.
Scrooge wants it all as the bank manage is hardly amused as Scrooge claims that he was the 8th grade treasurer and that's enough for him to get thrown out of the bank with a wussy bump. I see he has the full of himself promos down pat. Scrooge lands on his bottom and Young Scrooge learns that the hard way. So we cut to inside an office as he tried his luck in the telegraph office writing stuff as telegrams. Sadly; he got his wires crossed as he cannot keep up and his pencil smokes. Yeah. The boss is cross and Scrooge gets thrown out again. So we cut to Young Scrooge on the street putting a pink pillow on the road (I'm guessing he's knowing that he is going to get fired BEFORE he even enters the room. So he enters Curly's Barber Shoppe and we cut to Curly the Barber (dogsperson in a white shirt and kilt with middle aged brown curly hair and a brown mustache) with the RIC FLAIR BROOMSTICK OF DOOM as a customer is in the barber chair asleep. Or maybe he's dead for some odd reason and Curly doesn't know it! Curly orders Scrooge to shine shoes, sweep up the hair and feathers and help the customers with their coats.
Curly is voiced by William Callaway who started in 1967 with That Girl, The Wild, Wild West, Gomer Pyle and Cattanooga Cats as Country. He also did movies such as Grasshopper as Elroy, Annie Hall, Flush, Rabbit Test and Fun With Dick and Jane in 1977. As a voice actor; he started with Superfriends as Aquaman and Bizarro. He was Sparks in Sealabs 2020, Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch as Square Bear, and Ming the Merciless (!!!) in Defenders of the Earth. He was Beach Head in G.I. Joe, and Clumsy Smurf and Painter Smurf. Ducktales is his DTVA debut; but he also appeared as Sir Victor Igthorn (Dukie's brother) in Gummi Bears, and had cameos in Darkwing Duck, Bonkers and Quack Pack (which was his last credit; how depressing is that?). His last non-Disney credits are Droopy: Master Detective and Pro Stars.
Scrooge agrees as long as he gets everything he wants out of it. How did the telegram office HIRE him for that is beyond me. I guess they wanted to see how he did BEFORE firing him. I betcha Curly throws him out on that one too. I check the DVD.....Nope; he gets paid nothing but tips and Curly orders him to get to work. Scrooge takes it well though. Scrooge pans left to see a waiting customer who is a dogsperson with a gray beard reading the newspaper with a green cap brown coat, brown pants and black boot with square caked mud on them. Scrooge gulps on that one and so he brings out his hammer and chisel and starts hammering away at the caked mud as Scrooge explains it all in a nutshell. This must be Scrooge's wet dream to see Fenton do this for some sick reason. He finally finished the whole thing as the boot were so shiny that he could see his face in it and the patron gives him a tip...Which turns out to be the lucky number one dime as we stop the flashback as Scrooge shows the dime for all to see. Huey is not impressed by this; because a dime would be equal to $500 nowadays. Okay; he didn't say that, but it's implied. Just wait for the inflation episode and then Huey will get the point of making more coins; literally.
Scrooge admits that the dime didn't make him rich as we return to the flashback as we are inside the living room of Young Scrooge's house as McMama McDuck (voiced by June Foray) who is looking 60 years old. Geez; so much for having children early as she questioned her son's weariness for a dime since a dime is worthless. See; it is only worth ten cents if it was spent in America. McPoppa McDuck (who looks 60 years old, but feels like about 30 years old) proclaims that it would not be a bad idea to go to America. Scrooge doesn't want to leave him and McMomma McDuck (so sezs Disney Captions) because he wants to stay in Scotland and smell the heather. Which would be fine until he proclaims that he wants to play the bagpipes. He plays some music; but McPoppa throws the bagpipes away lest his hearing gets MURDERED by them. McPoppa proclaims that bagpipe playing is hard to squeeze a living. He tells Scrooge to work smarter and not harder which is a great piece of advice to use. Too bad he didn't say to keep his emotions in check though. So we go to Scrooge's bedroom as Young Scrooge is in bed and McPoppa is tucking him in for the night.
Scrooge's father McPoppa McDuck is voiced by the late Don Messick (passed away in 2007) who was the narrator in The House of Tomorrow in 1949. He then became a regular for Hanna Barbera cartoons starting in 1957 with The Ruff & Reddy Show as Ruff. Don has been in nearly every HB short and HB cartoon show in one form or another. He is Ranger Smith and Boo-Boo in The Yogi Bear cartoons; Patrolman Prowler in Top Cat, Ricochet Rabbit in Magilla Gorilla, Atom Ant in Atom Ant Show, Dr. Benton C. Quest and Bandit in Johnny Quest in the 1960's, Blip, Bronto, and Zorak in Space Ghost, Bamm-Bamm Rubble in The Flintstones, Falcon 7 in Birdman & The Galaxy Trio, Kaboobie in Shazzan, Gravel Slag and Muttley in Wacky Races, Scooby Doo and Scrappy Doo in many of the Scooby Doo shows before Frank Welker took over after his death, Sebastian The Cat in Josie & The Pussycats, the narrator in Hong Kong Phooey, Papa Smurf in The Smurfs , Astro in The Jetsons and Superfriends as the Scarecrow. There are a lot of others; but those are the major ones. Ductkales was his DTVA debut and did a cameo in Bonkers. He is also Hamton J. Pig in Tiny Toons, Ludlow in Garfield & Friends, Droopy in Tom & Jerry The Movie, Romtu in The Last Halloween and Kings Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow. His most recent credits were some recent Scooby Doo and Johnny Quest in the late 1990's and 2000 and was Doctor Vernon Danger in Freakazoid.
Scrooge narrates as McPoppa leaves that father did know best and that it was time to go to America. He also had a uncle there as we get a picture near the candle light where Scrooge puts the dime there. That is Uncle Catfish McDuck (naval gear, naval hat, has a black mustache and is a mallard.) who is voiced by Peter Renaday who started in Combat as Louis in 1965 and then went on to do live action movies for Walt Disney with Lt. Robin Crusoe USN, The One & Only Genuine, Original Family Band, The Love Bug, The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes, Dad, Can I Borrow The Car?, The Barefoot Executive, The Million Dollar Duck, Mystery in Dracula Castle, Michael O'Hara the 4th, The Whiz Kid & The Mystery At Riverton, The Strongest Man In The World, The Cat From Outer Space, and The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again as Pete Renoudet. He also was in the WDFA film The Aristocats , Mulan, Lion King II: Simba's Pride and The Black Cauldron . There are a few more Disney Live Action movies; but those are the major ones. He also appeared in the movie Psychopath, Murder in Texas, The Visitant, and One Shoe Makes It Murder. He also wrote and produce the movie Cellar Doors. As for his animation career; he was on Gobots as The Master Renegade, Grapple in Transformers, Mandrake the Magician in Defenders of the Earth, and Splinter/Vernon in TMNT 1987 edition and a regular in Grim & Evil, and the Beastmaster in Angel. Ducktales is his DTVA debut, with William Stansbury in TaleSpin, Derek Blunt in Darkwing Duck and a couple of cameos in Gargoyles. He also voiced video games such as Shadow of Rome, Viewtiful Joe 2, Everquest 2, Dead Rising, Baten Kaitos 2, Lair, Jeanne D'Arc, Lost Odyssey, Assassin's Creed and Ninja Gaiden II XBOX 360 version. His most recent credit is Halo Wars as a covenant minister.
We continue on as Scrooge takes the picture and hugs it as the BALLOON OF CHILD CORRUPTING DOOM beckons as we see in the footage a younger Uncle Catfish in naval gear is at the WHEEL OF MORALITY while Scrooge explains that he is a riverboat captain and had always wrote about the wealth in America being there for the taking. We even see him shoveling dollar bills into the fireplace which shows that this guy was not very smart there; but it does symbolize that there is money to burn as Scrooge puts the picture back down as Young Scrooge decided to save his money and move to America. Scrooge then saw his rubber red pull ups and he has a plan. So we cut to Curly's barbershop as he took the rubber and made it into a four person shoe shiner as he rode on his bicycle, literally. Now that is truly working smarter and harder at the same time. I think Scrooge is over killing the obvious; but it is a clever device to use. One of the dogs looks like a dalmation without the spots by the way and half of the patrons are reading newspapers; while the rest sleep the day away. Scrooge did it in a few months (which would take years otherwise) with the help of his father's suspenders. I'm sure McPoppa was thrilled to see that one.
So we cut to the sailing ship at the Scottland docks as we see Scrooge, McPoppa and McMomma at the wooden stairs as they say their goodbyes. Tears flow and again; it would be emotional if Pat Fraley was sixteen years old at the time of release; but he's not so the scene doesn't quite work. McPoppa gives him the blasted bagpipes as a going away present and they hug which causes the bagpipes to sputter. HAHA! More crying and Scrooge climbs aboard and we cut to Scrooge and some other successful Scots (to this point) waving goodbye to Europe in general as the boat sails away stage left. Scrooge proclaims in the narration that he is on the Queen Mary of Scots. He proclaims that it took two weeks to get to America by boat and it was a long hard two weeks. So we cut to the boat caught in a major wind storm as it struggles on the waves. Young Scrooge is having better luck inside as he is playing his bagpipes near a window just to annoy everyone on board. One of the patron takes the bagpipes; throws them on the ground and stomps on it like a little bully. Scrooge then gets the BALLOON OF CHILD CORRUPTING DOOM as we see a driver in a blue car driving Scrooge standing on the back seat waving (with a decently drawn American flag and I believe it has 40 stars on it which would be more or less accurate for the time period) as dollar bills fall down from the sky. Too bad the background sucks here. Even more so when we go to the close up and the background looks a lot better when Scrooge starts kissing the money.
So we cut to New York (check the duck version of the Statue of Liberty in the corner, remember that for later) as the ship docks nearby. We then cut to on the streets of New York as we see a lot of stuff including tram-cars as Scrooge is walking on the sidewalk and he turns the corner and bumps the chest of a police officer who promptly arrests him as Scrooge gets cuffed. Apparently; a man wearing a dress in public is illegal. While that sounds absurd to most of us; it's pretty accurate since a man wearing a dress at that time is considered being a homosexual (and to some; it still is today) and homosexuality was illegal during this time period (it's not now no matter how much bigots try.). Kudos to Ken Koonce and David Weimers for pushing the envelope. Scrooge blows him off because it's a kilt. However; it doesn't matter to the police as he is considered a homo and he's running him in. What a homophobic bigot this police officer is?
The policeman is voiced by Michael Rye who started with Two Lost Worlds as Captain Hackett in 1951; and was also in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin as Ace Rockin. He appeared mostly in live action cameos such as Wagon Train, M Squad, The Lone Ranger, Skyhawks, Hot Wheels, Mr. Terrific, Perry Mason and Mission Impossible. He then went on to cartoons as Apache Chief and Green Lantern in Super Friends; and was the narrator of the original video game Dragon's Lair and Space Ace. He also did some narration for Christian productions and stories from the bible. The Gummi Bears is his DTVA debut as Duke Igthorn and King Gregor (!!!), Fluppy Dogs as Wagstaff and TaleSpin as Trample. His most recent credits were Spiderman 1995 as Doctor Stillwell, SWAT Kats and The Pirates of Darkwater. He retired in 1997 after doing narration for Seven Signs of Christ's Return.
So we go inside a jail cell as the police officer puts Scrooge inside (I see Scrooge has been in jail long before the series started as Time Is Money, Super Ducktales and Aquatratz demonstrated) and we see three Beagle Boys in striped gear with the black masks and dogsperson looks. Oh goody; even at 16, he couldn't avoid those devils. Wild Bill Beagle mocks the legs of Scrooge (William Callaway- he had four voices in this episode alone and we are halfway there) as Butch thinks Scrooge is a girl (Chuck McCann). They think Scrooge is bi-sexual?! Like I said before; I don't think Wildmon and he crazed lunatics have ever watched DTVA in their lives because they would have a FIELD DAY with these shows if they did. No matter how absurd it ultimately sounds; at least it sounds plausible. And you thought the new Disney was immoral?! The red haired Beagle (Michael Rye) states that Ma would kill (Death reference #1 for the episode) for one and she did murder someone for one. HOLY CRAP! It's always amazing how much DTVA got away with in the early years of it's existence. No wonder Peggy went ballistic.
The Beagle Boys laugh at him as he sits down and that ends the flashback as we see Scrooge still shining the lucky dime as Dewey asks how he got out of jail. Scrooge explains that he had to post bail on his number one dime and then the case went to court as we cut to inside the courtroom as the judge tells Scrooge to rise and he already does that. The police officer relates the charge of disgusting the public as Scrooge is Un-American. Can you say bigot?! I knew you could. Apparently; the biggest crime is Scrooge's bony knees as Scrooge looks like he is ready to take a piss or something. Scrooge is pissed on that one and they have a scuffle with the police officer before the judge pounds his mallet down to order. The judge decides to sentence the POLICE MAN for thirty days instead and the officer takes exception on that one. However; the police man is not going to jail; he's going to wear a skirt instead. Isn't that a violation of Cruel and Unusual Punishment? The judge stands on the table and proclaims that Judge Scotty McGillicutty is insulted and shows off his kilt. And the Founding Fathers wept tears of joy as a police officer got what he deserved for being such a bigot in public. Good for Scotty (William Callaway- there's one more voice to go).
Now we go to the scene changer as the police officer walks away and Scotty tells Scrooge that he is Scot free now. He even gets his lucky dime back as compensation for the un-American tactics of the police officer. He should only be so lucky since today he would be looking at BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS in a lawsuit. So we continue on in the country side as Scrooge is trying to hitchhike a buggy with his thumb; but no one takes him. So he uses his kilt and leg to get attention to a female driver in a black horse and buggy and he gets the ride. Another scene changer as Scrooge is riding a bicycle towards the ruined river boat as Scrooge narrates that he hoped that Catfish's skills would rub off of him. Scrooge does an excellent chin up on the door entrance and crashes the bicycle off-screen inside since it had no brakes during the time period see. He goes inside and sees Uncle Catfish who still has the naval hat; but has a pink shirt and suspenders like his dad. Catfish hugs him as the flies are all over him and of course he smells like a stinky fish in the bonding moment. Now that is so sweet of him to take that funky smell of his. The cats come in and moan as Scrooge asks about the letters he sent because he thought he was rich.
He states that he would be rich if he could settle the rights to the plantation known as Cornpone Gables (we get a shot at the Gables to force the point which looks like a house near the river). He used to haul freight for Colonel Cornpone. And so did a big, fat frog furry in weird clothes as he hops in and he's Old Man Ribbit (William Callaway) and he's French see. Hew sounds like he's talking African American for some reason and faking the French. Somehow; I do not like where this is going. Catfish and Ribbit get into an argument as he claims Cornpone owes him money; but Ribbit claims that the plantation is his. He got the liens to prove it; but Catfish claim the liens say that it is his. Ribbit calls it Poppycock since it's his. They act like a bunch of children and Scrooge looks like the adult here. Kit Cloudkicker foreshadowing perchance? When the children behave better than the grown ups; you know something is very wrong in this world. And it's not the children. Scrooge gets in between and asks for them to settle this once and for all. They agree as they want to do it in the most violent ways imaginable. Scrooge suggests the least violent way which is a riverboat race. I agree with this even if people will think it is wussy simply because the violent methods take about 20 seconds tops and we have another 11 minutes left in the episode anyway. Ribbit agrees to the terms and calls him a woman in French and Scrooge doesn't understand French at all. Ribbit and Catfish shake hands.
So we go to the river as the boats are fixed and ready to go at the starting line. The Cotland Queen is manned by Scrooge and Catfish on the right hand side; the left hand side (the red riverboat) is manned by Ribbit and a Beaver Boy in the Silt Slapper. The Beaver Boy is a beaver furry by the way wearing a stocking green hat as Ribbit pulls up some rope. We cut to a pistol and it shoots and we are off as Scrooge would state. The riverboats race for their lives as the Cotland Queen took an early lead through the S-curve river. Sadly; Catfish and Scrooge didn't know that Ribbit was a cheater as he loads up his small fat pistol as he was cagey and Cajun all at the same time. Well he did call Scrooge a girl; so I can see why. Ribbit fires the gun towards the three and he has two more Beaver Boys on land as they chomp through the tree and it timbers down and blocks the riverboat.
Wait a minute; that tree looked so weak that the riverboat should have plowed through the tree instead of bouncing back. Logic break #1 for the episode as Ribbit takes the lead right there. Nice saw mill sound from the sound effect guys though. The Cotland Queen goes neck and neck though as Ribbit is SHOCKED AND APPALLED that he blew it in French. Well good; at least he is not going to get away with such a logic break. So Ribbit bounces his riverboat into the Cotland Queen which I think is the better brass tactics to use. Scrooge shovels coal faster and faster; but it did no good as Ribbit goes to the back and throws the rope which snags the riverboat and stops the wheel turning. Okay; how does mere rope cause that? Logic break #2 for the episode as the Silt Slapper paddles away as Scrooge proclaims that all is lost for sure as we end the segment nearly 12 minutes in.
After the commercial break; we see the Silt Slapper paddle away as Scrooge proclaims that he used every dirty trick in the book and made some up to boot. So we cut back to the back wheel as Catfish and Scrooge cut the ropes off the wheel as Scrooge narrates that they were not out of the running yet. The ropes snap back as Catfish does the hamster running spot complete with Hanna Barbera running sound effect. Scrooge grabs him by the suspenders and they snap back taking some nasty bumps into the coal room. Catfish gets up and throws the suspenders away blowing them off. Catfish tells him to work harder as he leaves. Scrooge sees the suspenders and gets inspired because he has a MIMI JOKE ZONE PLAN in mind.
So we get the scene changer as the Cotland Queen starts up again as we cut to inside as Scrooge was shoveling coal like a bicycle on his makeshift bicycle because working smarter is more effective than just working harder. It's what McPoppa would always say. The Cotland Queen retakes the lead as Ribbit is resting on his chair and he gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY as he wakes up Beaver Boy #1 and orders him into the coal room. Beaver Boy #1 jumps into the coal room and starts shoveling coal as the riverboats continue to be neck and neck. However; the Cotland Queen makes one final burst of speed and crosses the finish line (a yellow ribbon in style) as Scrooge and Catfish cheer for victory on board. Sadly; it's short lived as they were only partners for the riverboat race and Scrooge cannot share the plantation. Scrooge only gets fifty cents for his troubles as the flashback is over again.
Scrooge was not happy for his cheapskate uncle as he asks for a cotton swab from Duckworth and Duckworth arrives to give him one. Scrooge decides that he was going to do business alone and be his own boss. So he goes straight to the Klondike (in other words; this is the story of how he got the claim to the Klondike in Back to The Klondike which was the sixth episode I ranted on in Ducktales) as it is winter time again and there are furries working around. Scrooge has his hiking gear on as he walks into mines and then gets thrown out by a bigot who thinks Scrooge is a girl (calling him Betty). And you thought Miss Cunningham had problems? There were claim sign all around the area; but he found a claim which is on a cliff nearby and Scrooge starts digging like crazy BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER HAPPY HOUR as Scrooge digs and digs with his ice prick hanging by a thread of rope. That is just plain irony on a stick there. The weather is as nasty as the grizzly bears as Scrooge narrates here and I don't doubt him for a second. Although Goldie would qualify as a grizzly bear herself. AHHAHAHAHAHAHA! POW! OUCH! Ummm....
His ass is frozen as well as his body for about six months as the melting period starts (How he lived through that is amazing all things considered. That is Kit-equse!). Scrooge keeps digging though as the miners gave up and left. We then go to the scene changer as Scrooge walks in with the gold sack to the bank and shows the gold nuggets in front of the bank teller inside as he uses the eye lens to check the gold. Scrooge narrates that he had enough to send the MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH to his parents to boot. So we cut to the living room of McPoppa and McMomma as McPoppa has an envelope of money sent. Sadly; Scrooge doesn't understand exchange rates and thus it is still in American funds. HAHA! McMomma is wondering that too as she apparently has no understanding of exchange rates either. And neither does McPoppa as the flashback ends. Louie asks if he got rich off of it and Scrooge states that he made a decent living; but didn't feel rich yet. He wants more see as he looks into the microscope as this is just plain overkill at this point. Huey asks more of what and Scrooge didn't know yet.
So we go to the flashback again as Scrooge spent the gold wisely and worked smarter instead of harder. So Scrooge invested the gold as we see Scrooge in his regular clothes (he's still wearing the kilt by the way) as he gives a doctor's bag worth of money to the Oklahoma Timberland salesman (dogsperson who a shady black mustache, red hair and a striped suit with purple tie. Voiced by Patrick Fraley.). The salesman proclaims that the timber is the best that there is as there are trees for days and that Scrooge would have to built a money bin for it. They shake hands and the salesman blows off his skirt to force the point. So we cut to a train on some tracks as Scrooge proclaims in the narration that he bought a train; but forgot to buy some tracks to go with it. D'OH! Scrooge panics on that one; but he has a plan as we cut to the front of the train as Scrooge has his train hat on and blows the train whistle as it blows smoke. Scrooge see; hired mine workers as they place and build train tracks in rapid fire mode. I guess this comes from the school of WB building I see. Scrooge promises the worker a fair wage when we get to Oklahoma. Remember that for later on.
We continue this for a while and then the workers stop dead in their tracks as Scrooge would say (and Disney Captions would not) in the narration as Ma Beagle and the Cowboy Beagle Boys stop them and it's stick up time. Why does Ma Beagle look like herself in the present? Shouldn't she look younger? I don't get it as the Beagle Boys have their pistols set to profits. Scrooge calls this either robbers or the ugliest welcome wagon in history. Can it not be both in this case Scroogie? So we see Scrooge crawl into the main train car as the Beagle Boys and Ma Beagle follow inside. We cut to inside the car as Scrooge is blocking the iron safe. Wild Bill Beagle mocks Scrooge's kilt again as Scrooge blows him off for it and Red Haired Beagle doesn't give a damn anyway. He demands that Scrooge get away from that safe and Scrooge refuses because his most valuable possession is in there. Ma Beagle brings out her peach TNT stick (okay that is different?) and states that they are blasting it open. Scrooge dares them too while he's standing in front of it. Bad move Scroogie as we cut to outside the train and the car explodes and Scrooge goes flying away completely naked. That's three characters who went completely naked: Baloo, Cubbi Gummi and now Scrooge McDuck. Someone tempted to say Kit Cloudkicker joins them; but the evidence suggests that he didn't. We cut back to the destroyed car as Ma Beagle is ticked off for wasting TNT on a lousy dime. HAHA! She steals it anyway as Red haired Beagle gives her the kilt as a present. Ma Beagle and Red Haired Beagle hug in a disturbing moment and then walk out.
We cut to the destroyed iron safe as Scrooge narrates that it is the second time he lost the dime and the first time he lost the kilt. So we cut to the CAVE OF NO RETURN as the Beagle Boys enter inside. We then pan over to behind the cave side as Scrooge and his train track guys are behind him. Scrooge looks like he's Rambo with a green leaf skirt. Seriously; Rambo would maul his ass if he saw that one. Scrooge also has his bagpipes on retainer just in case as he walks to the front of the cave and calls them out. Geez; they have bullet shooting guns and you think it's safe to call their manhood out on that? Ma Beagle blows him off and a bullet whizzes about one inch away from hitting Scrooge right in the DAMN HEAD! That's the second time I have seen someone come close in a DTVA cartoon to a head shot. Kit Cloudkicker was the second one and that one got snipped in syndication. This one did not; although it is probably an easy Toon Disney cut.
Scrooge bails back and then decides that it's time for Scottish Warfare~! So he plays the bagpipes (and this is his best tune I might add) and all the miners scatter like the cowards that they are. The Beagle Boys and Ma Beagle inside are in pain as their pistols drop and they tell Ma Beagle to tell Scrooge to play fair. Scrooge states that he doesn't know that song and wants to fake a few hums of it. HAHA! The Beagle Boys and Ma Beagle scream some more and run out with their eardrums covered in pain and Scrooge casually goes over and gets back his number one dime and kilt. So we cut to the police horse and buggy as a cowboy cop with two pistol forces the Beagle Boys and Ma Beagle into the buggy with their arms raised. Scrooge narrates that the Beagle Boys were in the slammer and he was going to Oklahoma....Sadly; there is another wee problem. And so we cut to the Oklahoma meadows as there is no trees in sight to cut. HAHA! The timberland swindled him out of his MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH. So we cut to the front of the train as Scrooge is worried because he did promise a fair wage for the workers and the workers are PISSED as they surround Scrooge to get their money and that ends the segment eighteen and a half minutes in...
After the commercial break; we see Scrooge running on a map with the workers chasing them. Scrooge narrates that he couldn't let them have his number one dime. So we cut to the hills and Scrooge tries to dig a hole to bury the dime (as he sezs); but he strikes a gusher and THERE IS OIL IN THEM HILLS~! It creates a water spout as Scrooge bounces on top of it covered in oil and having fun like Kit on a water spout with Moby Dimple. Ummm; okay this is based on Ducks of the West, but I thought his oil was in Texas and not Oklahoma? Okay; it is close enough. So we cut back to the fixed train car as Scrooge enters it with dollar bills in his care as Scrooge narrates that he had enough to pay the workers and start a savings account which he promptly puts the money underneath his bed. HEE HEE! The flashback ends as the nephews if he got rich making oil. Scrooge admits that he made a lot money; but he didn't feel rich yet. I think we know what he is missing and it's the whole point of the episode.
Funny since Scrooge never said “I didn't” after “not yet” and yet Disney Captions claims that he said both. The nephews ask what he did next and Scrooge decided to risk it all by going international. So we go to the flashback and head to a really big rich party as we see Scrooge McDuck in his formal gear (even more so than usual) and he still has his kilt on for some reason as two pig furries approach him in formal gear and one of them has a English eye piece on and a black cane. Piggly and Wiggly (Pat Fraley and Don Messick) ask Scrooge if he is still dealing with crude oil and Scrooge still is. Scrooge, Piggly and Wiggly go to the table as Wiggly (Disney Captions has an extra e in both names by the way) shows him the contract on diamond mines in Africa (Remember the reference in Magica's Magic Mirror?) and they are offering him a share of the deed. Scrooge looks at the deed and it shows an area which Scrooge points out. Piggly claims that it is a worthless coal field. See coal has no value whatsoever in Africa. Since it's hot in there; Africa doesn't need to burn coals. Scrooge buys the fields anyway.
So we head to Africa and into the jungle as Scrooge, Piggly, Wiggly and several natives in grass skirts follow his lead into the jungle carrying the equipment. Scrooge then stops and takes out a sack filled with peanuts as the pig rich guys are doubting him already. Considering that there is a little more than two minutes to go; I would say not to doubt him at this point. They make fun of his kilt of course and Scrooge (in Guy LaDouce gear) blows them off for it as he is finally wearing those eye glasses for real. And then he catches himself and stammers like an idiot as he walks stage left. Scrooge rains peanuts on the ground as Wiggly proclaims that you cannot grow peanuts in Africa. Scrooge proclaims that he isn't and here comes the rumble from hell and I smell redo from Jungle Duck. I think Richard Merwin is cribbing Jymn Magon again in this episode which is not a good sign. Piggly and Wiggly think this is the stock market crashing but it is clearly not as Scrooge is getting his money as the elephants stampede just as Scrooge planned.
The elephant stop and eat the peanuts and they stomp the ground to boot which creates friction and pressure and then the elephants stampede away in a wave of dust. The dust clears and they all turn into diamond. Now the science here is very sound; but elephants?! I think that is a wee bit unbelievable for me at this point. Scrooge places the diamonds into the sack as the rich pigs are amazed and ask where to buy some peanut. Scrooge of course invested his money in McDuck Peanut Imports of course. So we cut to inside a large grass house as Scrooge wheel barrows the money underneath the biggest bed in history. Scrooge narrates that he made so much money that he couldn't sleep at night. And so we cut to Duckberg on the hills as Scrooge opens the double doors and we see the inside of his Money Bin filled with gold coins. Scrooge narrates that he had to build his Money Bin as the trucks back up and unload all the money into it. We the cut to inside the Money Bin as Scrooge is on the diving board and gets ready to swim in it as Scrooge narrates. Scrooge dives in as normal and swims around; and he is still in his kilt all this time.
And so the flashback finally ends as Huey asks if this is how he got rich. Scrooge states that he wasn't because his parents died and therefore he is poorer than ever. I think you know what he is going to say next as Louie asks when he felt richer. Scrooge then admits that he felt richer the moment Donald Duck was gone to the FCC Navy in the first episode of Treasure of the Golden Suns. Yeap; Scrooge officially felt richer when he met the nephews, Mrs. Beakly, Webby and Launchpad. Okay; scratch Launchpad even though he made Ducktales richer by being funny and screwing around with Scroogie. And yes; Duckworth made it happen too. Dewey asks what did they do and Scrooge grabs Dewey and hugs him because for the first time since leaving Scotland, he finally had a family. Predictable; but it was the right booking decision in spite of the episode looking quite rushed due to time constraints. He is finally rich as Louie asks for a raise in his allowance and Dewey nods on that one. Scrooge no sells because we have each other which is the whole point of this episode see. Huey and Louie snaps their fingers realizing Scrooge wasn't fooled. HAHA! Scrooge does offer the family to swim in the Money Bin as Louie thinks the raise is better; but agrees to it. So we go inside the money bin as the nephews, Webby and Scrooge swim and bounce on the gold coins as gold coins scatter all over the place to end the episode at 21:14. A really good story that was marred by time constraints as a lot of the origin story was glossed over; broke logic with other episodes; or missed completely. The moral is sound and the finish was killer even if it was predictable. This should have been a story arc in itself. **** (80%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Well; we got a pretty good story about Scrooge's life with only a few logic breaks; but sadly, it felt completely rushed. The focus of Scrooge's early years before the Klondike was completely understandable considering that there was nothing to connect his past before this. However; once they got to the Klondike scenes, Oklahoma scenes and Africa, it felt completely rushed and stuck together with chewing gum. I blame this more on the fact that the episode was designed as a 22 minute episode instead of a 44 minute episode as they could have easily fitted Back to the Klondike back story into this and at least it would have had CONTINUITY with the origin story with Goldie. Other than that; this episode was great as Young Scrooge was pretty funny being Fenton Crackshell, Ribbit and Catfish were pretty well developed, the Cowboy Beagle Boys looked good (despite the logic bending Ma Beagle) and the rest were pretty much okay. I also liked the ending as well as it was predictable; but it was the right booking decision as it tied up a loose end from Scrooge's stammering near the end of the first episode of Treasure of the Golden Suns. Overall; this was a good episode for what it was; however, the victim of half hour made it feel a little rushed once the Klondike came into play. Next up is the first episode since the second episode of Cash As Catch Can with the appearance of Seaman Donald Duck and the return of the FCC Navy. So.......
Thumbs up for this episode and I'll see you next time.