How the West Was Fun

Last updated
How the West Was Fun
How the West Was Fun.jpg
Promotional poster for the video release
GenreFamily
Western
Written byJurgen Wolff
Directed by Stuart Margolin
Starring Mary-Kate Olsen
Ashley Olsen
Martin Mull
Patrick Cassidy
Peg Phillips
Music by Richard Bellis
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producersAllen S. Epstein
Jim Green
ProducersMark Bacino
Adria Later
Cinematography Richard Leiterman
EditorDavid Blangsted
Running time96 minutes
Production companies Dualstar Productions
Green/Epstein Productions
Kicking Horse Productions Ltd.
Warner Bros. Television
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseNovember 19, 1994 (1994-11-19)

How the West Was Fun is a 1994 contemporary western film starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

Contents

Synopsis

Eight-year-old twin girls Jessica and Susie Martin (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) live with their father, Stephen (Patrick Cassidy), in Philadelphia. They have a dream about a man saying, "This town ain't big enough for the three of us" and having a shootout but argue who makes their move first. One day, they receive a letter from their late mother Sarah's godmother, Natty (Phillips), inviting them to a dude ranch. She, not knowing about Sarah's death, wants her to come help at the ranch. She is having financial problems because the ranch has too few paying visitors and, although she has offers, she does not want to sell it. The girls try to ask their dad's uptight boss, "The Dragon Lady" (Ms. Plaskett), for his vacation time, only to get him fired. They lie and say that she said that they could go. They go to the ranch and attempt to help Natty.

As they arrive they meet George Tailfeathers (Cardinal), Natty's friendly but mysterious Native American ranch foreman, and they become fast friends. But Natty's dim-witted son, Bart Gifooley (Mull), immediately condescends to and patronizes the girls. Sarah's horse, Lightning, leads them to her secret hideout. They find half of a stone owl and bear, plus her diary which tells how Bart had once tried to set fire to the ranch, and about his secret hideout in a place called "The Bear's Mouth". As they finish reading, they see smoke and start running towards it, thinking it is another fire, but find it is Bart burning papers. They lie to him that an ember landed on the roof so they can find out what they are. They find out that he has been turning people away from the ranch. Trying to take a letter to Natty to show what he is doing, they are chased by him. He tears up the letter and snarls, "This ranch ain't big enough for the three of us", which brings the girls to a conclusion that he was the one in the dream.

Right before Bart can do any more, George backs them up with a riding lesson. At lunch, despite Bart's orders not to, they convince Natty to fix up the ranch and open it again. Later, Bart finds out that Stephen was fired and is about to tell him the truth, but instead decides to give the girls a chance to tell it themselves. Despite Natty's offers, he turns down her job offerings. Later, the girls find a hidden trap door under a stuffed bear (The Bear's Mouth), go inside, and find out that Bart is selling the ranch to make it into Gifooley Land Theme Park. Before Natty is about to sign the deed to the ranch to him, the girls convince her what he is plotting. Heartbroken, she orders him off her land, or else he would "get a good spanking".

Meanwhile, Stephen tries to get a loan but is turned down. What he does not know is that the bank is already with Bart on the whole deal. That night, the girls ride off to Denver to convince Leo McRugger, the businessman to whom Bart is selling the ranch, to not go through with the deal. Their offers are so interesting, McRugger and his executives decide to come down for a week just to see if it is actually what they are talking about. It is fixed up with the help of George, Stephen, Natty, the girls, and Laura Forrester (Greene), Steven's girlfriend. The activities are set up. However, each is sabotaged by Bart. Just when all appears to be lost, the girls decide to find a lost treasure since they have a map. But first, they trap Bart so he cannot do any more damage. They and everyone else find the gold, which turns out to be fool's gold, but still pleases McRugger and his executives. He agrees to spare the ranch.

As they head to the river, they are confronted by Bart. He tries to escape in a raft. The girls go after him only to be grabbed by him and taken down the river, after kicking his friend, Cookie in the water. He heads them down rapids and then realizes that they are headed for a dam. Down the river, the girls see a rope hanging off a bridge. They grab it and hang on. Bart plunges down the dam and gets severely injured as a result. The girls write their own diary. The movie ends with everyone dancing at the ranch minus Bart who is sitting down.

Cast

Reception

Variety said that "young female viewers will no doubt identify with these resourceful sisters, but, for others, the helming is generally routine and doesn’t light up the family/juvenile market." [1]

Production

The film was filmed in the Canadian Rockies, one hour west of Calgary, Alberta at Rafter Six Ranch Resort. Shots in the city were done within Calgary, including a ride on Calgary Transit's C-Train.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary-Kate Olsen</span> American businesswoman, fashion designer and actress (born 1986)

Mary-Kate Olsen is an American businesswoman, fashion designer, equestrian, and former actress. Her acting career began at the age of nine months, with her sharing the role of Michelle Tanner with her twin sister Ashley Olsen in the television sitcom Full House (1987–1995). They also starred in numerous films together.

<i>New York Minute</i> (film) 2004 film by Dennie Gordon

New York Minute is a 2004 American teen comedy film directed by Dennie Gordon and starring Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, and Eugene Levy, with Andy Richter, Jared Padalecki, Riley Smith, and Andrea Martin in supporting roles. In the film, Mary-Kate and Ashley portray twins with opposing personalities who have a series of adventures around New York City. The film reunited the Olsens with Bob Saget for the first time since they all starred together on the television series Full House (1987–1995).

<i>How to Deal</i> 2003 American film

How to Deal is a 2003 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Clare Kilner and starring Mandy Moore, Allison Janney, and Trent Ford. The film is based on Sarah Dessen's novels That Summer and Someone like You.

"Dude, Where's My Ranch?" is the eighteenth episode of the fourteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States on April 27, 2003. It was written by Ian Maxtone-Graham and was the first episode directed by Chris Clements.

<i>The Challenge</i> (2003 film) 2003 film

The Challenge is a 2003 comedy film starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, their final direct-to-video production. It was the last of seven direct-to-video films produced by Tapestry Films to star the Olsens.

<i>To Grandmothers House We Go</i> 1992 Christmas television film directed by Jeff Franklin

To Grandmother's House We Go is a 1992 made-for-television Christmas film directed by Jeff Franklin and starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The film's title comes from a part of one of the first lines of Lydia Maria Child's Thanksgiving song "Over the River and Through the Wood". It debuted on ABC as a star vehicle for the Olsens, who were starring in Franklin's Full House at the time, and marked their first appearance as separate characters.

"...And Found" is the fifth episode of the second season of Lost, and the 30th episode overall. The episode was directed by Stephen Williams, and written by Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof. It first aired on October 19, 2005, on ABC.

<i>It Takes Two</i> (1995 film) 1995 comedy film directed by Andy Tennant

It Takes Two is a 1995 American romantic comedy film starring Kirstie Alley, Steve Guttenberg, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The title is taken from the song of the same name by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston, which is played in the closing credits. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. through their Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label.

<i>The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley</i> American TV series or program

The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley is a series of musical mystery videos starring twin actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The series was also written as children's books. A set of books was written as a companion piece to the show, showing the twins on the cover. The video series was distributed by BMG Kidz and KidVision.

<i>Double, Double, Toil and Trouble</i> 1993 American TV series or program

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble is a 1993 American Halloween made-for-television children's film. It stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as two adventurous little girls who discover that their Great Aunt Sophia has been trapped and cursed by her evil twin sister Agatha. On the 7th year of her imprisonment, Sophia will be doomed to the netherworld unless the curse is broken by the magical spell of twins. The film's title is part of the famous line spoken by the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth : "Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble."

<i>Broken Trail</i> 2006 TV film

Broken Trail is a 2006 Western television miniseries directed by Walter Hill and starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church. Written by Alan Geoffrion, who also wrote the novel, the story is about an aging cowboy and his nephew who transport 500 horses from Oregon to Wyoming to sell them to the British Army. Along the way, their simple horse drive is complicated when they rescue five Chinese girls from a slave trader, saving them from a life of prostitution and indentured servitude. Compelled to do the right thing, they take the girls with them as they continue their perilous trek across the frontier, followed by a vicious gang of killers sent by the whorehouse madam who originally paid for the girls.

<i>Simon Says</i> (film) 2006 film

Simon Says is a 2006 American slasher film, directed by William Dear and starring Crispin Glover and Margo Harshman. It was premiered at Fantastic Fest on 24 September 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pamela Douglas</span> Soap opera character

Pamela Douglas is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful, portrayed by Alley Mills. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on December 1, 2006. Pamela was introduced as the sister of established character Stephanie Forrester. She is a receptionist at Forrester Creations.

<i>Heartland</i> (Canadian TV series) Canadian family drama television series

Heartland is a Canadian family comedy-drama television series which debuted in Canada on CBC Television and originally in the United States on The CW Plus syndication on October 14, 2007. Since 2010, the series moved first-run to Up TV, but still continues to air in reruns on the latter channel as a part the service's weekend schedule.

<i>Over Her Dead Body</i> 2008 American film

Over Her Dead Body is a 2008 American romantic comedy film starring Eva Longoria, Paul Rudd, Lake Bell, Lindsay Sloane and Jason Biggs. It was written and directed by Jeff Lowell. The film is about Kate, who dies on the day of her wedding to fiancé Henry. He subsequently begins a relationship with psychic Ashley who becomes haunted by Kate trying to sabotage their relationship.

Sinead OConnor (<i>Hollyoaks</i>) UK soap opera character, created 2010

Sinead O'Connor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Davis. The character first appeared during the episode broadcast on 1 September 2010. Sinead is a member of the O'Connor family, who were introduced as part of a cast turnover. Producers devised a "Romeo and Juliet" pairing for Sinead and Bart McQueen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart McQueen</span> UK soap opera character, created 2010

Bart McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jonny Clarke. He first appeared onscreen at his stepmother's funeral in August 2010, introduced by producer Paul Marquess as a member of the McQueen family. During his time on the show, Bart had been involved in: relationships with Jason Costello and Sinead O'Connor, being stabbed during the third series of Hollyoaks Later, his involvement in Esther Bloom's bullying storyline, causing the bus crash featuring in the notable Enjoy the Ride storyline, and falling off the rails with a growing cannabis habit.

Very Mary-Kate is a web series written/created by Elaine Carroll and directed by Sam Reich. The series consists of 71 episodes, as of January 17, 2013. Each episode runs for approximately 1–4 minutes, featuring comedian Elaine Carroll as Mary-Kate Olsen. The series was originally produced out-of-pocket, but was picked up for its second season by CollegeHumor, allowing Carroll to "pay for lunch for people."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley Olsen</span> American businesswoman, fashion designer and actress (born 1986)

Ashley Fuller Olsen is an American businesswoman, fashion designer and former actress. She began her acting career at the age of nine months, sharing the role of Michelle Tanner with her twin sister Mary-Kate Olsen in the television sitcom Full House (1987–1995). They also starred in numerous films together.

References

  1. Ray Lond (Nov 13, 1994). "How the West Was Fun". Variety. Archived from the original on April 20, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.