For the Love of Mike

Michael Littlebear is a young Indian boy who saves lost and wounded animals he finds and takes care of them. He wants to be a doctor when he grows up. One of them is a white horse he trains to run in a horse race to obtain enough money to rebuilt father Walsh's church before he dies. With the help of newcomer father Phelan (Richard Basehart), doctor Mills and friend Tony Eagle they will try to make their dream come true. Nice film for all the family, with good values and a simple story. The boy plays his role nicely and the story is worth watching. Singing cowboy Rex Allen plays the original owner of the horse and the song charro bravo.

Danny Bravo -- I remember him as the voice of Johnny Quest on Saturday mornings --gets himself a white quarter horse for racing in the American Southwest.

It's an old-fashioned sort of plot, directed by old-hand director George Sherman with some well-remembered older actors on the screen: Rex Allen -- Last of the Singing Cowboys -- Arthur Shields playing an Irish priest, of course, and Stu Erwin in a straight role as a doctor and veterinarian. Richard Basehart is the main adult presence in this pleasing juvenile.

The print I saw on TCM last night was not very good -- like many another color print from Deluxe, the colors have faded, turning everything browner than it should have looked. But the story is well told, and that's why I sat down to watch it.