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Snowball Express

 Snowball Express
type
TVTItem
 Snowball Express
label
Snowball Express
 Snowball Express
page
SnowballExpress
 Snowball Express
comment
Snowball Express is a 1972 Disney film that stars Dean Jones as New York accountant John Baxter, who is one day visited by a lawyer who informs him that his late uncle Jacob Barnsworth had left him an inheritance of the Grand Imperial Hotel in Silver Hill, Colorado. Seizing the opportunity and eager to get away from his dead-end accounting job, John quits on the spot, packs up his family and moves to Colorado only to find that the Grand Imperial is in a bit of a dump. Aside from finding a way to return the hotel to its former glory by turning it into a ski lodge, John must find a way to keep everything afloat financially while trying to hold onto his marriage as one setback after another creates a visible strain between him and his wife.
 Snowball Express
fetched
2023-07-15T04:15:43Z
 Snowball Express
parsed
2023-07-15T04:15:44Z
 Snowball Express
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Snowball Express / int_1042bae6
type
Limited Advancement Opportunities
 Snowball Express / int_1042bae6
comment
Limited Advancement Opportunities: The reason why John jumps at the chance to run the hotel. After all those years working at corporate, he's basically held the same accounting job, just with minor differences in purview.
 Snowball Express / int_1042bae6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_1042bae6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_1042bae6
 Snowball Express / int_13f7da6
type
Instant Expert
 Snowball Express / int_13f7da6
comment
Instant Expert: Subverted when Wally tries to teach a ski class while in the middle of reading a book on how to ski.
 Snowball Express / int_13f7da6
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Snowball Express / int_13f7da6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_13f7da6
 Snowball Express / int_161fa3b8
type
Hidden Agenda Villain
 Snowball Express / int_161fa3b8
comment
Hidden Agenda Villain: Ridgeway isn't too villainous, but it's clear from his first scene that he has some secret reason for wanting to buy the hotel. The final scene reveals that he's after logging rights.
 Snowball Express / int_161fa3b8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_161fa3b8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_161fa3b8
 Snowball Express / int_18d420b0
type
Lovable Coward
 Snowball Express / int_18d420b0
comment
Lovable Coward: The dog.
 Snowball Express / int_18d420b0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_18d420b0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_18d420b0
 Snowball Express / int_2dc0d2bf
type
Hidden Depths
 Snowball Express / int_2dc0d2bf
comment
Hidden Depths: Shifty banker Martin Ridgeway is a champion snowmobile racer.
 Snowball Express / int_2dc0d2bf
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_2dc0d2bf
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_2dc0d2bf
 Snowball Express / int_3d5c5deb
type
Flat Character
 Snowball Express / int_3d5c5deb
comment
Flat Character: John and Suzie's daughter, Chris, doesn't say or do much and is pretty much just there to be a Love Interest for Wally.
 Snowball Express / int_3d5c5deb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_3d5c5deb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_3d5c5deb
 Snowball Express / int_4b4274e3
type
Second Place Is for Winners
 Snowball Express / int_4b4274e3
comment
Second Place Is for Winners: Johnny says that any of the first three snowmobile race prizes would be enough to fund the hotel.
 Snowball Express / int_4b4274e3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_4b4274e3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_4b4274e3
 Snowball Express / int_4e7c4536
type
Wham Line
 Snowball Express / int_4e7c4536
comment
Wham Line: For Mr. Ridgeway. "You just may own the whole town of Silver Hill, Mr. Baxter, including his bank!"
 Snowball Express / int_4e7c4536
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_4e7c4536
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_4e7c4536
 Snowball Express / int_53f5119f
type
The Dragon
 Snowball Express / int_53f5119f
comment
The Dragon: Double L Dingman is this to Ridgeway.
 Snowball Express / int_53f5119f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_53f5119f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_53f5119f
 Snowball Express / int_567e7c4d
type
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
 Snowball Express / int_567e7c4d
comment
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: How Jesse gets enough pity not to be thrown out of the hotel into a raging blizzard.
 Snowball Express / int_567e7c4d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_567e7c4d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_567e7c4d
 Snowball Express / int_6eb04f1
type
"Everybody Laughs" Ending
 Snowball Express / int_6eb04f1
comment
"Everybody Laughs" Ending
 Snowball Express / int_6eb04f1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_6eb04f1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_6eb04f1
 Snowball Express / int_7eebe99c
type
The Alcoholic
 Snowball Express / int_7eebe99c
comment
The Alcoholic: Jesse is a G-rated version. Johnny is wise enough to not hire him as the bartender.
 Snowball Express / int_7eebe99c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_7eebe99c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_7eebe99c
 Snowball Express / int_8391b1c7
type
Artistic License – Law
 Snowball Express / int_8391b1c7
comment
In reality, adverse possession would keep him from being able to claim the rest of the town - but would not obviate his claim to the lodge itself.
 Snowball Express / int_8391b1c7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_8391b1c7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_8391b1c7
 Snowball Express / int_8d0785d5
type
Didn't Think This Through
 Snowball Express / int_8d0785d5
comment
Didn't Think This Through: John quits his unsatisfying but mostly secure job to run a hotel that he knows nothing about (both the building's condition and being a manager). Also, he trashes his work's computer as a final act of defiance, but he ultimately has to pay off the damages (though it may have been Worth It).
 Snowball Express / int_8d0785d5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_8d0785d5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_8d0785d5
 Snowball Express / int_96dea090
type
D.I.Y. Disaster
 Snowball Express / int_96dea090
comment
D.I.Y. Disaster: Wally's attempt at repairing the water heater ends up costing the hotel the money it needed for a rope tow engine. Averted in his attempt to blast a stump as that leads in to the hotel receiving its first influx of customers.
 Snowball Express / int_96dea090
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Snowball Express / int_96dea090
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_96dea090
 Snowball Express / int_98576799
type
Throw the Dog a Bone
 Snowball Express / int_98576799
comment
Throw the Dog a Bone: After losing the big race and being stuck riding for hours, John finds Suzie has returned and is waiting for him. The next scene takes it even further, as noted under Loophole Abuse.
 Snowball Express / int_98576799
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_98576799
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_98576799
 Snowball Express / int_9d17b859
type
Made of Iron
 Snowball Express / int_9d17b859
comment
Made of Iron: Averted. Wally ends up breaking his arm after falling off the cliff and that prevents him from entering the snowmobile race. Played straight with John, who endures several spills and falls, including slamming into a tree and knocking it over while walking away with just a bump on the head. Lampshaded in the newspaper article about it, as a doctor expresses astonishment that John could survive such punishment and an anthropologist wants to measure the thickness of his skull.
 Snowball Express / int_9d17b859
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Snowball Express / int_9d17b859
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_9d17b859
 Snowball Express / int_9dfb8296
type
This Is Gonna Suck
 Snowball Express / int_9dfb8296
comment
This Is Gonna Suck: Richard is the first to orally express this once the family sees how rundown the Grand Imperial is when they arrive.
 Snowball Express / int_9dfb8296
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_9dfb8296
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_9dfb8296
 Snowball Express / int_9fb5d589
type
Not Now, Kiddo
 Snowball Express / int_9fb5d589
comment
Not Now, Kiddo: Initially played straight as John ignores his son, Richard's, ideas. John spends a whole day trying to rent a bulldozer to haul the ski lift motor while quieting his son's constant attempts to interrupt. That night, he finds out Richard was asking why the ski lift couldn't pull itself up. Averted the second time Richard has something to say and actually leads into the resolution of the film.
 Snowball Express / int_9fb5d589
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Snowball Express / int_9fb5d589
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_9fb5d589
 Snowball Express / int_a4ef135d
type
Preemptive "Shut Up"
 Snowball Express / int_a4ef135d
comment
Preemptive "Shut Up": Johnny gives a couple to Wally.
 Snowball Express / int_a4ef135d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_a4ef135d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_a4ef135d
 Snowball Express / int_a70223
type
Karma Houdini
 Snowball Express / int_a70223
comment
Karma Houdini: Averted. Johnny messes up the computer at his original job as a departing act of defiance but later reveals to his wife that he had to pay for the repairs.
 Snowball Express / int_a70223
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Snowball Express / int_a70223
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_a70223
 Snowball Express / int_ab031997
type
Underdogs Never Lose
 Snowball Express / int_ab031997
comment
Underdogs Never Lose: Triple subverted. Despite being a novice snowmobile rider, Johnny enters the snowmobile race, not necessarily expecting to win but hoping he can get one of the top three cash prizes. He ends up taking the lead in the home stretch, passing the local champion, Martin Ridgeway. Then, at the last moment, Johnny loses control, swerves off-course, and doesn't even finish the race.
 Snowball Express / int_ab031997
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Snowball Express / int_ab031997
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_ab031997
 Snowball Express / int_ad1db87c
type
Oh, Crap!
 Snowball Express / int_ad1db87c
comment
Oh, Crap!: A lot of these moments from John during his skiing misadventures.
 Snowball Express / int_ad1db87c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_ad1db87c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_ad1db87c
 Snowball Express / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 Snowball Express / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: John and Jesse both have their moments.
 Snowball Express / int_ae3d6438
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_ae3d6438
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_ae3d6438
 Snowball Express / int_b1dde8fd
type
Loophole Abuse
 Snowball Express / int_b1dde8fd
comment
The next scene takes it even further, as noted under Loophole Abuse.
 Snowball Express / int_b1dde8fd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_b1dde8fd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_b1dde8fd
 Snowball Express / int_bec0417c
type
Happily Married
 Snowball Express / int_bec0417c
comment
Happily Married: John and Susan, though it does get strained a bit throughout the film as John begins to do increasingly-dangerous things to not lose the hotel.
 Snowball Express / int_bec0417c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_bec0417c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_bec0417c
 Snowball Express / int_c335b9ec
type
Irony
 Snowball Express / int_c335b9ec
comment
Irony: When it looks like he's about to win, Ridgeway tries to be conciliatory and expresses certainty that John will find a career that suits him. Ridgeway innocently suggests accounting, much to John's irritation.
 Snowball Express / int_c335b9ec
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_c335b9ec
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_c335b9ec
 Snowball Express / int_cbe687ab
type
Corrupt Corporate Executive
 Snowball Express / int_cbe687ab
comment
Corrupt Corporate Executive: Mr. Ridgeway is portrayed as a small-town version.
 Snowball Express / int_cbe687ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_cbe687ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_cbe687ab
 Snowball Express / int_cc247b2d
type
Unsatisfiable Customer
 Snowball Express / int_cc247b2d
comment
Unsatisfiable Customer: Among the hordes of happy hotel guests, there's a married couple who complain about every little thing.
 Snowball Express / int_cc247b2d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_cc247b2d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_cc247b2d
 Snowball Express / int_d0b60f23
type
GoshDangItToHeck
 Snowball Express / int_d0b60f23
comment
Gosh Dang It to Heck!: "Ridgeway, you horse's caboose!"
 Snowball Express / int_d0b60f23
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_d0b60f23
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_d0b60f23
 Snowball Express / int_d129e13e
type
"Eureka!" Moment
 Snowball Express / int_d129e13e
comment
"Eureka!" Moment: John gets his idea about turning the mountain into a ski resort when Wally talks about riding all over it in his snowmobile.
 Snowball Express / int_d129e13e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_d129e13e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_d129e13e
 Snowball Express / int_d1affec1
type
That Came Out Wrong
 Snowball Express / int_d1affec1
comment
That Came Out Wrong: Wally telling Suzie that he's giving John a "crash course" in snowmobiling.
 Snowball Express / int_d1affec1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_d1affec1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_d1affec1
 Snowball Express / int_d9cf40fa
type
Screw This, I'm Outta Here
 Snowball Express / int_d9cf40fa
comment
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: John quitting his accounting job. John's wife, Suzie, taking the kids and leaving when she gets fed up with John's last Zany Scheme to save the hotel. Jesse also tries this during the snowmobile race, until Johnny drags him back.
 Snowball Express / int_d9cf40fa
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_d9cf40fa
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_d9cf40fa
 Snowball Express / int_e21faf11
type
Friend to All Living Things
 Snowball Express / int_e21faf11
comment
Friend to All Living Things: Jesse describes John's great uncle Jake (who left him the hotel) as this, while everyone else in town saw him as a Cloud Cuckoolander.
 Snowball Express / int_e21faf11
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_e21faf11
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_e21faf11
 Snowball Express / int_f9f2c33
type
Running Gag
 Snowball Express / int_f9f2c33
comment
Running Gag: The fish in the hotel's water. Johnny losing control when skiing.
 Snowball Express / int_f9f2c33
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_f9f2c33
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_f9f2c33
 Snowball Express / int_fbba5e98
type
Gadgeteer Genius
 Snowball Express / int_fbba5e98
comment
Gadgeteer Genius: Wally likes to think he's this but the only thing he did right was build his snowmobile from spare parts. All of his onscreen attempts fail miserably.
 Snowball Express / int_fbba5e98
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_fbba5e98
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_fbba5e98
 Snowball Express / int_ff6ae1f6
type
Evil-Detecting Dog
 Snowball Express / int_ff6ae1f6
comment
Evil-Detecting Dog: When the Baxter's dog, Stoutheart, barks and nips at Mr. Ridgeway Richard defends him by saying that dogs are a good judge of character. He's right.
 Snowball Express / int_ff6ae1f6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_ff6ae1f6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Snowball Express / int_ff6ae1f6
 Snowball Express / int_name
type
ItemName
 Snowball Express / int_name
comment
 Snowball Express / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Snowball Express / int_name
featureConfidence
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 Snowball Express
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Snowball Express / int_name
 Snowball Express / int_name
itemName
Snowball Express

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Comedy / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Even the Dog Is Ashamed / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Franken-vehicle / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Hidden Agenda Villain / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Hidden Depths / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Not Now, Kiddo / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Second Place Is for Winners / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Underdogs Never Lose / int_869bc454
 Snowball Express
hasFeature
Unsatisfiable Customer / int_869bc454