The Grass Is Always Greener

This short film is included as an extra on the disc for the Warner Brothers film "My Dream is Yours". However, after watching it, I really have no idea what the film was even about...it just confused me and left me flat.

The film begins on a crappy ranch. The cook makes barely edible food and the cow hands all sit around complaining about the terrible grub and their terrible jobs. Suddenly, a stranger (Chill Wills) shows up and talks about their jobs and their foods like they are wonderful. He then goes on to talk and talk--and the guys all seem captivated by him. Later, it turns out he is kind of crazy--nice, but crazy.

While I enjoyed Chill Wills' performance, I just don't see what they were trying to do here. And, I can only assume, the filmmakers were also unaware. Rather pointless.

Who hasn't heard the expression that the grass is always greener on the other side of the hill? This Warner Brothers short uses a Western motif to uncover the moral implied in the saying. Some cowpokes are sitting around the bunkhouse commiserating about the poor conditions, lousy food, window crack that lets the cold wind in, and any number of other things

Then comes a stranger, Windy (played by Chill Wills) who starts telling them about his ranch in a far off exotic land. They invite him in and offer some coffee and vittles. Windy is all smiles and raves about the good coffee. He says the food is the best he's had and how lucky these cowpokes are to have such a fine bunkhouse.

One thing leads to another, and with a surprise ending the cowpokes get the message. My favorite line in this short comes from Granny, played by Paul E. Burns. He says, "Well, I don't care if a man lies. Just so he's sincere." It doesn't fit with the plot or the moral of the story, but it adds a touch of humor that keeps one thinking about the moral of the story.