Character Relationship Map: Troublemakers

Characters

• Travis (played by Terence Hill) — protagonist

  A skilled gunslinger and the older brother of Moses, Travis initiates the journey to a Christmas reunion to deliver a letter from their mother and locate a promised treasure.

• Moses (played by Bud Spencer) — protagonist

  A bounty hunter and Travis's younger brother, initially resentful of their mother, Moses reluctantly joins the Christmas journey, leading to multiple confrontations with outlaws and law enforcement.

• Sam Stone (played by Boots Southerland) — supporting

  A notorious outlaw planning a bank robbery, initially spared from execution by Travis and later captured by the family at the Christmas reunion.

• Mother (played by Ruth Buzzi) — supporting

  The matriarch who orchestrates the Christmas reunion, claiming to possess a family treasure inherited from their father, and ultimately reveals its true sentimental meaning.

• Dodge (played by Neil Summers) — supporting

  A local gang leader who harasses a young woman, fights Travis, and later joins an ambush against the family at Christmas.

• Bridget (played by Anne Kasprik) — supporting

  A kind-hearted young woman who befriends the brothers, provides medical aid to Junior, and shares a romantic connection with Travis.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Travis → Bridget (Romantic Interest) — Their friendship develops into a clearly romantic connection.

  Bridget invites Travis and Moses for cookies and tea, later helps the brothers, and shares a kiss with Travis before they leave.

• Moses → Mother (Family Son) — Their relationship is marked by resentment but remains central to the reunion.

  Moses is angry at Mother for letting his stolen horses loose, and the reunion is arranged around their unresolved family tension.

• Travis → Mother (Family Son) — Travis acts on his mother's request and delivers her message.

  Mother sends Travis a letter asking him to bring Moses and his family to the Christmas reunion.

• Travis → Moses (Family Brothers) — They are brothers whose strained partnership gradually becomes cooperative.

  The plot identifies Moses as Travis's brother, and the two travel together toward their mother's Christmas reunion.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Mother → Bridget (Social Welcoming Host) — Mother incorporates Bridget into the reunion's extended family circle.

  Bridget joins Travis, Moses, and Moses's family for Christmas dinner at Mother's home.

• Mother → Sam Stone (Conflict Captive Holder) — Mother controls Stone's fate before the final family confrontation.

  When the family reaches Mother's home, they discover that Mother is holding Stone captive.

• Moses → Dodge (Conflict Opponent) — Moses joins Travis in resisting Dodge's aggression.

  Moses unwillingly joins Travis and helps finish the fight against Dodge and his gang.

• Travis → Dodge (Conflict Opponent) — Dodge becomes an early physical antagonist to Travis.

  Travis gets into a fist fight with Dodge and his gang after they harass a young woman.

• Moses → Sam Stone (Conflict Adversary) — Moses treats Stone as a dangerous outlaw and recurring opponent.

  Moses helps Travis pursue Stone, is captured during their failed plans, and later joins the effort to defeat Stone at the reunion.

• Travis → Sam Stone (Conflict Adversary) — Their relationship shifts between opposition, obligation, and uneasy mercy.

  Travis saves Stone from hanging, later tries to capture him, and ultimately frees him before their final confrontation.

Story Analysis

Two estranged brothers navigate outlaw trouble, family resentment, and chaotic violence to reach a meaningful Christmas reunion.

Plot Progression

1. A Letter for Christmas — Travis receives Mother's request to reunite the family and deliver the promised treasure. He must overcome Moses's anger while rescuing and pursuing Sam Stone.
2. Trouble in the Town — The brothers encounter Dodge's gang and meet Bridget after a fight. Travis then discovers Stone's bank robbery plan and attempts to trap him.
3. Noose and Double-Crosses — A mistaken arrest puts the brothers in danger, followed by Moses's bizarre survival at the gallows. Their plans against Stone repeatedly fail before an uneasy release.
4. A Race to the Reunion — The brothers separate as Stone learns about the reunion and captures Junior. A rattlesnake bite forces Travis and Moses to seek Bridget's medical help.
5. The Fight Before Christmas — The family reaches Mother, discovers Stone captive, and celebrates Christmas before an attack erupts into a fist fight. Mother reveals that the treasure is emotional rather than material.