Comin’ Round the Mountain

Comin’ Round the Mountain

Year: 1951

Runtime: 77 mins

Language: English

Director: Charles Lamont

MusicComedy

Al Stewart and Wilbert, a duo of stage magicians, encounter Wilbert’s cousin Dorothy McCoy. They learn that Wilbert’s grandfather, Squeeze‑Box McCoy, hid a treasure in the Kentucky hills, prompting the trio, with their illusion skills, to chase the secret loot.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Comin’ Round the Mountain yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

New York, Kentucky, Fort Knox

The story starts in a bustling New York nightclub setting where acts are booked and rival egos collide. It then moves to the rural hills of Kentucky, where the McCoy-Winfield feud drives much of the plot and family dynamics. The treasure hunt climaxes with a sequence linked to the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, tying the local feud to a famous national vault.

🎭 Nightlife 🏞️ Rural landscape 🏦 Gold vault

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:18

Main Characters – Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951)

Meet the key characters of Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Al Stewart (Bud Abbott)

A shrewd theatrical agent who books Dorothy and The Great Wilbert at a New York nightclub. He manages acts and navigates rival egos, using showbiz schemes to keep the money flowing. His scheming helps propel the plot and its comedic misadventures.

🎭 Showbiz 💼 Agent 🤝 Scheming

Dorothy McCoy (Dorothy Shay)

The Manhattan Hillbilly star who becomes entwined in the McCoy-Winfield feud and a love triangle with Wilbert and Clark. She blends charm with determination, seeking loyalty and love while navigating clan loyalties. Her choices drive romantic tension and comedic misunderstandings.

🎭 Performer 💘 Romantic lead 🤝 Loyal

Wilbert Smith (Lou Costello)

The inept escape artist who turns out to be the long-lost McCoy kin. His bumbling nature and good-heartedness propel much of the film’s chaos, including the love-potion chaos and the treasure hunt. He unwittingly becomes the focal point of the clan’s decisions and romantic entanglements.

🎭 Entertainer 🧪 Naive 🤯 Chaos

Granny McCoy (Ida Moore)

The matriarch who preserves family lore and pushes the treasure plot forward. She reveals key history of the feud and guides Wilbert toward the clues that unlock the gold’s location. Her presence anchors the clan’s traditions and the quest for wealth.

👵 Matriarch 🗝️ Keeper of secrets 🧭 Family loyalty

Kalem McCoy (Joe Sawyer)

Head of the McCoy clan who enforces traditional rules, including the demand that Wilbert marry Clora to access the gold. He embodies clan leadership and the pressure of lineage on personal choices.

🗡️ Leader 🧭 Clan head 💬 Negotiator

Aunt Huddy (Margaret Hamilton)

The local witch who provides the love potion and, in the process, helps fuel mischief. She and Wilbert craft voodoo dolls that cause pain when pins are stuck, intensifying the comedy and romantic chaos.

🧙 Witch 🪄 Magic 💊 Potion craft

Devil Dan Winfield (Glenn Strange)

Leader of the Winfield clan and the main antagonist in the feud. He participates in the family contests and experiences a reversal when the love potion, inadvertently, makes him fall for Wilbert. His actions escalate the conflict toward the vault confrontation.

⚔️ Antagonist 🧨 Rivalry 🧭 Feud

Clark Winfield (Kirby Grant)

Dorothy’s love interest and a rival from the Winfield side. His affections and rivalry with Wilbert create a tension-filled dynamic that tests loyalties within the feud.

💘 Love interest ⚖️ Rival clan 👫 Loyalty

Mattie McCoy (Shaye Cogan)

Kalem’s daughter, the 14-year-old Clora who is central to the marriage plot required for revealing the treasure. Her presence amplifies the stakes of family honor and future inheritance.

👧 Prodigy 💍 Marriage plot 🧭 Family

Luke McCoy (Robert Easton)

A member of the McCoy clan who participates in clan dynamics and the pursuit of the treasure within the feud.

🧭 Clan member 🗡️ Loyalty 🗺️ Strategy

Zeke (O.Z. Whitehead)

A supporting member of the McCoy/Winfield milieu providing additional comic or fringe involvement in the escalating capers.

🧩 Support character 🗡️ Sidekick

Jed (William Fawcett)

A local judge or authority figure who appears within the feud's clashes and legal proceedings, representing order amid chaos.

⚖️ Judge 🗳️ Authority

Droopy Beagle (Cliff Arquette)

A character likely used for comic relief, contributing to the film’s lighthearted tone within the feud and treasure capers.

🐶 Animal companion 😂 Comic relief

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:18

Major Themes – Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951)

Explore the central themes of Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚔️ Feud

Two rival clans, the McCoys and Winfields, have harbored a long-standing feud for decades. The history of insults, bets, and clashes sets the stage for ongoing scheming and comedic confrontations. The feud shapes choices, from marriage pressures to high-stakes shows and reckless competitions.

💰 Treasure

A treasure map hidden in Wilbert’s concertina triggers a hunt that spans mine tunnels and guarded vaults. The pursuit of gold intertwines clan loyalties with danger, as the mine leads toward a vault described as needing guards and resolve to reach. The treasure serves as a catalyst for alliances, betrayals, and dramatic misadventures.

💘 Romance

A love potion shared and spread through the group creates a web of romantic confusion, initially drawing Dorothy to Wilbert and later entangling Clark and others. The potion fuels farce as affections shift, collide, and then fade, forcing characters to reconsider loyalties. After the spell wears off, relationships are re-evaluated against the backdrop of the treasure hunt.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:18

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Unlock the Full Story of Comin’ Round the Mountain

Don't stop at just watching — explore Comin’ Round the Mountain in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Comin’ Round the Mountain is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Comin’ Round the Mountain Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Comin’ Round the Mountain, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Comin’ Round the Mountain Summary

Comin’ Round the Mountain Timeline

Track the full timeline of Comin’ Round the Mountain with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Comin’ Round the Mountain Timeline

More About Comin’ Round the Mountain

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Comin’ Round the Mountain: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Comin’ Round the Mountain