My Side of the Mountain

This is a charming film containing adventure , emotion , sense of wonder , great sensibility and wonderful outdoors . Thought-provoking and marvelous film about a boy , a raccoon , and his peregrine falcon, set in gorgeous landscapes and in documentary style , at times . Stars young Sam Gribley (Ted Eccles) , he is a boy who dreams of leaving civilization and then runs away he learns about nature . As Sam follows faithfully the deep teachings of the book Walden written by the prestigious Henry David Thoreau , a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings . One day , he meets a falcon and heals it , as well as an Otter . In a world where it takes courage to fly , a hawk is thrown the nest out and eventually , falling on the ground. As days go by, he realizes about the eagle wants to fly on its own . As Sam nurtures the hawk , from childhood to adulthood and both have an emotional connection . Both of them bond about their desires to be free . Along the way Sam befriends a good man called Bando (Theodore Bikel) and both of whom learn about the mutual feeling and friendship .

This enjoyable US/Canada production film is set in the Sixties , Canadian mountains , a marvelous place to dream, about a 13-year-old boy decides to emulate his idol Henry David Thoreau and gives up his home and his family to live in the Canadian mountains , while learning about nature . The notorious Henry David Thoreau was an American naturalist ,author, poet , philosopher, abolitionist , tax resister, leading transcendentalist , development critic, surveyor , and historian . This is a provoking and interesting movie, it is both, semi-documentary and children yarn , including colourful, beautiful, glimmer scenarios . Dealing with the unusual bond between a boy and natural enviroment and especially a raccoon and a hawk since it was a chick . In addition , concerning friendship both wildlife and people , as Sam makes friends in the mountains , as a good woman and a singer drifter , and he has a strong relationship with him . The film has an exceptional camerawork, several real hawks and animals were used , in fact uncredited actor Dan Haggerty of "Grizzly Adams" fame worked on the film as an animal trainer , being a hard and very complicated shooting for long time in the Canadian mountains and other locations . The short cast, Ted Eccles, Theodore Bikel , Tudi Wiggins keep the movie interesting and attractive. Children especially and adults can learn lessons of ecology , wildlife, self-reliance, freedom and interdependence from the movie. In addition, to enjoy adventures, emotion and overwhelming outdoors .

It displays a phantastic and gorgeous cinematography by Denys N. Coop shot on location in Otmar PenGreen Mountains, Corner of Paige and Paramount Rd., Knowlton, Québec, Canada and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As well as evocative and sensitive score by Wilfred Josephs , adding catching songs sung by Theodore Bikel. The motion picture was professionally directed by James B Clark , though it has some flaws and failures. Clark was a craftsman who usually directed episodes for TV series , such as : Batman series , The High Chaparral , Lassie , The Monroe , Daniel Boone , Here comes the brides, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea , Firehouse , Loner , The Legend of Jesse James, and ocassionally for cinema , such as : One Foot in Hell, Misty , A Dog of Flanders , Villa¡ , Sierra Baron , Under Fire . Rating : 6/10 . Acceptable and passable . The picture will appeal to nature buffs and children films lovers.

This is a wonderful and insightful film. After being told by his father, that the trip to the Mountains in Montana is being cancelled-he decides to run away from home and go to the mountains by himself.

This film would be boring except for one thing- this film is narrated by the boy, Sam (Ted Eccles). throughout the entire film, we get to listen into his thoughts or what he is writing in his journal. Ted Eccles does a GREAT job narrating this film.

The nature scenes are wonderful. After seeing this film, I have a greater appreciation for nature. Sam's ability to interact with other animals (Including his pet raccoon) is remarkable.

I recommend this film for everyone. It will make you think, it will awe-inspire you. You will also learn a new recipe for pancakes and syrup. This film is not to be missed!

I just showed this movie to my 5 year old granddaughter and she loved it. The raccoon caught her interest right away and everything Sam did fascinated her. When Sam caught Frightful she was in awe! She especially loved Bando and how he helped teach Sam a few things. When he made the recorder for Sam and the two of them played together, my granddaughter was most delighted since I had recently given her one of her own to learn to play. This movie has always been one my favorites from my childhood. Now it has become my granddaughters favorite. She wants to watch it over and over again. I hope the actors know that their work in this movie is still loved by children. My thanks to them for this wonderful movie! Dee Thompson Pe Ell, Washington

Sam Gribley (Teddy Eccles), a brilliant child, leaves home for the mountains after being told that the family summer trip has been canceled, thus preventing him from doing the algae experiments he had planned for that summer. The film chronicles his struggle for independence, and with the forces of natures.

Ted Bikel said in his autobiography, "What was unusual about this production was that they asked me not only to sing and play, but to write the songs as well." Other than the lead actor, Bikel's character of Bando is the most memorable, and unusual. The whole story in general is unusual in how lightly the adults have taken a child who runs away from home.

Not to knock the movie, because I enjoyed it greatly, but I wonder if it inspired other children to run away from home. Sam has a pretty easy time of training a falcon, eating wild plants and surviving the weather. I think it far more likely he would have starved and gotten sick several times. That may not be a family-friendly story, but it would be more likely.

I saw this movie as a child with my family, my mother being the most enthusiastic as it was filmed in Sutton QC, where she grew up. Back then, I thought the idea of going into the mountains and living in one's own treehouse was a fabulous idea!

The familiar scenery of the Green Mountains of southern Québec was breathtaking on the big screen. My mother pointed out the scene where Teddy Eccles' character, Sam, goes to the library in Knowlton, a library she had been to many times.

I understand Eccles attended and signed the guestbook of Olivet Baptist Church in Sutton, the church where my mother grew up.

Certainly, every kid has a dream of some adventure independent of parents and this movie helped me live mine a little.