BIG RED

US, 1962, 89 minutes, Colour.
Walter Pidgeon, Gilles Payant, Emile Genest.
Directed by Norman Tokar.

Big Red is a pleasant Disney feature of the '60s, focusing on dogs. Dogs are a theme that the Disney Studios do so well - Shaggy Dogs, Old Yeller etc.

Filmed in Canadian forests and mountains, the film is beautiful to look at. It also has excellent red setters which attract the audience. Walter Pidgeon is the elderly owner and trainer. A young orphan comes to his house, trains the dogs, is responsible for the injuries to Big Red, but looks after him and finds him when lost in the mountains.

There are the usual Disney ingredients - fairly low-key, but nicely done.

1.Enjoyable Disney film? Dogs? The appeal of dog films?

2.Canadian locations, beauty? The animals and the scenes, and the way they were photographed? Musical score?

3.The title and the focus on the dog, the opening and the buying of the dog, the large price? Taking him home, training him? Rene and his skill with the dog, James being too severe? The training, the running away, the accident and Big Red being injured? Rene looking after him and bringing him back? His permanent injury? With the dog for breeding? Their running away, in the forest, Rene finding them, the rescue of James? The new brood?

4.James, elderly, severe with the dogs, his ambitions? Crotchety with Emile and Therese? Letting Rene do the work? Turning against him when the dog wouldn't perform well? His reaction to Rene, the injuries? The search for the lost dogs, trapped in the mountains, the puma? The reconciliation? The new brood?

5.Rene, his background, his uncle? Orphan? Skill with dogs? Working with Red, training him? Going to the house when forbidden, Red's escape and injuries? His looking after him? Going away? The escape, finding the dogs in the woods, the puppies? Rescuing James? The reconciliation?

6.Emile and Therese, their work, friendships, advice? The farmer and his cattle? Employing Rene?

7.The perennial appeal for family audiences and children of films about dogs, adventures and difficulties, affection for animals? Training and success?