The Incredible Journey (1963)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This is the kind of family movie that simply isn't made these days, and that is kind of a shame. It is made in a style that doesn't immediately grab the audience and never lets go, but instead floats in front of the audience in a slow but charming way that invites the viewers to freely take on what's happening on the screen. And the movie is certainly missing many of the strident elements found in many modern-day family movies - there are no strident wisecracks or toilet humor. I will admit that the movie is a little slow at times, though at a running time of just eighty minutes, the movie all the same does not overstay its welcome. And while I was glad that the movie did not dub in voices to represent the thoughts of the animals, it was sometimes a little hard to determine what was going on in their thoughts. Also, while the movie is charmingly leisurely, it is a bit TOO leisurely - the various perils the animals face never make you think they are in serious danger. All the same, the movie is a fine antidote to those tired of loud and strident family movies of modern times.

Disney adaptation of the Sheila Burnford novel tells the heart-warming tale of two dogs(a golden retriever & a bull terrier) along with a Siamese cat named Tao whose guardians go away on trips, and through an accident, the three animal friends are left behind so decide to make the long journey back to them because that is what loyal pets do! Along the way, they encounter various animals and people as they grow increasingly hungry and tired, and even get separated for a time before their absence is discovered, which starts a worried search to find these lost furry friends before it is too late... Pleasant and interesting film with fine direction will no doubt appeal most to animal lovers who will recognize the same traits in their own pets.

I was young, yer honour - I was only 11. I'd led a sheltered life. I hadn't developed the hardened shell which has seen me through my adult life.So I quite enjoyed the adventures of Luath (Labrador), Tao (Siamese cat), and the aged Bodger (bull terrier) as they made their way across the wilderness of Canada to find their owners in their new home. Their adventure was exciting, and it held my young attention throughout.What I wasn't prepared for was the wave of distress as it became clear that Bodger hadn't made it, and the way my throat choked up when it became clear he had.It is now 50 years later. I still recognise this as a terrific kids film, although I now remember various bits being very studio bound, and all of it carefully assembled by editing a selection of sequences which the animals had been carefully trained for, and lucky shots. And I am aware of how carefully that closing sequence manipulated the audience's emotions.So why does it still bring tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat just thinking about it?

I loved the book, love the movie because it's so near to the book and always enjoy watching it. Rex Allen's narration is so fitting, his voice so familiar from other nature Disney films about cougars, raccoons, skunks, etc... and how they interact with humans. The updated versions are cute but this one is realistic. They don't have the animals perform tricks that they wouldn't normally perform in a real home, they don't use stop action photography, digital animals, a lot of WOW special effects, or animation. The animals don't sing, dance, surf, or talk to humans. They are just two dogs and a cat who were well trained to take commands on cue and do what the story demanded--find a way home through 250 miles of wilderness. Having dogs and cats myself and watching them as untrained as they are you can see many of the same instincts that the pets display in the movie. Animals are just as expressive as humans, sometimes even more so. This movie is perfect in relating that and just how strong the drive is to get back to the people they belong to and love. It's also perfect for the whole family to enjoy because it's not overly sappy, has true to life adventure, has nothing objectionable that I can think of, and is beautifully shot. It's too bad Disney can't find people who can make a movie like this anymore.