What a terrific movie! I never saw this as a kid, so it doesn't have the emotional pull that it would have for those who did, but its quality is evident throughout: from the glorious scenery shot in rich colour, the evocative story, the mixture of humour and toughness, the excellent lead performances from Yeller and Tommy Kirk as the boy who learns to love, then has to kill the dog.
Most of all there is the constant presence of death throughout - the two boys almost die once (one from a bear, one from pigs), Yeller is threatened with death. This makes it a grown up kids film. Kirk is spot on in the lead role - the film is about maturity, "being a man".
Kevin Corcoran is winning as his brother, and their are some bright support performances from actors such as Chuck Connors. Fess Parker is appropriately granite like as Paw, Dorothy Maguire is alright as Mom, but the only real weak link is the girl who plays Kirk's pseudo-girlfriend. But it's marvellous.
Most of all there is the constant presence of death throughout - the two boys almost die once (one from a bear, one from pigs), Yeller is threatened with death. This makes it a grown up kids film. Kirk is spot on in the lead role - the film is about maturity, "being a man".
Kevin Corcoran is winning as his brother, and their are some bright support performances from actors such as Chuck Connors. Fess Parker is appropriately granite like as Paw, Dorothy Maguire is alright as Mom, but the only real weak link is the girl who plays Kirk's pseudo-girlfriend. But it's marvellous.
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