My Side of the Mountain

I have had this film etched upon my memory ever since I saw it around 35 years ago as a 7/ 8 year old in cinema in North London. I have never seen it since, but I remember, rather like the solitude of the boy in the film, being left at the cinema by my mother and then picked up outside long after the film had finished - this was a different era after all, kids were given much more freedom to roam then. So being apart from my family helped me get into the character of the boy completely and I guess I just zoned out of myself onto the boy on the screen. It all seems like some beautiful dream of a long gone and innocent world that sort of tapped into the hippie consciousness of the time. I would love to get a copy of this somewhere so my own children can see it.

This film will mean a lot to children of a certain age, particularly boys. It's not really an adventure story, but it is 'boy runs away from family' story done in the old Disney style- that is, you never reall feel that he's in serious danger, and you learn a lot about nature and love along the way. Worthwhile.

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

This is a charming film containing adventure , emotion , sense of wonder , great sensibility and wonderful outdoors . Thought-provoking and marvelous film about a boy , a raccoon , and his peregrine falcon, set in gorgeous landscapes and in documentary style , at times . Stars young Sam Gribley (Ted Eccles) , he is a boy who dreams of leaving civilization and then runs away he learns about nature . As Sam follows faithfully the deep teachings of the book Walden written by the prestigious Henry David Thoreau , a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings . One day , he meets a falcon and heals it , as well as an Otter . In a world where it takes courage to fly , a hawk is thrown the nest out and eventually , falling on the ground. As days go by, he realizes about the eagle wants to fly on its own . As Sam nurtures the hawk , from childhood to adulthood and both have an emotional connection . Both of them bond about their desires to be free . Along the way Sam befriends a good man called Bando (Theodore Bikel) and both of whom learn about the mutual feeling and friendship .

This enjoyable US/Canada production film is set in the Sixties , Canadian mountains , a marvelous place to dream, about a 13-year-old boy decides to emulate his idol Henry David Thoreau and gives up his home and his family to live in the Canadian mountains , while learning about nature . The notorious Henry David Thoreau was an American naturalist ,author, poet , philosopher, abolitionist , tax resister, leading transcendentalist , development critic, surveyor , and historian . This is a provoking and interesting movie, it is both, semi-documentary and children yarn , including colourful, beautiful, glimmer scenarios . Dealing with the unusual bond between a boy and natural enviroment and especially a raccoon and a hawk since it was a chick . In addition , concerning friendship both wildlife and people , as Sam makes friends in the mountains , as a good woman and a singer drifter , and he has a strong relationship with him . The film has an exceptional camerawork, several real hawks and animals were used , in fact uncredited actor Dan Haggerty of "Grizzly Adams" fame worked on the film as an animal trainer , being a hard and very complicated shooting for long time in the Canadian mountains and other locations . The short cast, Ted Eccles, Theodore Bikel , Tudi Wiggins keep the movie interesting and attractive. Children especially and adults can learn lessons of ecology , wildlife, self-reliance, freedom and interdependence from the movie. In addition, to enjoy adventures, emotion and overwhelming outdoors .

It displays a phantastic and gorgeous cinematography by Denys N. Coop shot on location in Otmar PenGreen Mountains, Corner of Paige and Paramount Rd., Knowlton, Québec, Canada and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As well as evocative and sensitive score by Wilfred Josephs , adding catching songs sung by Theodore Bikel. The motion picture was professionally directed by James B Clark , though it has some flaws and failures. Clark was a craftsman who usually directed episodes for TV series , such as : Batman series , The High Chaparral , Lassie , The Monroe , Daniel Boone , Here comes the brides, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea , Firehouse , Loner , The Legend of Jesse James, and ocassionally for cinema , such as : One Foot in Hell, Misty , A Dog of Flanders , Villa¡ , Sierra Baron , Under Fire . Rating : 6/10 . Acceptable and passable . The picture will appeal to nature buffs and children films lovers.

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.