Review of Old Yeller

In 1860s Texas, a youngster must act as man of the house when his rancher-father joins a three-month-long cattle drive; he and his ever-patient, ever-smiling mother take in a lovable stray dog who saves his little brother from a bear, and all grow attached to the mongrel even as a strain of hydrophobia spreads throughout the wildlife. Simple, episodic frontier tale given the Walt Disney touch: lots of cute, heart-tugging sentiment, plus a prescient 'circle of life' message at the end. Tommy Kirk gives arguably his best juvenile performance here, and mom Dorothy McGuire beams commendably without lapsing into syrupy goodness. The gorgeous color photography, the warm family narrative, and a jaunty title song all conspired to make the picture a box-office winner, but the main reason it's called a Disney Classic today is because of that dog. Disney did many things right, one of which was picking the very best animal actors for his live-action comedies and adventures. This lop-eared hound is a beauty to behold, and should enchant even non-dog lovers! **1/2 from ****