Nikki, Wild Dog of the North

Scripted nature film from Walt Disney seamlessly mixes wildlife footage with the engrossing, entertaining story of Nikki, a Malamute dog (1/8 wolf) separated from his owner in the Canadian Rockies after rescuing an orphaned bear cub up a tree. The unlikely bond between dog and bear survives different methods of sleeping and hunting for an amusing effect (the film is very careful not to dwell on the carcasses). But when winter comes and the bear must hibernate, Nikki forges off alone and is nabbed by a trapper who wants to use him for dog fighting. The animals are marvelous, though the cinematographers (all five of them, including William W. Bacon III, Lloyd Beebe, Ray Jewell, Donald Wilder and Jack Couffer, who also co-directed) are the stars this time. Jacques Fauteux provides a warm and funny narration, and Oliver Wallace's background score is very lively. The different types of film used is noticeable on occasion, and the speed is played with (slowed down or sped up) a few times; otherwise, a first-rate family product from the studio, one with the requisite tug at the heart at the finish line. *** from ****

More of a documentary than a film.

The premise, or at least the stuff that holds it together, to 'Nikki, Wild Dog of the North' is rather light; particularly for the first and second acts, the third has a little more meat on the bones.

There's also extremely questionable animal welfare, a lot of it could be trained but it's difficult not to be cynical with some of the stuff you see - especially across the opening twenty minutes. It affected my enjoyment, way more than a few other Disney films with similar issues.

Cast-wise it's almost non-existent, Jean Coutu and Émile Genest are solid as Andre and Jacques respectively. Jacques Fauteux narrates the film, he is arguably the only good part to this - his delivery is near perfect.

I can't honestly say I liked this as I simply didn't, the animal stuff alongside the weak plot makes for uninteresting viewing. Each to their own, as always.

"Nikki, Wild Dog of the North" was an interesting hybrid of a movie made while Walt Disney was still alive, though not the first time Disney made such a hybrid. It is a cross between one of Disney's True Life documentaries with a fictional narrative. The end results are somewhat mixed. There is some nice scenery, a breezy narrative, and the footage of animals in action is interesting - especially since some of the stuff the animals are put through would probably cause an outcry by the SPCA and animal lovers today. The human side of the movie is somewhat less successful, with human characters that are stereotyped at best and downright goofy at their worst. The narration is overbearing and pretentious at times as well. All of this results in a movie that is probably best for younger children, though older children and their parents will probably find it bearable if they can't find anything better to watch.

One thing that stands out in this film is the beautiful Canadian scenery. The river - so blue! Then you add mountains, trees, and when it snows - its just stunning beauty. A cute little story as well, though not Disney's best, that centers on the adventures of a dog that loses his owner. If you liked this, you may want to check out Ten Who Dared which I found a little more entertaining adventure (about men traversing the Colorado - although all brown!). I also preferred Disney's White Wilderness as a little better overall. While not a gripping story, it is entertaining enough and is the kind of movie families should watch more of these days.

One thing can be said about Disney in the 50s and 60s, and that is it put out some great films with animal stars, from the True-Life Adventure series to "Old Yeller" and others. This film combines a True-Life filmmaking approach with a good adventure story, and the result is entertaining family fare. The Malamute and the bear cub are adorable! Both adventure and nature commentary are shown, combined with gorgeous on-location photography (filmed in Canada) and a nice music score.