DISNEY SUNDAY MOVIE, THE: THE THANKSGIVING PROMISE (TV)
Summary
One in this series of Disney shows for families presented under the umbrella title "The Disney Sunday Movie." Michael Eisner, the chairman of the Walt Disney Company, hosts this program.
In this made-for-television production, a boy comes into conflict with his father when he's hired to fatten up an injured goose for Thanksgiving dinner but instead wants to keep it for a pet. Disney president Michael Eisner introduces the program and offers holiday greetings before he "breaks bread" with members of the Disney family: Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Pinocchio and Geppetto.
The program begins with town bully Alec and pals Tommy and Jess shooting at Canadian geese, leaving an orphaned gosling with an injured leg. Later, Stewart Larson stumbles upon the baby bird after hearing the gunfire, angered to find the creature in distress. Meanwhile, brothers Jason and Steve Tilby compete in a steeple chase relay race. They win it, despite some disparaging comments from Alec. Alec also takes umbrage when his girlfriend, Sheryl, exchanges smiles with Jason. Afterward, Coach Gruniger calls up their brother, gawky sixth grader Travis Tilby, to compete in a rope climb, with the boy unable to make it halfway up the rope. Later, father Hank Tilby tries to capitalize on his sons' winning spirits by having the boys take part in a crop-picking contest in their garden. Travis again bristles at being part of a competition. Afterward, Hank tries to counsel Travis, telling him that he must learn how to compete.
Later, Jason sets up a rope for Travis to climb, but the young boy is scared. Then, Stewart arrives, hiring Jason and Steve to help him out on his farm. He then shows off the baby goose. Stewart tells Travis that he will pay him $20 to fatten up the bird in time for Thanksgiving in six weeks. Jenni Tilby decides they should call the gosling Chester. That night, Steve razzes Travis about his duties with Chester, after which Travis storms off to the barn to spend the rainy night with Chester. That evening, Hank talks with wife Lois about their financial troubles. Soon, Chester has gotten bigger and Travis has begun to form a friendship with the playful goose. Meanwhile, as Jason and Steve start work for Stewart, Hank worries about a sneaky colleague in his sales business. Elsewhere, Travis takes Chester to town, amusing the locals. Then, while Travis looks through paperbacks, Chester runs away and harasses a sleeping hobo. Soon, Chester is causing mayhem in the street. Alec mocks Travis for having such an odd pet. Back home, Travis is annoyed at how Chester has begun to "imprint" him as his mother. That evening, Hank trips over Travis's tent -- being used as quarters for Chester -- when he gets home from work, angering him. The next day, Chester goes on neighbor Mrs. Sudsup's property and devours her prize roses, agitating the old lady. One day, Stewart drives by the Tilbys and is impressed by Chester's growth. However, Stewart realizes that Travis has become attached to the goose. Travis is now determined not to kill Chester, telling Jenni that he wants to buy him back from Stewart. Now, Travis just needs to figure out how to earn some money, taking a variety of odd jobs.
One day, Alec, Sheryl, and some buddies go to the pond for a dip. Upon seeing Travis already swimming with Chester, Alec opts to harass him. Sheryl is upset to watch the bullying, but eventually Chester rescues Travis with an attack on Alec. Alec takes a branch and viciously knocks out Chester, leaving him for dead. However, Travis is able to revive the bird as Sheryl watches. Travis takes Chester to veterinarian Sam, who looks at the creature and medicates it. Afterward, Jason walks Sheryl home. Travis is upset, taking the injured goose into the barn and sleeping next to him. Stewart arrives, having heard of the fracas. He is concerned about Travis being beaten up. He also notes how attached Travis has gotten to the goose, assuring Hank that he'll gladly forgo the plan to have Chester for his Thanksgiving dinner. Hank insists that his boy will deliver on his promise. The next morning, Chester wakes Travis up, having made a remarkable recovery. Travis is elated, even after Hank talks with him about monetary responsibilities. Travis has enough to pay Sam for his veterinary work. Next, Travis begins looking for more work in order to earn cash to buy Chester back. Meanwhile, Jason and Sheryl begin dating, leading to Alec, Tommy, and Jess bullying him in the town square. Stewart is forced to break up a fight that Alec started.
Later, Stewart gives Steve and Jason a Thanksgiving bonus for their hard work. Then, Jason offers to loan Travis $35 so that he can buy Chester, so long as he pays him "interest." Specifically, the interest involves teaching himself how to climb a rope all the way to the top. Later, the Tilby brothers head to a Thanksgiving carnival. There, Alec again tries to hit on Sheryl but she refuses his pass. Afterward, Sheryl kindly asks Travis to dance while Alec, Jess and Tommy lure Chester away. They stuff Chester in a box and drive off. Jason, Steve, and Travis chase after them on a tractor, ultimately causing Alec to nearly drive off a cliff. Alec, Jess, and Tommy are able to escape as the car teeters on the edge, with Chester still in it. Travis makes a daring attempt to rescue his goose and finally succeeds. That night, Travis continues practicing the rope climb, getting a little better but still nowhere close to accomplishing the feat. Steve offers some positive advice. Later that evening, Chester's cries wake the family, alerting them to the fact that Mrs. Sudsup's house is in flames. The Tilbys immediately go to work rescuing her and putting out the blaze. Eventually, Travis gets to the top of the rope and earns his $35. Afterward, Travis goes to Stewart and tries to talk him into selling Chester. Stewart refuses to take the money, saying he can't change the deal and that he still expects his goose by Thanksgiving. Travis is devastated, and can't be consoled by Jason. Hank tries to explain to Travis why a man must keep his word.
One day in school, Travis takes a rematch on the rope climb and this time prevails. One afternoon, Travis and Steve climb to the top of a hill to see if Chester can fly down to Jason, Sheryl, and Jenni at the bottom. The bird struggles, coasting a bit, before finally flying away. Hank is furious when he hears that his sons let Stewart's property escape, breaking the promise. However, by the next morning, Chester has returned to the Tilby farm, waking the boys. Two days before Thanksgiving, Travis sleeps in the cold barn with Chester. Meanwhile, Lois asks Hank whether they should let Travis keep the bird, but Hank continues to refuse to allow his son to break the promise. The next day, Hank awakens Travis to kill Chester, handing him an ax. Travis goes to retrieve his beloved goose, angered that Chester didn't just fly away. With tears in his eyes, Travis raises the ax and prepares to cut off Chester's head. However, Stewart catches his hand, saying that he's had a talk with Hank to save Chester. At Thanksgiving dinner, Stewart reveals why he decided he could not eat Chester -- as his wife, the Tilbys, Mrs. Sudsup, and Sheryl applaud. Then, Chester starts squawking and everyone sprints outside to find his fellow geese flying overhead. Soon, Chester flies to the sky and joins their V formation as Travis wistfully watches. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 23, 1986 Sunday 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:35:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:12707
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Families; Thanksgiving
- SERIES RUN: ABC
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Mel Ferrer … Executive Producer
- Mark H. Ovitz … Producer
- Beau Bridges … Director
- Glenn L. Anderson … Writer
- Peter N. Johnson … Writer
- Craig Holyoak … Writer
- Blaine M. Yorgason … Writer, Based on the Novel "The Thanksgiving Promise" by
- Brenton Yorgason … Based on the Novel "The Thanksgiving Promise" by
- Bruce Broughton … Music by
- Michael Eisner … Host
- Beau Bridges … Cast, Hank Tilby
- Millie Perkins … Cast, Lois Tilby
- Courtney Thorne-Smith … Cast, Sheryl
- Ed Lauter … Cast, Coach Gruniger
- Anne Haney … Cast, Mrs. Sudsup
- Beau Dremann … Cast, Alec
- Bill Calvert … Cast, Jason Tilby
- Jordan Bridges … Cast, Travis Tilby
- Jason Bateman … Cast, Steve Tilby
- Lloyd Bridges … Cast, Stewart Larson
- Jason Naylor … Cast, Arnold
- Jessica Puscas … Cast, Jenni
- Joshua Bryant … Cast, Sam
- Zero Hubbard … Cast, Jess
- Kiblena Peace … Cast, Emily
- Mark Clayman … Cast, Tommy
- Dorothy Dean Bridges … Cast, Aggie Larson
- Allan Dietrich … Cast, Square Dance Caller
- Lucinda Jany … Cast, Neighbor Lady
- Leonard P. Geer … Cast, Old Man
- Jeff Bridges … Cast, Neighbor
- Tina Caspary … Cast, Girl
- Scott Nemes … Cast, Boy