The Incredible Journey (film)
| The Incredible Journey | |
|---|---|
Original theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Fletcher Markle |
| Produced by |
James Algar Walt Disney |
| Written by | James Algar |
| Based on |
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford |
| Starring |
Émile Genest John Drainie Tommy Tweed Sandra Scott |
| Narrated by | Rex Allen |
| Music by | Oliver Wallace |
| Cinematography | Kenneth Peach |
| Edited by | Norman R. Palmer |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
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Release date
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November 20, 1963 |
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Running time
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80 min. |
| Country | United States Canada |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4.2 million (US/Canada) (rentals) |
The Incredible Journey is a 1963 live-action Walt Disney film based on the novel The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. Narrated by Rex Allen, the film follows the adventure of three pets, Luath the Labrador Retriever, Bodger the Bull Terrier, and Tao the Siamese cat (Syn), as they journey 250 miles through the Canadian wilderness to return to their home.
Syn Cat was also in the title role of the Disney film That Darn Cat! (1965).
The film was mostly well received for the nature scenes as well as for Rex Allen's narration, however, the human scenes, including the climatic ending got mixed to negative reviews, stating that the human scenes had interrupted the mood of the film.
The Hunter family receive a telegram detailing that the father, James, has been offered a visiting fellowship at Oxford University in England. However, their two children, Peter and Elizabeth, worry about what is to be done with their two dogs, Luath the young Labrador Retriever and Bodger the elderly English Bull Terrier, along with their Siamese cat Tao, while they are away. Family friend John Longridge offers to convince the animals to stay with him at his house in Northwestern Ontario, so that is what is arranged.
After a few days of having the animals in his care, John leaves for the opening day of duck hunting season, so he leaves his housekeeper Mrs. Oakes and her husband Bert to look after his house and the animals while he is absent. Soon after John drives away, Luath hears the calls of wild geese overhead, returning home. This makes him want to do the same, so he starts off down the road and Tao and Bodger soon follow after him. Later, Mrs. Oakes arrives at John's house expecting to see the animals, but cannot find them. Then she finds half of a note that John had written that appears to imply that he took the animals with him on the trip (however, the other half of it was accidentally knocked into the fireplace by the cat, but Mrs. Oakes doesn't realize this).
Now, well on their way home, the animals stop at a river to have a drink of water, but have to hide from a passing truck in case they are recognized. After that, they continue on. By the next morning, old Bodger is very tired and is beginning to slow down, so the animals stop for a rest in a clearing and wait for Bodger to regain his strength. Tao goes off into the brush to hunt a quail while the old dog rests. Soon, two bear cubs happen upon Bodger and investigate him, but then their mother arrives on the scene. The mother bear, thinking Bodger has been hurting her cubs, threatens to attack him; the cat witnesses this and in turn attacks her in trying to protect his friend. However, Tao eventually backs up, frightened. Finally, Luath sees the bear and what is going on and starts barking furiously; this, combined with the yowling, spitting cat, is enough to cause the mother bear to back down and run away.
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