Comin’ ’Round the Mountain 1936

The movie follows the humorous and adventurous journey of Al Stewart, a theatrical agent who successfully arranges performances for his clients, including the talented Ann Rutherford as Dorothy McCoy, famously known as “The Manhattan Hillbilly,” at a lively New York nightclub. Alongside her, he also books an amusingly inept escape artist called The Great Wilbert, whose act quickly turns chaotic during a performance when he fails to free himself from his shackles, desperately shouting for help. Dorothy recognizes Wilbert’s distressed scream as the distinctive “McCoy clan yell”, a clue that begins to unravel his heritage.

Further investigation reveals a photograph and a concertina — a small musical instrument — in Wilbert’s dressing room, confirming he is the long-lost grandson of Squeeze Box McCoy, the legendary leader of the McCoy clan. Granny McCoy, a wise and determined relative, has been searching for Wilbert because she wishes to reveal where Squeeze Box hid his hidden treasure — gold that has been sought after for generations. Granny emphasizes that Wilbert must prove himself worthy by winning a fight against the notorious Devil Dan Winfield, who leads the rival Winfield family, in a turkey shoot, which involves shooting and gambling, adding to the chaos. Interestingly, Wilbert has never held a gun before, and his clumsy attempt to participate unintentionally reignites the family feud that has persisted for over 60 years.

To make matters more complicated, Granny insists Wilbert must marry before the secret of the treasure can be disclosed. She suggests he marry her 14-year-old daughter, Clora, also known as Matt, who is portrayed by LeRoy Mason’s character. However, Wilbert is more fond of Dorothy, and when he proposes to her, she declines, explaining that she is in love with Clark Winfield, adding a romantic layer to the already complicated plot. In an attempt to sway Dorothy’s affections, Granny sends Wilbert to Aunt Huddy, a local witch, to acquire a love potion. The encounter turns into a bizarre mishap as Wilbert and Laura Puente’s character create voodoo dolls of each other, sticking pins into them and causing mutual pain, a humorous and dark moment in the story.

After finally obtaining the love potion, Wilbert makes a dramatic exit on Huddy’s broom, equipped with windshield wipers, only to crash into a tree, adding physical comedy to the film. The potion initially works once administered, and Dorothy begins to fall for Wilbert. However, chaos ensues when everyone, having sipped the potion, falls wildly in love with each other. As the effects of the spell gradually wear off, Dorothy and Clark prepare to marry, rekindling hope for love and happiness.

The arrival of Devil Dan and his gang sparks a chaotic showdown. During the fracas, a stray bullet shatters the love potion jar, unintentionally causing Devil Dan to taste the potion and unexpectedly fall for Wilbert. Meanwhile, Matt reveals the clues to the treasure: a secret map concealed inside Wilbert’s concertina, which leads directly to a mine in Winfield territory. The group daringly enters the mine, where they eventually succeed in breaking through the rocky barriers and discover a vault filled with gleaming gold. Just when they think the adventure might conclude happily, armed guards rush onto the scene, aiming to arrest them, only to discover that the treasure they have uncovered is actually the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox — an unintentional and humorous climax to their wild escapades.