Im Tal der Apachen

This is an entertaining film thanks in part to performances by character actor scene-stealers like Slim Pickens and Jeff York, whose ornery interactions are a joy to watch. Brian Keith portrays well the rugged frontiersman, demonstrating courage and offering avuncular wisdom. Kirk and Kristen are good as the young innocents. The main problem is the frequent intrusion of the Arliss character, who has morphed from mischievous/ornery in Old Yeller to deranged/homicidal in this film. Disney loved the image and performances of Corcoran(he was indeed a good kid actor) and perhaps exerted too much influence on the writing and directing of Savage Sam. The more PC viewers have commented on the film's scenes of cruelty to animals (at times just for laughs) and the stereotyping of native "savages." There is some justification for this criticism, but it should be noted, in regard to the portrayal of the Indians, that they were a renegade band and that some white settlers are equally stereotyped. Also, one of the ranchers actually sympathizes with the Indians in their plight, and there is obvious condemnation of the "only-good-Indian-is-a-dead-one" white settler who wants to shoot the wounded. Another virtue of the film is the sweep and color of its exterior landscape shots. There is even an (almost convincing) deadly prairie hailstorm! All this considered, some first-time viewers may find the film's strengths outweigh its weaknesses.

Norman Tokar took over directing duties on this sequel to "Old Yeller" that sees Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran return as Travis and Arliss Coates, who, several years later, now have a new dog called 'Savage' Sam(though whether he really is related to Yeller is never established) who still proves as brave and heroic as Yeller, since both boys(along with a female friend) are abducted by a hostile Native tribe, and held for some undetermined reason. Meanwhile, their Uncle Beck Coates(played by Brian Keith) is looking for them, since their parents are away taking care of a sick relative. Just how can the group get out of this predicament? Disappointing film isn't at all bad, but is forgettable and ineffectual, with little of the folksy charm of the first.

Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, and Jeff York repeat their roles from Old Yeller in this sequel film about Old Yeller's son, Savage Sam. The Coates boys from the first film have grown up considerably and Tommy is fully into puberty and thinking about York's daughter in a different light. Marta Kirsten later of Lost In Space plays a more grownup version of the part introduced by Beverly Washburn.

The parents of Travis and Arliss Coates are away and their uncle Brian Keith comes to look out for the family. Nevertheless on a Comanche raid, Kirk, Corcoran, and Kirsten are all captured although Kirk manages to escape. When Keith who is leading a posse after them finds Kirk, the dog proves invaluable in tracking the kids down and aiding in their rescue.

Although I'm still trying to figure out why anyone would want to rescue Kevin Corcoran. He's a royal pain to both the red men and white men alike. I can't believe the Indians just didn't shoot him and leave him on the trail. As he got older Corcoran's presence was more annoying than cute in a lot of movies and television he did for Disney.

In addition to Keith and York, other members of the posse consist of such western regulars as Royal Dano, Slim Pickens, and Dewey Martin all in parts they would have been typecast for.

Savage Sam is hardly as good a film as Old Yeller though it sure ends better all around for the two legged and four legged players.

Not that many people, even among those who are big fans of OLD YELLER, know that a sequel was made to that beloved movie. Seeing the sequel today, I think I know why this sequel quickly drifted out of the public's conscious. Despite the movie having the name of the family dog in its title, there are large chunks of the movie where the dog is off camera. (And why is Sam shown to have a dark colored coat of hair when in the first movie as a puppy, he had golden hair?) Also, the characters of the little brother and the teenage girl are off camera for a sizable chunk of time as well. The biggest problem the movie has is that there isn't as much excitement or big feelings about anything like the first movie had. It's as if the movie was trying to be as mediocre as possible. Still, some loutish viewers may get a few laughs from how uncomfortable Tommy Kirk seems to be in the scenes where he's paired up with a female love interest.

I can't believe this movie is even listed. i love it, don't get me wrong, but i didn't think anyone else knew it existed. Savage Sam is a great movie for everyone. I used to watch it at my grandmother's house on tape when i was little, but i saw it again recently and loved it just as much as ever. The characters are kind of hokey, but so what. You don't find characters like this anymore. Travis is so cute, with his hot temper and rock throwing. I think that everyone should give it a chance, after all Savage Sam is Old Yeller's pup.