Fiel amigo

It is a heart-warming tale of a boy's friendship with a dog. In late 19th century Texas, a homesteader leaves his wife (Dorothy McGuire) and his two sons for a few months to make some fortune in the city. He leaves his elder son Travis (Fess Parker) in charge of the family. The very next day, the family comes across a stray dog. They name him Yeller and very soon he becomes a well-beloved family pet. Yeller is a smart dog and acts as a guardian for the family.

Yeller is in fact the protagonist of the story. His personality is well developed and he steals our hearts with no effort. The dog playing Yeller was one expressive canine. You can very clearly see the emotions on his face.

It is romanticized depiction of the old west but who cares. The location is picturesque. There are plenty of animals; lizards, snakes, toads, hogs, horses, cows, bears, wolves and of course dogs. They seem to be well-trained; most of their scenes look extremely natural. Add to that, the characters are all charming as simple, hard-working and good-natured folk. And, you have an enjoyable little movie for both kids and adults.

Old Yeller is one of Disney's Best. Superb performances all around, a very touching (especially for dog lovers, it might even be to painful for some i.e. my wife) with a very heart-wrenching ending. They don't make them like this any more. If you enjoyed Old Yeller, may I recommend you give The Yearling a try. Which is even better (if possible) than Old Yeller.

I must have seen this when I was a kid (on TV), but I'd forgotten just how good a movie this is. The technical aspects are great (that color!), the acting believable and naturalistic, and the story moves along at a really nice pace. There's nothing condescending or "cutesy" here, and the plot point of the kid trying to play grown up (ie, Tommy Kirk as man of the house while his father's away) is played out without the traps that so many coming-of-age films fall into: In this boy's world, being an adult is about working and taking responsibility, not sneaking drinks and experimenting with sex. Also, the "messages" were woven nicely into the script, not tacked on and rammed over your head. It also helped that they had actors, rather than "stars". This is really what family filmmaking (a term I generally hate) should be: Something that kids and adults can appreciate.

Of all the movies I saw as a young in the theaters in the 1950s, the only one that haunted me or brought tears to my eyes was this one. It made a lasting impression on everyone in our family. Not long afterward, we bought a Golden Retriever puppy and it was a fabulous dog.

After a long, long absence, I saw it for the third time in the late1990s on VHS. Since I never forgot the sad ending, I was prepared for that. My attitude was great going in, especially since I had become a fan of Dorothy McGuire since her magnificent performance in "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn."

Anyway - hey, I have to be honest - this time around I was disappointed. I think I expected too much since the film had such strong nostalgia value. Yes, it was still a nice old-fashioned story but the impact was so-so and McGuire looked like she had aged 20 years since "Brooklyn." She didn't look like the same person from the famous 1945 drama.

Tommy Kirk went on to be a star on television and in the movies for Walt Disney while I don't believe Kevin Corcoran, who was just as good as Kirk, did a whole lot after this....some westerns into the '60s. Good 'ole "Davy Crockett," Fess Parker, also is in this movie but has a minor role, being seen only in the beginning and at the end. Chuck Connors also had a small role.

A nice story, no doubt. Perhaps another viewing with lower expectations would make me rate this highly again. Just the name "Old Yeller" is still special to me, however.

While there are many really good dog films out there, in my honest opinion, they all submit to the leader of the pack, and that leader's name is Old Yeller. I first saw this film when I was 10 years old, and have been a huge fan ever since. While the acting is superb, and the story is top notch, the real star of this film is the 170 pound Labrador/Mastiff mix named Spike who played the part of Yeller with heart and soul. If you are one of the few in the world who does not know the story of "Old Yeller", be warned that you may shed tears after seeing what many consider to be one of the most heartbreaking scenes in movie history. But that scene only makes you love this movie even more as through tragedy comes hope and learning experiences. Don't miss one of the greatest classics of all time.