Old Yeller

This film has a lot of heart, and there's not a phony performance in the entire movie. Fess Parker and Dorothy McGuire are perfect as the down to earth parents, and Tommy Kirk shines as the oldest son trying to become a man. Jeff York, who played Mike Fink in "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates", is funny as a lazy settler who doesn't do a thing. Even Chuck Connors has a fine cameo as the real owner of Old Yeller who gives the dog up to please a child.

Old Yeller still has the power to make me cry, and I've seen it at least 50 times. It's sentimental and pushes all the right buttons, but I still love it.

It is a heart-warming tale of a boy's friendship with a dog. In late 19th century Texas, a homesteader leaves his wife (Dorothy McGuire) and his two sons for a few months to make some fortune in the city. He leaves his elder son Travis (Fess Parker) in charge of the family. The very next day, the family comes across a stray dog. They name him Yeller and very soon he becomes a well-beloved family pet. Yeller is a smart dog and acts as a guardian for the family.

Yeller is in fact the protagonist of the story. His personality is well developed and he steals our hearts with no effort. The dog playing Yeller was one expressive canine. You can very clearly see the emotions on his face.

It is romanticized depiction of the old west but who cares. The location is picturesque. There are plenty of animals; lizards, snakes, toads, hogs, horses, cows, bears, wolves and of course dogs. They seem to be well-trained; most of their scenes look extremely natural. Add to that, the characters are all charming as simple, hard-working and good-natured folk. And, you have an enjoyable little movie for both kids and adults.

I must have seen this when I was a kid (on TV), but I'd forgotten just how good a movie this is. The technical aspects are great (that color!), the acting believable and naturalistic, and the story moves along at a really nice pace. There's nothing condescending or "cutesy" here, and the plot point of the kid trying to play grown up (ie, Tommy Kirk as man of the house while his father's away) is played out without the traps that so many coming-of-age films fall into: In this boy's world, being an adult is about working and taking responsibility, not sneaking drinks and experimenting with sex. Also, the "messages" were woven nicely into the script, not tacked on and rammed over your head. It also helped that they had actors, rather than "stars". This is really what family filmmaking (a term I generally hate) should be: Something that kids and adults can appreciate.

Old Yeller is one of Disney's Best. Superb performances all around, a very touching (especially for dog lovers, it might even be to painful for some i.e. my wife) with a very heart-wrenching ending. They don't make them like this any more. If you enjoyed Old Yeller, may I recommend you give The Yearling a try. Which is even better (if possible) than Old Yeller.

The quintessential boy/dog movie. It does have obvious correlations with Marjorie Rawling's "The Yearling". I first saw this film on TV when I was six years old or so. Interestingly, at that time, I remember the Chuck Connors character as menacing and almost evil. On viewing as an adult, that character was a perfect gentleman, giving up the dog to the boy when he was under absolutely no obligation to do so. Also interesting to see the casual, and basically unnoticed cruelty of the Travis character toward the little girl. I don't remember even noticing that as a child. Disney knew how to make real family entertainment in those days. Now, it seems that material suitable for children is targeted directly at them, and is generally a chore for adults to sit through. OY found a way to split the difference. Truly a classic.