Sequoia

"Sequoia" has haunted me since I was about 10 years old. I saw it on black-and-white television, and all I really remember about it is the scene of a mountain lion lying down and a buck deer standing close by. This fascinated me no end, though I joked about it in later years ("The camera was shut off just before the mountain lion got up, jumped on the deer, and killed it!" ha) For many years I was beginning to wonder if this film was just a dream, because I could not find it listed in any of my "movies on TV" type books. I even tried movie search services before I found the right one and they described the plot to me and I finally knew that "Sequoia" did exist! However, I am saddened to learn the information given on others of these postings--that it does not exist anymore, or has been lost. I sincerely hope this is not so, because I'd snap it up in a minute if it became available!

I saw this when I was in grammar school, in the 50s not realizing it was already 20 years old! I would love to see it again. I seem to remember reading an article about film preservation that said prints for Sequoia were not available anymore. Let's hope one pops up and a video and dvd follows. I picked up a Sequoia "big/little book" at a book sale with stills from the movie on every other page. If you are familiar with the movie you will know what big little books are, I guess.

I have read all the listed reviews on this wonderful old film and agree with all the sentiments. I appear to be most fortunate to possess two video copies of the film, one of which is in very good condition. All the children I have shown it to have loved it. Many children these days sneer at the suggestion that anything filmed in black and white could be worth watching. However, upon viewing Sequoia, they soon realize that this is anything but the case. It is sad that when they ask where they can purchase their own copies, that the film is completely unavailable commercially. This seems strange given that it has aired on Pay TV here in Australia, albeit not for 15 years or so. Let's hope a master is discovered and given due treatment for its fans.

Walt Disney wouldn't make his first live action film until 1950, although his True-Life Adventures nature film series begins with Seal Island in 1948. And oddly enough this excellent film about animal friendship and bonding with an ecological message that looks like some kind of fusion between Walt era Disney and gangster era Warner Brothers came from 1930s Golden Era MGM.

There are no big human stars in it - probably the most recognizable actors are Ed Brophy who has a bit part as a forest ranger and Samuel S. Hinds as the author and dad of Toni (Jean Parker). And even then, you'd have to be a real old movie buff to recognize them. But then Clark Gable and Jean Harlow would have just been a distraction in this situation.

This is the story of the deer Malibu and puma Gato who are orphaned as infants, found and adopted by a 17 year old Toni while dad is trying to write his next book, raised together, and released back into the wild as adults, and always remain friends. In the background a romantic relationship results over a several year period between Toni and a sympathetic forest ranger, Bob, as Toni and her dad periodically return to their cabin in the wilderness. The humans in the story are here more as background and support for the animals as they are relentlessly and often illegally pursued by hunter and guide Bergman, a truly hissable villain. He and his companion are often saying how they have to eat too, but Bergman sure does seem to enjoy the actual slaughter of the animals he hunts.

Lots of times the film is like a silent movie, just showing the deer and the puma as they live their lives through the years and sometimes reunite. As for the ending - let's just say it is a good thing the production code did not apply to animals! I still can't figure out how they did the wonderful scenes of the puma and deer licking and preening each other given the limited technology of the time. Highly recommended.

If someone out there, anywhere, has a copy of this movie, I would dearly love to have it and get to see it again. It's been stuck in my mind since I was a little girl and watched it as a television movie. This could be a great family movie and excellent for kids -- including big kids of all ages -- especially animal lovers.