| The Man from Button Willow | |
| Director: | David Detiege |
| Producer: | Phyllis Bounds Detiege |
| Starring: | Dale Robertson Edgar Buchanan Howard Keel Barbara Jean Wong |
| Music: | George Stoll Robert Van Eps |
| Distributor: | Eagle Films United Screen Arts |
| Runtime: | 81 minutes[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
The Man from Button Willow is a 1965 American animated Western film about the adventures of Justin Eagle, the first U.S. government agent.[2] It was released on April 3, 1965, in the United States.[3]
During construction of the first transcontinental railroad, unscrupulous land grabbers are buying up land on which the railroad is to be built, forcing the U.S. government to purchase it at inflated prices. The government has deployed Senate investigators to put a stop to this, and has assembled a team of men who work in secret to protect them. One such man is Justin Eagle, who operates from his ranch, the Eagle's Nest, near the town of Button Willow in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Justin returns from business in San Francisco, reuniting with his adopted Japanese daughter Stormy and ranch hand Jeremiah "Sorry" Baker. Justin notes the presence in town of land grabber Montgomery Blaine and his henchman "the Whip". Justin's mare, Savannah, gives birth to a foal sired by his stallion, Rebel. The foal escapes the ranch and goes up a nearby mountain, accompanied by Justin's dog Shady and pet skunk, Alfie. When the foal is attacked by a cougar, Rebel rushes to the rescue and fights the predator off; Shady is injured but survives.
Justin learns from general store proprietor Abner Hawkins that several settlers have recently had their homes burned and been chased off their land, and that Senator Freeman is in San Francisco to investigate. The senator soon disappears; without his vote, the settlers will lose their land to land grabbers. Justin's contact sends word to him via homing pigeon, summoning him to San Francisco. There, he informs Justin that Senator Freeman has proof that Blaine has cheated and driven hundreds of settlers off their lands. The senator has been kidnapped and is being held on a ship, but it is not known which one. Once the ship is at sea, the senator will be murdered.
Following a tip to a saloon, Justin observes the proprietor, "Shanghai" Kelly, shanghai a sailor. Starting a fight as cover, Justin follows Kelly but falls through a trap door into a rowboat and is himself shanghaied by a ship captain. The ship sets sail, and Justin finds Senator Freeman captive aboard. With the help of kidnapped sailor Andy Svenson, Justin attacks the crew, knocking most of them overboard. They force the captain to sail the ship back to San Francisco.
Returning home, Justin is welcomed by Stormy and Sorry. Blaine and the Whip are imprisoned for their crimes.
According to the film's pressbook, Dale Robertson provided the original story, appears in the live-action prologue, and financed the film though his company, United Screen Arts.[4]