This isn't an "A" list of actors, but some well known names that give mostly good performances in an entertaining film. Rory Calhoun, Virginia Grey, Thurston Hall and Jim Bannon should be recognized by old time movie buffs. This is probably among the best casts and best movies made by the prodigious Sam Newfield in his brother's studios (Sigmund Neufeld) that cranked out many of the lesser B films of the 1940s and 1950s
"Miraculous Journey" has an interesting plot – though not a unique one. What adds a great deal to it is a script that makes more out of the situation than survival in a jungle. We see some real character development and changes. We see forgiveness and redemption. And this film has some very good scenes with highly trained animals – a dog, a chimpanzee, and a crow. The direction is quite good. The jungle setting is passable but the film quality is lacking.
Overall, this makes for an entertaining film. It has some action and intrigue which should help keep the kids interested. Quite a lot is packed into the 83-minute film, and it's well worth watching. I wonder if a remake of this with a big-name cast, better setting and locales wasn't in the works some years back. I don't think the premise would work today with cellular phones and modern-day GPS. But a remake today, set in the 1970s might make for a very good film.
