A great cast and a wistful mood makes this Disney film an absolute must for nature fans. If it's not the sight of tons of geese flying overhead trying to avoid becoming victims of Ed Wynn's gravy, it's the bear hibernating in the basement of Brian Keith and Vera Miles being chased around by Miles with a broom (several times!) to get away from their garbage. They've protected this bear since it was a cub so naturally it doesn't want to go anywhere else.
Their teen son, Brandon de Wilde, has been helping pop Keith get furs so they can pay off debts to Parley Baer, and while they definitely had a need for these furs, I was sad to see the remains of foxes and rabbits for people to wear. Miles breaks down in tears when she gets a rabbit stole for Christmas. A young Linda Evans is de Wilde's love interest, and Walter Brennan is a bighearted elder townsperson, along with veteran actors Philip Abbott and John Qualen.
The photography is glorious, with its mainly fall colors looking like an old Currier and Ives painting, or an old jigsaw puzzle box cover. Pleasant for the whole family yet not so cloying in a childlike innocence that adults can enjoy the more mature themes. Out of nowhere, Keith seems to have a drinking problem. Solid performances all round with Keith and Miles excellent. She really reminded me of Ma Ingalls from the later "Little House on the Prairie" TV series. Just a simple story of real people with genuine problems, although the weather is far too perfect all the time to be truly believable.
Their teen son, Brandon de Wilde, has been helping pop Keith get furs so they can pay off debts to Parley Baer, and while they definitely had a need for these furs, I was sad to see the remains of foxes and rabbits for people to wear. Miles breaks down in tears when she gets a rabbit stole for Christmas. A young Linda Evans is de Wilde's love interest, and Walter Brennan is a bighearted elder townsperson, along with veteran actors Philip Abbott and John Qualen.
The photography is glorious, with its mainly fall colors looking like an old Currier and Ives painting, or an old jigsaw puzzle box cover. Pleasant for the whole family yet not so cloying in a childlike innocence that adults can enjoy the more mature themes. Out of nowhere, Keith seems to have a drinking problem. Solid performances all round with Keith and Miles excellent. She really reminded me of Ma Ingalls from the later "Little House on the Prairie" TV series. Just a simple story of real people with genuine problems, although the weather is far too perfect all the time to be truly believable.