El muchacho y su montaña

Sam Gribley (Teddy Eccles), a brilliant child, leaves home for the mountains after being told that the family summer trip has been canceled, thus preventing him from doing the algae experiments he had planned for that summer. The film chronicles his struggle for independence, and with the forces of natures.

Ted Bikel said in his autobiography, "What was unusual about this production was that they asked me not only to sing and play, but to write the songs as well." Other than the lead actor, Bikel's character of Bando is the most memorable, and unusual. The whole story in general is unusual in how lightly the adults have taken a child who runs away from home.

Not to knock the movie, because I enjoyed it greatly, but I wonder if it inspired other children to run away from home. Sam has a pretty easy time of training a falcon, eating wild plants and surviving the weather. I think it far more likely he would have starved and gotten sick several times. That may not be a family-friendly story, but it would be more likely.

This is a wonderful and insightful film. After being told by his father, that the trip to the Mountains in Montana is being cancelled-he decides to run away from home and go to the mountains by himself.

This film would be boring except for one thing- this film is narrated by the boy, Sam (Ted Eccles). throughout the entire film, we get to listen into his thoughts or what he is writing in his journal. Ted Eccles does a GREAT job narrating this film.

The nature scenes are wonderful. After seeing this film, I have a greater appreciation for nature. Sam's ability to interact with other animals (Including his pet raccoon) is remarkable.

I recommend this film for everyone. It will make you think, it will awe-inspire you. You will also learn a new recipe for pancakes and syrup. This film is not to be missed!

I just showed this movie to my 5 year old granddaughter and she loved it. The raccoon caught her interest right away and everything Sam did fascinated her. When Sam caught Frightful she was in awe! She especially loved Bando and how he helped teach Sam a few things. When he made the recorder for Sam and the two of them played together, my granddaughter was most delighted since I had recently given her one of her own to learn to play. This movie has always been one my favorites from my childhood. Now it has become my granddaughters favorite. She wants to watch it over and over again. I hope the actors know that their work in this movie is still loved by children. My thanks to them for this wonderful movie! Dee Thompson Pe Ell, Washington

I saw this movie when i was a kid and thought it was wonderful. i must have been about 12 or 14. It made me want to eat algae pancakes. I think it had a good lesson, and remember it made me appreciate the mountains. maybe the acting isn't all that great, but it is a Good kid movie. i don't remember why the title was my side of the mountain but i have thought about it over the years and i am 42 now so it must have had an impact on me to last this long. with all the bad movies they make for kids these days i don't think you can go wrong with this one. if you go into it with low expectations you may find that is was much better than you thought it would be.

I saw this movie as a child with my family, my mother being the most enthusiastic as it was filmed in Sutton QC, where she grew up. Back then, I thought the idea of going into the mountains and living in one's own treehouse was a fabulous idea!

The familiar scenery of the Green Mountains of southern Québec was breathtaking on the big screen. My mother pointed out the scene where Teddy Eccles' character, Sam, goes to the library in Knowlton, a library she had been to many times.

I understand Eccles attended and signed the guestbook of Olivet Baptist Church in Sutton, the church where my mother grew up.

Certainly, every kid has a dream of some adventure independent of parents and this movie helped me live mine a little.