The Great Disney Movie Challenge: Movies 61-70

Watching Every Disney Movie Ever Made is no small feat. At this point, we have realized that if we finish by the time our oldest daughter graduates in 2025, we are doing well. If you’re sticking with just the animated movies it takes much less time, but add in all of the live action Disney movies and you are in for a LONG haul! Truth be told though, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s been rewarding to see the girls fall in love with old classics, and it’s been amazing for me as a long time Disney fan to watch the progression through each of the movies.

To see our list (and watch along if you wish!) check out our OG blog post, Every Disney Movie Ever Made, here. You can print the full list with all of the movies (like us), choose animated movies only, or download our master list organized by category. Our other posts up to this point are: Movies 1-10 (Snow White, Pinocchio and Dumbo), Movies 11-20 (Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland), Movies 21-30 (Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp), Movies 31-40 (Old Yeller, Davy Crockett), Movies 41-50 (Sleeping Beauty, The Shaggy Dog), and Movies 51-60 (Swiss Family Robinson, 101 Dalmatians).

This next set of movies includes many lesser known films and no animated features. This was a bit of a dry spell to be honest, but it does include a cult classic, “Babes in Toyland,” and a few that we hadn’t seen but really enjoyed… as well as a few stinkers and one we couldn’t find.

Here are the movies you’ll find covered in this blog post:

61. Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (Jul 12,1961)
62. Greyfriars Bobby (Jul 17,1961)
63. The Horsemasters (Oct 1,1961)
64. Babes in Toyland (Dec 14,1961)
65. Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates (Jan 7,1962)
66. Sancho, the Homing Steer (Jan 28,1962)
67. Moon Pilot (Feb 9,1962)
68. The Prince and the Pauper (May 6,1962)
69. Bon Voyage! (May 17,1962)
70. Big Red (Jun 6,1962)

 

61. Nikki, Wild Dog of the North
watched April 25th, 2020

Release Date: Jul 12, 1961
Original Release: Theatrical Release
Run Time: 74 min
Where to Watch: YouTube (rental)
Awards: None
Jones Family Rating: 4 out of 10
Tagline: “The wild country was only for the brave… survival only for the fittest… man or beast!”

Disney Park Connections: While not necessarily an intentional connection, you can’t deny that the aesthetic of the Canadian Rockies (where the film is set) finds its way into a number of attractions and resorts; such as: Grizzly River Run and the Redwood Creek Challenge (in DCA), Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Campground and Cabins (in WDW).

About: Another wilderness/animal film based off of a book (“Nomads of the North”), this film chronicles a half wolf/half dog called “Nikki” and his kindhearted owner Andre. The “adventure” follows the pair as they canoe through the Canadian Rockies. They encounter a mama bear and her cub, and sadly mom is killed which leads Andre to an idea: he ties the bear cub and pup together on a short string and takes them on the canoe with him into the river rapids.

The bear and pup are separated from Andre, and we follow along as they have to figure out how to survive alone without the help of their person (but first, how to detach themselves from each other!). The unlikely pair work together for safety and food. Once the bear goes into hibernation for the winter, Nikki is left to fend for himself. A clever dog, he is able to get the bait off of traps without getting caught, which enrages a trapper named Jacques who becomes the chief antagonist. Jacques witnesses Nikki kill a wolf and decides the next best thing to killing him would be to sign him up for dog fighting, which takes us into the brutal world of this illegal “sport” and proves to be a difficult and unnecessary plot point. Luckily, noble Andre is there to save the day.

A few extra tidbits… There is conflicting info as to whether the film is set in the Yukon or the Rockies. (It was filmed in Kananaskis Country, Alberta.) Either way, it’s cold, there are mountains, and it is Canada. Also, the film was dubbed in French by all of the original actors.

Our Impressions: While it’s not one of our favourite movies, we did get a chuckle out of the Canadian representation. We loved spotting the iconic Hudson Bay sweater as well! There was red plaid (a Canadian staple!), and the background scenery was equal parts familiar and breathtaking to us. Addie and Lexie bailed on the movie, not even making it half way, so that brought the general score down. We did note that we doubt it will ever be on Disney+ as the animal cruelty and graphic dog fights were very difficult to watch. There was at least adventure, celebration of the great outdoors and cute animals; those are the pieces that got us through this one.

Suggested Special Activity: Can you even watch a Canadian movie and not eat poutine? We don’t think so! So this is of course what we had for dinner while watching the movie. Poutine is simply fries (bake in an air fryer if you have one!), cheese curds and gravy. I make a quick roux (2 tbsp oil or butter and 2 tbsp flour), and then add 3-4 cups low sodium chicken stock, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, a little grainy mustard, a little dark amber maple syrup (for Canada!) and you are good to go.

62. Greyfriars Bobby
watched April 25th, 2020

Release Date: Jul 17, 1961
Original Release: Theatrical Release
Run Time: 91 min
Where to Watch: Disney+, YouTube (rental)
Awards: None
Jones Family Rating: 2 out of 10
Tagline: “Such a tiny dog to create such a big fuss!”

Disney Park Connections: None

About: Set in Scotland, this film tells the true story of a Skye Terrier who guarded his master’s grave for 14 years after the master died. There are several adaptations of the story, including books and movies. The story is a simple one: A Scottish couple owns Bobby, and yet the true master in his heart is the farmer “Auld Jock.” When Auld Jock is fired, he leaves and goes to Edinburgh and is followed by Bobby. Sadly, he dies in an inn and is buried in “Greyfriar’s Kirkyard.” Bobby goes to the grave nightly and sleeps there. Nothing can dissuade Bobby from his master’s grave and the dog becomes an important member of the town, loved by all. However, conflict occurs when it is discovered that Bobby is without a license and therefore may be put down. The kids in the town come to the rescue and the legend is made.

Our Impressions: We were in full lock down when we watched this film, so we decided to make it a double-header with “Nikki, Wild Dog of the North” which was just over an hour long. (Really wanted to knock off some of these older films as fast as possible!) This proved to not be the best strategy as this film was quite dry and difficult to watch in light of personal circumstances at the time. The film seemed to be well received upon release, but we found it to be another one and done.

Suggested Special Activity: I really didn’t have a ton of creative juices for this one so I just printed Skye Terrier pictures for the girls to colour and called it a day. Any Scottish recipe would be an excellent choice here, and there are no shortage of ideas when it comes to that thanks to Pinterest.

63. The Horsemasters
watched April 26th, 2020

Release Date: Oct 1, 1961
Original Release: Television Release (in two parts)
Run Time: 90 min
Where to Watch: YouTube (free)
Awards: None
Jones Family Rating: 4 out of 10
Tagline: N/A

Disney Parks Connection: Another film that doesn’t have a direct correlation, but you can visit the Campsites at Fort Wilderness Lodge and Tri-Circle-D Ranch where you can ride horses on property. You can visit and learn about the 8 different horse breeds, and then sign up for trail rides, pony rides, carriage rides and more.

About: While not a super familiar film today, it unfortunately had a fair share of bad press back in the day. You don’t have to dig very hard to learn that “Disney Darling” Annette Funicello spoke out about numerous affairs that occurred between the cast and crew, as well as the abuse that she experienced as “Disney’s Pet.” On a positive note, the song featured in the film, “Strummin’ Song,” is the first song written by the notorious Sherman Brothers, and is performed by Annette in the film.

The story itself is unfortunately not very compelling. Filmed in England, and based off a novel written not too long before the film premiered in 1957, it follows a group of young people that sign up for a 16 week horsemanship course. The school is strict, and to be taken seriously. They learn the art of sportsmanship, how to properly take care of a horse, jumping and dressing. It’s pretty much as exciting as reading that sentence to be honest.

Our Impressions: We lost my husband in a big way on this one. He just doesn’t have an infinity for horse films, and found it to be mundane and predictable. I, on the other hand, always find Annette (and Tommy Kirk for that matter) charming and enjoyable, so for that reason alone I do think it’s worth watching. I liked Annette’s character, and found the interactions between the young people interesting. It also has the actress from Darby that we liked, Janet Munro. Lexie (our youngest) said, “they took all of our favourite actors and put them in THIS movie!”

Suggested Special Activities: We did a simple version of “pin the tail on the pony.” I had my daughter draw the horse and tails, and we just had a good ‘ole time playing. Even with adults this game is a hit. I always giggle when you see how far off people can get (works best if they can’t actually see!). Another idea would be to watch the Goofy short “How to Ride a Horse,” which is on Disney+, as a fun tie-in.

64. Babes in Toyland
watched December 29th, 2019

Release Date: Dec 14, 1961
Original Release: Theatrical Release
Run Time: 105 min
Where to Watch: Disney+
Awards: Nominated for a wack of awards including two Academy Awards (Best Costume Design and Best Music, Scoring), one Golden Globe (Best Picture – Musical), one Grammy (Best Soundtrack Album), one Writers Guild of America (Best Written American Musical), and it won a Laurel Award for Top Musical Score (while also nominated for a second, Top Musical).
Jones Family Rating: 9 out of 10
Tagline: “It’s Bright! It’s Wonderful! A Musical Holiday of Fun for Everyone!”

Disney Parks Connection: The toy soldiers in the film can often be found in the Christmas parades at the parks!

About: This film is based off of an operetta from 1903 and has been adapted several times, including this “OG” version (in my opinion), as well as a version in the 80’s with Drew Barrymore  and Keanu Reeves (which is sadly not Disney). Walt originally pitched it as an animated feature (I’d LOVE to see those storyboards!), but three years after it was scheduled as such it switched to become Disney’s first live action musical. After several disagreements between Walt and Ward Kimball (selected to produce and direct), including one about who should play Mary (Walt obviously won that one!), Kimball was kicked off the project. He was still credited as screenwriter, but demoted to directing only the 15 minute toy soldier scene (Jack Donohue took over as director). Disney had also wanted Dean Jones for the role of Tom, but unfortunately lost that one (teen heartthrob Tommy Sands landed the role instead).

Annette has said that Babes is her favourite of all the films she made (and dare I say, that enjoyment shines through). Part of that seems to be attributed to the delightfulness of the Toy Maker actor Ed Wynn, whom Tommy Kirk said everyone loved working with. Walt took a lot of liberties with the film, changing plot points, tempo of the songs, and in some cases even the lyrics and feel of the songs. Most notably, the song “Toyland” went from a ballad to a march. The film boasts 15 songs, and most were written by Victor Herbert, adapted by George Bruns, with lyrics by Mel Leven.

Stylistically, it was filmed like a stage production and starts with Mother Goose and her hilarious talking Goose “Sylvester.” They inform us that Mary Contrary and Tom Piper are about to be married. Enter the villainous Barnaby and his two dimwitted sidekicks Gonzorgo (played by Henry Calvin whom we’ve seen before in Toby Tyler and Zorro) and Roderigo (played by Gene Sheldon who seems to be known for his pantomime shtick, in that he also doesn’t talk in Zorro). Barnaby’s endgame is to force Mary to marry him, so he hires the two goons to steal Mary’s sheep and throw Tom in the “bottom of the sea.” In a catchy little villain tune, the sidekicks decide instead to sell Tom to the gypsies in order to be paid twice and trick Mary into thinking her beloved Tom is dead. During the ceremony for Barnaby and Mary, gypsies are hired as the entertainment and, “SURPRISE!,” Tom reveals himself making all things well for now.

For the next obstacle Mary and the village children head into the “Forest of No Return” to find her lost sheep. (Side note: Did they mash up two Mother Goose fairy tales into one then with Mary? She’s both Mary Mary Quite Contrary AND Little Bo Peep? Or is that just a coincidence?) Once in the forest, the trees come to life and lead everyone to the Toy Maker for what I believe to be the most enjoyable parts of the movie. The Toy Maker’s assistant Grumio (none other than our fave, Tommy Kirk) succeeds in creating a toy making machine which the impatient Toy Maker promptly breaks. Barnaby once again enters the scene and threatens to destroy Tom and Mary’s happiness; but alas, he does not succeed. The final battle with toy soldiers is a delight and happily ever after is achieved, as well it should in a Disney movie.

Our Impressions: As you may have noticed, we actually watched this one out of chronological order. For whatever reason, I felt really strongly that this needed to be the first movie that our family watched together from Disney+. I just loved it as a kid, and it felt like it was time to introduce the girls to it. It’s considered a “Christmas movie” (although I use that term VERY loosely), and was truthfully one of the major factors in starting the movie challenge in the first place!

The girls enjoyed it, but it’s definitely a weird and pretty disjointed movie. There are enchanting elements, but over all it’s a bit choppy. The star of the show is certainly Mary, played by the beautiful and darling Annette. The Toy Maker is also a highlight as Ed Wynn is always hilarious. The songs stick with you, and there are parts that take you by surprise (ok, not like in a huge way), make you feel the feels, and get you laughing. To me, it doesn’t get a whole lot more classic than Babes in Toyland!

Suggested Special Activities: I had a really hard time getting the creative juices flowing for this one. You could go all out and do a Toy Factory or a Mother Goose themed party. My girls are getting older, though, so it just seemed really young. We finally settled on reading the poem “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” and had the girls make little gardens representing the poem. Thank goodness for dollar stores… pick up some pots, some dirt, and some flowers to plant. Have the kids paint or decorate the pots. (Don’t forget the silver bells and cockle shells!) It was a fun little project and they sure are cute keepsakes!

65. Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
watched August 29th, 2020

Release Date: Jan 7, 1962
Original Release: Television Release (in two parts)
Run Time: 90 min
Where to Watch: Disney DVD
Awards: Nominated for a Primetime Emmy (Best Art Direction in a Live Television Program)
Jones Family Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Tagline: “An Adventure in Courage”

Disney Parks Connections: None; however, there is an “ode” to Holland in “it’s a small world.”

About: Set in 1860 Holland, this movie (based off of a book of the same name) tells the story of a fisherman and his family. There are several other renditions of the story, including a 50 minute NBC film, and a very loose Disney Channel remake called “Brink!” in the late 90’s.

Hans is a wonderful artist but has to put aside his talent to support his family when his fisherman father is injured in an accident. In a difficult scene to watch, his father hits his head while replacing the dyke in a storm. Unfortunately the father hid the family savings somewhere in the house, but due to the head injury he’s unable to remember where. After much effort the family are also unable to find it. Hans quits school to take care of the family, and soon he and his sister go to Amsterdam to find an expensive brain doctor that can help their father. It is here in the big city that Hans is noticed for his artistic talent, falls in love with a girl, and discovers a nemesis in the jealous Ludwig.

Hans and his sister realize that their last hope to save the family is to compete in the annual ice skating competition as the grand prize is cash. The poorer families (Hans included) skate on wooden skates, but Hans still advances in the boys race, while his sister and love interest both advance in the girls. Of course, Hans has to face his rival Ludwig in the final race. Before that can happen Hans stops a thief and is rewarded with enough money to buy proper silver skates (hence the name of the book/film). At one point Hans has a dream which is actually animated, making for a nice stylistic touch. Following the film we read that the original book played a big part in popularizing the sport of speed skating!

Our Impressions: After looking for several months for a digital copy of this film, we ordered it from good ol’ Amazon. (If I lived in the US, I would’ve ordered it sooner on shopDisney!) We enjoyed that it was something very different from the other films up to this point. It celebrated Dutch history in a way that felt endearing. We also loved the Christmas elements (putting oranges in their wooden shoes and “Saint Nicholas Eve”). I would like to get the book out of the library, as it was a very sweet story. We loved that their names were Hans and Gretel (and noticed the actual story of “Hansel and Gretel” opens the film… clever). Our favourite quotes were: “The Lord created the Earth, but the Dutch made Holland,” and, “Even on Sundays the devil can brew a storm.”

Our girls did NOT appreciate that the female ice skate race was a mere 4 miles, while the male race was a whopping 26 miles… they didn’t think this to be fair at all! We enjoyed the gentleness of the film, the suspense of the races, and the heart with which it was told. It certainly was refreshing to watch a film that wasn’t about a boy and his dog, horses, or cowboys.

Suggested Special Activities: Anything related to Holland is going to be a wonderful choice here. If you want to keep if really simple, you could do hamburgers (as they ate burgers after church in the movie). I actually purchased Stroopwafles (which you can also make; but with a movie a day, who has time for that!) and put it over a hot cup of coffee like they do in Europe. They are EXCELLENT and it’s a perfect treat with the movie (for kids, just do a steamed milk with some flavoured syrup).

66. Sancho, the Homing Steer
have not yet watched

Release Date: Jan 21, 1962
Original Release: Television Release (in two parts)
Run Time: 85 min
Where to Watch: N/A
Awards: None
Jones Family Rating: N/A
Tagline: N/A

About: Sancho is a pet steer, but gets into some trouble when he nearly ruins a cattle drive. He embarks on a solo journey back home, all 1200 miles, and runs into different obstacles on his quest.

Our Impressions: Unfortunately, we are yet to find this film. You can get it from a sketchy site where it’s obviously pirated, but we just don’t feel like that’s something we want to do so we will wait until there is an appropriate way to watch it. I did watch the 14 minute preview on YouTube and I think it will be enjoyable (although I have been known to be wrong about these things).

Suggested Special Activities: From the preview I noticed that they make tortillas, so that’s what I plan on doing when we watch the film.

 

67. Moon Pilot
watched April 28th, 2020

Release Date: Feb 9, 1962
Original Release: Theatrical Release
Run Time: 98 min
Where to Watch: YouTube (rental), Amazon Prime (rental)
Awards: None
Jones Family Rating: 7 out of 10
Tagline: “A funny thing happened to me on my way to the moon…”

Disney Park Connections: The first of MANY to come, this movie uses NASA as a major plot point. The obvious park connection for this one is Mission: SPACE in Epcot. The other (very, very loose) park connection is the Pacific Wharf area in Disney’s California Adventure. You can buy delicious sour dough bread bowls with soup there, and the Wharf area is reminiscent of San Francisco for sure, which is where the film is set.

About: NASA astronaut Captain Talbot is assigned (voluntold, if you will) to be part of the first manned flight around the moon (following the success of Charlie’s flight… Charlie being a chimpanzee). He is selected from a field of eight top astronauts after Charlie stabs him with a fork, causing Talbot to jump up and “volunteer.” Before leaving, he visits his mom and runs into a beautiful women (Lyrae), whom he immediately becomes suspicious of, thinking that she must be a spy. “Federal Security” is called as Talbot’s protective detail, which was Disney’s workaround to avoid saying FBI (yet they still ended up at odds with the organization in real life for what the FBI considered to be a poor portrayal of the Bureau).

It’s revealed that Lyrae is actually an alien from another planet, sent to warn Talbot that his mission will fail unless his rocket has “anti-proton ray coating.” Talbot then puts his foot down until he is able to succeed in convincing the Major to apply the coating. To avoid spoiling the ending of the film I will stop here, but let it be known that another odd turn is still to come.

As far as the acting goes, we enjoyed seeing a young Sally Field (in her first film, very small part) as well as Tommy Kirk (a family fave) and Brian Keith (played the dad in “The Parent Trap”), but we thought he really overacted in this film which made him significantly less enjoyable to watch.

Our Impressions: I think one of the most interesting this about this challenge has been the unpredictability of the movies. Some movies sound TERRIBLE and turn out to pleasantly surprise us. Others we have high hopes for and they fall flat. This movie has all of the makings of being great, but to me it ended up being weird and disappointing. Is it a space movie? An animal movie? A movie celebrating San Francisco? And now there’s aliens? Dan and the girls all quite liked it… and it did keep the girls attention (pretty rare in this set of movies). They all thought it was clever and fun. We all loved the tie to SF, mostly because we had just been there as a family and have amazing memories of our visit. So that’s why it collectively has a higher score than I would give it by myself.

Suggested Special Activity: Anything NASA themed will do, and there is no lack of ideas for a NASA themed party on Pinterest. We didn’t want to go that route (mostly because we saw that there are like a dozen more NASA movies coming up), so we went with something completely different. Since part of the movie is set in San Francisco, we made Sourdough Clam Chowder. We purchased a large bread bowl and I made the chowder in my slow cooker. It couldn’t have been easier: 2 cans clams in juice, one 12 ounce can of evaporated milk, 2 cans cream of potato soup, one can cream of celery soup. Seasoned liberally with Old Bay Seasoning (because, San Francisco) and salt and pepper. I threw in a bay leaf for good measure as well. Cooked on high for 2 hours, hollowed out a sourdough bread, and voila… dinner! Dan has had a lot of clam chowder in his lifetime and he approved, so I’ve saved the recipe for another time!

68. The Prince and the Pauper
watched May 1st, 2020

Release Date: May 6, 1962
Original Release: Television Release (in three parts)
Run Time: 93 min
Where to Watch: Disney+, YouTube (rental)
Awards: None
Jones Family Rating: 4.5 out of 10
Tagline: “The fate of an empire in the hands of a beggar boy!”

Disney Park Connections: None

About: A retelling of the classic Mark Twain story; two boys (one rich, one poor) trade places and learn what it feels like to live in another’s shoes. Tom, a poor pauper (with an abusive father), longs for the life of a king. The prince, longs for a simple life of ordinary pleasure. They switch places, and learn to be grateful for what you have. Set and filmed in London, this film uses the mirror technique that was utilized earlier in “The Parent Trap,” with one little boy acting both parts. I wish there were more interesting things to say; but alas, here we are.

Our Impressions: We are very familiar with this particular story (our girls watched a lot of Barbie movies growing up, so there are two versions of this story that were on repeat in our house!). It’s compelling enough in that it’s easy to follow, and interesting to see the creative license each film version of the story takes. We noticed that it was filmed on the same set as Greyfriars Bobby, which was fun. What wasn’t fun was that this film chose a more serious tone to tell the story, instead of a more whimsical one like the Mickey version from 1990 and the Barbie version.

It had some very heavy parts (the boy is whipped), and the moral of the story (learning to fare in another’s shoes) came across heavy handed, instead of simply saying that it’s important to be grateful for what you have. The girls picked up on the morals being presented, and that the King learned how to have compassion for his people. They also observed that the pauper is good at leveraging relationships and a quick learner. It goes in the “glad we watched it, don’t need to watch it again” category, much like the bulk of live-action films we’ve watched up to this point. 

Suggested Special Activity: Because I like anything food related, we did pizza crowns! These were a HUGE hit. You can make your own pizza dough recipe (I do mine in a bread maker, but there are a zillion fast and easy recipes). Pre-bake the crowns for 2-3 min. Add homemade (or store bought) pizza sauce and toppings. I like the cured pepperoni to make into little rounds, and the girls love olives on their pizzas! Let the kids decorate. Bake, and voila! Pizza crowns! I also think (if you are okay with more screen time), that it’s fun to show the 25 min Mickey Mouse version of this film as well (on Disney+) for comparison. If you’re really keen, read the original book by Mark Twain ahead of time.

69. Bon Voyage!
watched May 2nd, 2020

Release Date: May 17, 1962
Original Release: Theatrical Release
Run Time: 130 min
Where to Watch: YouTube (rental), Amazon Prime (rental)
Awards: Nominated for two Academy Awards (Costume Design and Sound)
Jones Family Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Tagline: “When these fun-loving Americans arrive… look out, Paree!”

Disney Park Connections: We have to shout out the France Pavilion in Epcot for this one; the Eiffel Tower is the beautiful main feature and you can get authentic French food and shopping experiences. Another connection is Disney’s own cruise ships from Disney Cruise Line, considering that much of this film is set on an ocean liner. For the left-field connections, there’s a little girl holding a Mickey Mouse doll on the cruise ship, eerily similar to the little girl in Tower of Terror (once at Disneyland, now at Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney). Coincidence? We will let you decide. There is also a “Bon Voyage” Adventure Breakfast at the restaurant Trattoria al Forno on the Boardwalk at Walt Disney World, which features a number of popular Disney characters.

About: A family of five (same as ours!) travels from New York to Europe via cruise ship. The parents have spent their whole marriage saving and preparing for trip (one of the boys notes, “Mom, do you know that I watched you plan for this trip since I was little?”), but they kept having to postpone as life got in the way (including the 3rd kid that was a surprise!). They make it to the cab drive, and loose everything from their things to each other (feels SO real, amiright?)

Things (of course) don’t go as planned for the family… starting with losing their luggage AND each other before even boarding the ship (feels SO real, amirite?), and continuing with the teenagers getting involved with “the wrong crowd,” Dad and Skipper getting lost in the underground sewer system, and so much more!

The film is based off of a book written by a husband and wife duo after their own trip across the Atlantic. Interestingly, Walt Disney is quoted as saying, “It’s far out for us, but still Disney.” We didn’t feel the film to be a huge departure, but I wonder if the familiar faces in the case helped.

On that note, we did learn that Tommy Kirk doesn’t have great things to say about filming this one… apparently the actress that played his mother made things unpleasant and difficult on set. We hate hearing negative things from behind the scenes about films that bring such delight!

Our Impressions: Finally, after a bunch of dramas and weird live action films, we’ve got another lighthearted comedy. Featuring the fabulous (and incredibly enjoyable) Fred MacMurray and our two favourite “brothers” (Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran). We delighted in this film from beginning to end. The opening sequence is SO CLOSE to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, we have to think that this film influenced the later. Overall the movie just felt fresh and different. From the elevator lurkers to learning that in the 60’s you could have a family passport (5 people on one!), just so much fun! It’s a wee bit on the long side (and by a wee bit, I mean it’s over two hours!), but it’s enjoyable and I recommend it.

Suggested Special Activities: We love anything to do with Paris! You could do a Paris tea party with French bread and other goodies. We made Eiffel Towers out of wafers (available at our local dollar store for $1 in a bunch of fun flavours!) and hot glue. You could also use a royal icing if you want to eat them after. We had a ton of fun constructing them, with various levels of success in the final product.

70. Big Red
watched May 3rd, 2020

Release Date: Jun 6, 1962
Original Release: Theatrical Release
Run Time: 89 min
Where to Watch: YouTube (rental), Amazon Prime (rental)
Awards: None
Jones Family Rating: 6 out of 10
Tagline: “In one decisive moment… a courageous boy and a Big Red dog teach a brave man the meaning of devotion!”

Disney Parks Connection: None

About: Another boy and his dog movie, this one based on the novel of the same name and filmed in the beautiful province of Quebec, Canada. Big Red is an Irish Settler that prefers playing free outside instead of being a prestigious show dog (lets face it, who wouldn’t?). Hired to take care of the dogs, 10 year old orphan Rene takes a liking to Big Red in particular, so of course they become inseparable. Trouble brews when Mr. Haggin (the dog’s owner) realizes that Red has taken to Rene as his master instead, so he forbids Rene to see Red (has that ever worked?).

Due to the forbidden relationship, both Big Red and Rene become more and more desperate to see each other causing Red to jump out of the house window and cut himself, jeopardizing his chances of becoming an award winning show dog. The dog is released to be with Rene, but Red finds a dog named Molly and they have puppies together. Then, of course, as is the custom for these older live action movies, there’s an encounter with a mountain lion. Rene and Red save the day, happy ending for all.

Our Impressions: We were thrown for a loop when the movie started in Quebecois (Canadian French). We thought maybe we had somehow paid for the French version! Our girls are in French Immersion so they were able to translate, and it did move into English after the opening scene. The cinematography was very beautiful, largely in part because of the Quebec location. We enjoyed the show dog parts, as well as the sweetness of the relationship between boy and dog. We got a kick out of the part when Red and Molly have puppies and Red wants to be in the room with Molly, as Rene says, “Watch out Red, a Father only gets in the way!”

Suggested Special Activities: We made “Big Red Pup-Corn!” Two bags of microwave popcorn (you can make air popped if you prefer!) and literally just as many edible red things as you can find to put in the bowl. If you can find larger nonpareils, that’s fun; as well as the round sour cherry candies (I got some at Goofy’s Candy Co. last time I was there!). The unwrapped mini red Starbursts are fun too. Plus red jellybeans are always a good call (you can buy single color Jelly Belly’s at a lot of places). We just found things at Michaels and around the house… Twizzlers, two sizes of sprinkles, red candy melts and red jujubes.

Alternatively, we suggest having your kids draw a dog that they would want as a pet (what kid doesn’t dream about that sort of thing?) Then make a collar for their dog and come up with a name. There was also a show dog race in the movie, so you could watch real show dog races  on YouTube or live in-person (we recently went to the PNE in Vancouver, which has a live dog show and the girls all loved it!).

Have you seen any of these movies? We LOVE to hear from you! Stay tuned for the next 10 movies… coming soon!

Have a magical day!
Erica