History Film / TheAppleDumplingGang

* StupidCrooks: The two robbers Amos and Theodore, who are after the gold the children found certainly count, with Don Knotts and Tim Conway as the robbers in the FilmOfTheBook. How dumb are they? Consider that Creator/DonKnotts plays the ''smart'' one. They were once captured by a lawman who took pity on them and told them he couldn't hang them because he didn't have any rope, but if they came back tomorrow with some rope he'd take care of it. After they leave, the sheriff tells the banker that if they're dumb enough to come back with a rope, he'll hang them for being TooDumbToLive. The only reason they didn't come back to be hung was because ''they couldn't find any rope''.

Conway and Knotts play the leads in the sequel, in which Bixby and the rest of the original cast don't appear (save for Harry Morgan, who [[YouLookFamiliar returns as a different character]]).

* MightAsWellNotBeInPrisonAtAll: In the sequel, several prison inmates use a series of natural tunnels below them to make a LuxuryPrisonSuite and commit robberies while having a perfect alibi.

* ProfessionalGambler: Donovan.

* OnlySaneMan: The local sheriff, a competent gunfighter, who loans a voice of reason to everything and is one of the only people immune to the GoldFever, which seems to disgust him.

* StupidCrooks: The two robbers Amos and Theodore, who are after the gold the children found certainly count, with Don Knotts and Tim Conway as the robbers in the FilmOfTheBook. How dumb are they? Consider that Creator/DonKnotts plays the ''smart'' one. They were once captured by a lawman who took pity on them and told them he couldn't hang them because he didn't have any rope, but if they came back tomorrow with some rope he'd take care of it. After they leave, the sheriff tells his deputy that if they're dumb enough to come back with a rope, he'll hang them for being TooDumbToLive. The only reason they didn't come back to be hung was because ''they couldn't find any rope''.

The story of the novel and movie follows a group of orphaned children during the California gold rush. They encounter Russell Donovan (played in the film by Bill Bixby), a gambler who reluctantly helps them, as well as Theodore (Creator/DonKnotts) and Amos (Tim Conway), a pair of hapless robbers who are after the gold the children have found. Dusty (Susan Clark), the female stagecoach driver, is persuaded to marry the gambler who is currently taking care of them in an attempt to keep the children off the streets and away from those who would take their gold from them. Meanwhile, Amos and Theodore's former boss (Slim Pickens) also tries to steal the gold and ends up kidnapping the children.

* LiteralMinded: At one point theodore tells Amos "Don't do anything to attract attention." Which Amos so literally interprets that he doesn't even point out when Theordore's pants catch fire from a match that was meant to lite a cigarette.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: A remarkably adult joke for a Disney film of the time.
-->'''Sheriff [=McCoy=]''': Dusty's a fine specimen of womanhood! ''(leans in conspiratorially)'' I seen her get caught in a cloudburst once, and I wanna tell you!

* GoldFever: Nobody wants the children until it's discovered that they are the sole owners of the huge gold chunk. It's actually rather disgusting to watch all the town's people trying to take advantage of them.

* StupidCrooks: The two robbers Amos and Theodore, who are after the gold the children found certainly count, with Don Knotts and Tim Conway as the robbers in the FilmOfTheBook. How dumb are they? They were once captured by a lawman who took pity on them and told them he couldn't hang them because he didn't have any rope, but if they came back tomorrow with some rope he'd take care of it. After they leave, the sheriff tells his deputy that if they're dumb enough to come back with a rope, he'll hang them for being TooDumbToLive. The only reason they didn't come back to be hung was because ''they couldn't find any rope''.

'''Dusty''': "That's it!" (ass-kicking commences)

* DefrostingIceKing: At first, Donovan is less than enthusiastic for having to take care of the Bradley children, but eventually grows fond of them and decides to become their legal guardian by the end of the film.

* GoldFever: At first nobody wants the children, that all changes when it's discovered that they are the sole owners of the huge gold chunk. It's actually rather disgusting to watch all the town's people trying to take advantage of them.

* HatesBeingTouched: Clovis, to the point that he's a PhraseCatcher ("Clovis don't like to be touched"). Anytime someone does touch him, he responds by kicking them in the shin.

** MacGuffinMelee: The film's climax
** MineralMacGuffin: It's a gold nugget
** NoMacGuffinNoWinner: No one gets the gold, except for tiny pieces of it picked up by the people in the street

---> Partially averted, in that he does carry a holdout (a derringer,) and is perfectly willing to produce it if he believes he is being mugged, waylaid, bushwhacked, or otherwise threatened.

* DumbISGood: Amos and Theodore really want to be bad guys/criminals, but their kindness and/or stupidity always trips them up.

-->'''Donovan''': "Let me say one word"
-->'''Dusty''': "One word."
-->'''Donovan''': "Dusty, -"
-->'''Dusty''': "That's it!" (ass-kicking commences)
* FieryRedhead: Dusty.

-->'''Sheriff [=McCoy=]''': Dusty's a fine specimen of womanhood!
-->(leans in conspiratorially) I seen her get caught in a cloudburst once, and I wanna tell you!

* HatesBeingTouched: Clovis, to the point that he's a PhraseCatcher ("Clovis don't like to be touched").

-->'''Sheriff [=McCoy=]''': "Your rear end's on fire, Theodore."
-->'''Theodore''': "Ah, thank you ... OW! OW! ... Why didn't you tell me my rear end was on fire?!"
-->'''Amos''': "Well, you told me not to do ''anything'' that would attract attention."

* TheLadette: Dusty, who can kick the ass of most men in town. At one point she even calls herself a gentleman.

* BerserkButton: [[spoiler:Dusty and Donovan]] decide to get married on paper despite having no romantic interest - to illustrate the point, not only do they not kiss at the ceremony, they look awkward just shaking hands on the deal - so they can become guardians to the children. At one point he buys a large new bed for the kids, but she thinks it's for them to consummate their marriage on, and goes after him in the saloon with a fury, until he finally explains himself.

** Also happens when Theodore tells Amos "Don't do anything to attract attention." Which Amos so literally interprets that he doesn't even point out when Theordore's pants catch fire from a match that was meant to lite a cigarette.
-->'''Sheriff [=McCoy=]''': "Your rear end's on fire, Theodore."
-->'''Theodore''': "Ah, thank you ... OW! OW! ... Why didn't you tell me my rear end was on fire?!"
-->'''Amos''': "Well, you told me not to do anything that would attract attention."

* BerserkButton: Dusty and Donovan decide to get married on paper despite having no romantic interest - to illustrate the point, not only do they not kiss at the ceremony, they look awkward just shaking hands on the deal - so they can become guardians to the children. At one point Donovan buys a large new bed for the kids, but Dusty thinks it's for them to consummate their marriage on, and goes after him in the saloon with a fury, until he finally explains himself.

-->'''Amos''': "Well, you told me not to anything that would attract attention."

-->'''Sheriff McCoy''': "Your rear end's on fire, Theodore."
-->'''Theodore''': "Thank you ... OW! OW! ... Why didn't you tell me my rear end was on fire?!"

* DumbISGood: Amos and Theodore really want to be bad guys/criminals, but their kindness (and stupidity) always trips them up.

* DrivingADesk: Any time the characters are in a vehicle

* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: If the concluding gun fist is any indication, it was attended by both the good guys and the bad guys. In the end, EverybodyLives and the bad guys go to jail.