Valiant | |
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US theatrical poster
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Directed by | Gary Chapman |
Produced by |
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Written by | Jordan Katz |
Starring | |
Music by | George Fenton |
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Release date
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Running time
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76 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $35 million |
Box office | $61,746,888 |
Valiant is a 2005 British computer-animated film produced by Vanguard Animation and Odyssey Entertainment, and released by Entertainment Film Distributors in the United Kingdom on March 25, 2005 and by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on August 19, 2005. Set in May of the year 1944, it tells the story of a group of war pigeons during World War II. Reviews of Valiant were mixed but largely negative. The film is based on a story by Jordan Katz, George Webster and George Melrod, and inspired by true stories of hundreds of pigeons that helped the soldiers in the war.
In May 1944, 5 years since the declaration of World War II, three Royal Homing Pigeon Service war pigeons are flying across the English Channel with the White Cliffs of Dover in sight, carrying vital messages to Great Britain. Despite the poor weather conditions the pigeons have nearly reached their destination. They are, however, suddenly ambushed and attacked by a German enemy peregrine falcon named General Von Talon; two of the pigeons are instantly killed, yet the third, Mercury, is taken as a prisoner of war.
Elsewhere, a small wood pigeon named Valiant is watching an Allied forces propaganda film in his local bar (an overturned rowing boat) in West Nestington. Wing Commander Gutsy, a war hero flies into the bar, informing everyone that signups are scheduled the next day in Trafalgar Square, London. In General Von Talon's lair, Mercury resists interrogation by his captors. Valiant flies off to London, bidding his mother and Felix, the local barman, goodbye. In London, Valiant meets an unhygienic slacker pigeon named Bugsy, who is being hunted by two thugs, after having tricked them at a shell game. In order to escape the thugs, he signs up with Valiant.