Sequoia

I saw this when I was in grammar school, in the 50s not realizing it was already 20 years old! I would love to see it again. I seem to remember reading an article about film preservation that said prints for Sequoia were not available anymore. Let's hope one pops up and a video and dvd follows. I picked up a Sequoia "big/little book" at a book sale with stills from the movie on every other page. If you are familiar with the movie you will know what big little books are, I guess.

I saw this move as a young teenager in the 1950's. As I remember it, it was a great movie and I would like to be able to purchase a home version of it in VHS or DVD. I do not remember whether the movie was in color or black and white. I think this kind of movie would be valued by adults and young today even more than it was back then. I did not realize that this movie was made in the 30's. If it should ever become available to the public, I would like to have this brought to my attention. Thank you for the opportunity to express may opinion on this film. I remember two movies from my childhood that seem to stick in my mind. They are this movie and Desperate Search.

Walt Disney wouldn't make his first live action film until 1950, although his True-Life Adventures nature film series begins with Seal Island in 1948. And oddly enough this excellent film about animal friendship and bonding with an ecological message that looks like some kind of fusion between Walt era Disney and gangster era Warner Brothers came from 1930s Golden Era MGM.

There are no big human stars in it - probably the most recognizable actors are Ed Brophy who has a bit part as a forest ranger and Samuel S. Hinds as the author and dad of Toni (Jean Parker). And even then, you'd have to be a real old movie buff to recognize them. But then Clark Gable and Jean Harlow would have just been a distraction in this situation.

This is the story of the deer Malibu and puma Gato who are orphaned as infants, found and adopted by a 17 year old Toni while dad is trying to write his next book, raised together, and released back into the wild as adults, and always remain friends. In the background a romantic relationship results over a several year period between Toni and a sympathetic forest ranger, Bob, as Toni and her dad periodically return to their cabin in the wilderness. The humans in the story are here more as background and support for the animals as they are relentlessly and often illegally pursued by hunter and guide Bergman, a truly hissable villain. He and his companion are often saying how they have to eat too, but Bergman sure does seem to enjoy the actual slaughter of the animals he hunts.

Lots of times the film is like a silent movie, just showing the deer and the puma as they live their lives through the years and sometimes reunite. As for the ending - let's just say it is a good thing the production code did not apply to animals! I still can't figure out how they did the wonderful scenes of the puma and deer licking and preening each other given the limited technology of the time. Highly recommended.

This movie has some of the most stunning animal photography I have ever seen. It is amazing to get an adult male deer and bobcat to work together as well as the very impressive scenes of deer and other animals in the wild.

If someone out there, anywhere, has a copy of this movie, I would dearly love to have it and get to see it again. It's been stuck in my mind since I was a little girl and watched it as a television movie. This could be a great family movie and excellent for kids -- including big kids of all ages -- especially animal lovers.