NEVER CRY WOLF

US, 1983, 100 minutes, Colour.
Charles Martin Smith, Brian Dennehy.
Directed by Carroll Ballard.

Never Cry Wolf is a Walt Disney production, with Jack Couffer (Ring of Bright Water, Darwin Adventure, Raising Daisy Rothschild) and Joseph Strick (James Joyce films) as producers. It was directed by Carroll Ballard, the director of The Black Stallion.

The film is based on a true story and the study of wolves and caribou in the Arctic Circle. The film has the atmosphere of past Walt Disney live adventure films and is beautifully photographed in a Alaska and British Colombia. The film also has a serious tone, a bit too heavy for the very young audiences, the kind of film that teenagers will bypass, a satisfying film more for adults. Charles Martin Smith (from American Graffiti, The Spikes Gang), sustains the film in the role of the scientist left for several months to work observing nature. He has to cope with the harsh conditions, the dangers and his own questioning. There is an ambiguity about the ending and one wishes that the point of view was more specifically expressed. Brian Dennehy has a good supporting role as an adventurous pilot.

An interesting film, a worthy subject - but not quite satisfying because of the lack of clarity in the ending.

1. The appeal of this kind of live action adventure? True story? For what audience was the film made? The blend of entertainment and message?

2. Production values: beautiful location photography in British Colombia, Alaska? The visuals of the Arctic: the wilderness, spectacle, the wild, humans, animals, Eskimo tribes, survival? The weather, seasons? Danger? The audience immersed in this world? Musical score?

3. The philosophy of Tyler: an observer when a child. scientific training, interest in biology and the Arctic? His personal fears? Isolation. having to cope? Identifying with nature and the animals? Using his skills? The reality and dreams of danger? Accidents? Exhilaration? Conservation? The relationship with the Eskimo? Reacting against commercial exploitation? The finale with his friendship with the Intiuks and their way of life?

4. Audience knowledge of the Arctic and reaction to wolves and caribou? The emotional response to the wolves? The landscapes and weather? Audiences identifying with Tyler's fears? Appreciating the ways of scientific observation, gaining of knowledge, recording of information? Tyler and his skills, the flight and the landing, in the middle of the ice with his gear, his taking time to assess his situation, hiding under the canoe, the encounter with Oontek? Oontek's setting him up in his camp? The following of the wolf, staking out the territory and the use of urine for defining territory? The accident in the ice and his using his wits and rifle to come up out of the ice? His skill in observing the life of the wolves? Reaction to the pups? Giving them names? The cultivation of the mice and his mice diet? The variety of ways of cooking and eating? The rats watching? His travels, swimming? Friendship with the two Eskimo and appreciation of Oontek? The swim and the sunbaking and the arrival of the caribou, the noise, the exhilaration of the movement, the wolves chasing and devouring the caribou? The importance of Tyler being naked in the pursuit of the caribou ? in nature with animals (though with his boots on for safety for his feet!)? His discovery of the illness in the bones and marrow of the caribou?

6. Tyler's knowledge of the situation, feeling for it, experiencing it? Being at home in the wilderness? Rosie's comment on finding him again and suggesting he was round the bend? His disgust with the campers and hunters, with Rosie's exploitation and new plane, his trying to shoot Rosie? His friendship with Oontek ? and the humorous helping him to juggle at the end? A bond with the north?

7. Tyler's travel by train, the end of the line, the arrival, the remote township ? with snow and television? His hopes? Buying the beer from Rosie? The style of the town? The humour and danger with the plane trip ? his taking the stick, Rosie going outside the plane to repair it? The landing? The farewell to Rosie? The change when he found Rosie again and the comfort, exploitation, the bottling of the mineral water, the hunters and the shooting? The wolf's tail on Rosie's plane?

8. Rosie as character, man of the wild north, daredevil, excitement rather than boredom, fixing the plane, the discussion of philosophies of life with Tyler? The mercenary man at the end?

9. The portrait of the Eskimos, the Eskimo educated in the south, friendship, translation, a hunter, gun, his losing his teeth (eating sugar rather than meat), gaining new teeth? Oontek and the sled, helping Tyler with his camp, observation, knowledge of nature and wolves, his dignity? Sharing Tyler's experience? Walking away? reappearing? The final bonding image?

10. The significance and insignificance of mankind in nature? Nature and humanity? The exploitation of nature and respect for it?