I knew absolutely nothing about this movie when I picked it up off the library shelf. I thought my daughter might watch a few scenes just because she likes the boy from Old Yeller and Swiss Family Robinson. She put it on, and we watched from start to finish, and we've re-watched several times since. It is pure fun, just an enjoyable family film that has somehow been forgotten.
Part of what children will like is the animals, especially the chimp Mr. Stubbs. They got some great moments out of him. As an adult, I enjoy it as a period piece. There were some scenes that took place on the Main Street of an early 1900s small town that looked great. The circus workers were colorful characters and very likable. Kevin Corchoran does an amazing job as a kid who runs away to join the circus and has his ups and downs along the way. The story takes place in a more innocent time, and there was a charm in seeing how people might have dealt with these situations in a more innocent time. For example, the nastiest thing the villain does is hide the boy's mail from him. Most of the traveling workers are honest, hard working people, and the movie presents a fairly chaste image of this life. However, there are some moments that some parents may object to, particularly those who are sensitive to images of firearms in family films. Other than one or two non-pc spots, this is a harmless movie that is totally free from irony or the snide, wisecracking characters that fill family movies today.
Part of what children will like is the animals, especially the chimp Mr. Stubbs. They got some great moments out of him. As an adult, I enjoy it as a period piece. There were some scenes that took place on the Main Street of an early 1900s small town that looked great. The circus workers were colorful characters and very likable. Kevin Corchoran does an amazing job as a kid who runs away to join the circus and has his ups and downs along the way. The story takes place in a more innocent time, and there was a charm in seeing how people might have dealt with these situations in a more innocent time. For example, the nastiest thing the villain does is hide the boy's mail from him. Most of the traveling workers are honest, hard working people, and the movie presents a fairly chaste image of this life. However, there are some moments that some parents may object to, particularly those who are sensitive to images of firearms in family films. Other than one or two non-pc spots, this is a harmless movie that is totally free from irony or the snide, wisecracking characters that fill family movies today.