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.

After watching this movie with my son I checked this site expecting a rating closer to 9 or 10 and was a bit disappointed some folks did not enjoy it as much as we did. It's a wonderful movie with a touching and believable story line. Travis and his younger brother Arliss perform flawlessly, though their mother may seem too passive for a frontier woman. The sudden appearance of Chuck Connors (Burn Sanderson) enlightens the story line with a light romantic undertone.

The movie teaches young kids the values of hard work, family love, neighborly support, hospitality and pretty much everything that today's movies seem to overlook as too mundane and banal. I strongly recommend this movie to young and old and give it a rating of 10. In my view the movie should be judged in its genre which is family/kids and not be compared with better adult performances in more serious movies. Surely, Tommy Kirk is not Gregory Peck in "To Kill a Mocking Bird" but his performance is just the same for a kid of his age in a family movie.

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.

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.

This film has a lot of heart, and there's not a phony performance in the entire movie. Fess Parker and Dorothy McGuire are perfect as the down to earth parents, and Tommy Kirk shines as the oldest son trying to become a man. Jeff York, who played Mike Fink in "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates", is funny as a lazy settler who doesn't do a thing. Even Chuck Connors has a fine cameo as the real owner of Old Yeller who gives the dog up to please a child.

Old Yeller still has the power to make me cry, and I've seen it at least 50 times. It's sentimental and pushes all the right buttons, but I still love it.