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 ****
