There are FEW films that are just FUN for kids in the 1970's.... the most that we British had were the Carry on Movies... so seeing a nice little film with Jim Dale in is always a treat!
The basic story is simple, the effects are childlike and ...well.. simple and the acting is also as you can guess SIMPLE. This does not make for a plain SIMPLE movie for kids though. It shows them the basic kindness of the human spirit and some of the darker sides of captured animals because they are different too!
The jokes are inlayed in the movie together with basic 1970's British steriotypical images of the army, circus workers and the average Joe about the street, but it still holds together quite well.
If nothing more this film is fun and carefree, it doesn't really leave you with anything after you have seen it apart from a lil warm glow!