Review of Nikki, Wild Dog of the North

I watched "Nikki" (1961) and "Benji the Hunted" (1987) back-to-back today, and since there are not enough things to say about those two films in two separate reviews, it's better to compare them in one. They have very similar storylines (a dog tries to survive in the wilderness) and they are both primarily aimed at kids, but the quality levels differ: "Nikki" (**1/2) is a simple, straightforward, adventurous, well-made Disney tale, while "Benji the Hunted" (*1/2) is a sleep-inducing one. Voice-over narration is often regarded as an annoying gimmick, but the narrator in "Nikki" has a very pleasant voice and agreeable material to work with, while "Benji" omits the narration entirely and replaces it with an obtrusive, often inappropriate music score. In short, "Nikki" is much better.