Compared are the US DVD by Disney and the iTunes Version


- US DVD: 1 relevant cut with a length of 663.7 sec (= 11:04 min) in PAL
- iTunes Version: 4 cuts with a total length of 202.6 sec (= 3:23 min) in PAL



Back in 1956, Westward Ho, the Wagons! was Disney's first Western motion picture and only partially successful. The musical numbers at the bonfire make up for the rather lame storyline though. The movie is based on a novel based on historical events and written by Mary Jane Carr by the way: American colonizers have problems with an Indian tribe in the 19th century.

It appears as if there is more than just one official version and neither of them contains the entire footage. While the iTunes contains an additional sequence with a length of more than 11 minutes at the beginning at the movie, the US DVD only contains a tiny part of that but an exclusive night scene at the camp instead. Later on, there is an additional musical number on the US DVD and there are further small scenes that are missing in the iTunes Version.



Time index refers to
US DVD (in NTSC) / iTunes (in NTSC)

The US DVD starts with a Buena Vista logo.

+ 4.6 sec

Original aspect ratio for opening credits and text on the US DVD. The US DVD then switches to full screen. The image section partially differs though. The term "Good thinking!" comes to mind because the US DVD always shows the part that makes actual sense while the iTunes Version does not which is incredibly bad when people are actually standing on the left and right.

US DVD	iTunes

Subsquent to the text, the iTunes Version fades to black. The US DVD does not and fades to a moment from the following scene instead - screenshots for beginning (incl. slowly disappearing text) and almost 5 seconds later when the aspect ratio slowly changes to full screen.

9.9 sec

03:49 / 03:53-15:27

The children walk away a further second and the US DVD fades to the dancing scene.

US DVD	iTunes

Prior to the dancing scene, the iTunes Version exclusively contains: Hank enthusiastically tells the children about an encounter with some Indians. When the story reaches its climax, an arrow winds up right in front of his nose and after brief hesitation, he tells the others in the camp. People get ready resp. they weapon up but everything remains calm and Doc says they should go check it out. A few steps later, they find a guy with an arrow in his back and they argue about whether or not this is some kind of warning. Since the guy is still alive, they take him back to the camp.

Nobody at the camp has ever seen the guy before but they help him anyway. Subsequently afterwards, they realize their horses have been stolen. Armitage complains because the horses were his and little Dan offers to chase the thieves. Needless to say that his offer is being rejected. Back at the camp, Dan informs his mother about what happened - close to tears. Doc tries to cheer her up. And when he then walks by the other children, he finds out that Dan is going after the thieves after all.

Now Dan in the prairie. He has found the Indians. But before anything happens, Doc sppears and tells him to camoouflage. He tears off some little bush and tells him to start by untying a few horses. Dan caefully sneaks up on the horses and manages to put the plan into action. Unfortunately, he gets spotted by the Indians who then go after him but Dan manages to get away on a horse. Doc helps him with his weapon and then they ride back to the camp where his mother cheerfully welcomes him back.
On the US DVD, Doc shares that experience via song at the bonfire subsequently afterwards resp. it now makes sense that the song makes Dan feel pretty uneasy.

663.7 sec (= 11:04 min)

US DVD longer
04:04-06:12 / 15:41

After the dog dances with one of the children, only the US DVD contains the scene with Doc shaving. Hank shows up and complains about the situation with the farmers. Having arrived in Oregon, he says he would never do business with grenhorns again because it was dangerous with all the horses that had gotten even more due to Armitage. At some point, Doc has had it and changes the subject by taking a look at Hank's eye. He gets some medication (resp. castor oil) but Hank refuses to take it. Last but not least, Doc tells him to simply take it easy and have a good laugh every now and then - Hank then does exactly that.

The iTunes Version is back in the saddle with the end of the shot when the two of them are walking forward.

+ 123.4 sec (= 2:03 min)

The usual fading out/back in - e.g. in minute 11/21 (right up until the very end) are slightly delayed but there is either almost no length difference or none at all. Not to mention that there are much more interesting things to document.


18:57 / 28:25-28:26

The US DVD here fades from Doc leaving to tied up Dan. Since the iTunes Version contains an exclusive black screen at that point, it is slightly longer.

0.9 sec

The same in minute 28/38 - less than 0.5 sec though which makes it even less obvious.


US DVD longer
37:58-39:07 / 47:28

Subsequent to the black screen, the US DVD contains further footage of the ride across the prairie plus Doc is singing a song ("Ringo, Rango..."). Mother Laura looks happy because the song once again is about a woman by his side resp. he uses the song to keep hitting on her.

+ 65.9 sec (= 1:06 min)

US DVD longer
65:02-65:11 / 73:23

When the Indians are gone, the US DVD contains an additional shot of Doc putting his arm around Laura.

+ 8.8 sec

US DVD longer
73:57-74:01 / 82:08

On the US DVD, Doc makes a step backwards.

+ 4.5 sec

74:44 / 82:51-82:52

Insignificantly longer black screen.

1.4 sec



In the iTunes Version, "End" appears with the caravan riding off resp. the last shot of that scene. The US DVD on the other hand fades off and "End" pops up (now in Cinemascope again) with a different shot in the background. Last but not least, a Buena Vista logo - like at the beginning.

US DVD 12 sec longer

US DVD	iTunes