Movie Review: Old Yeller
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this is one of the finest of the
early Disney dramas. The fight scenes are exciting and the
family scenes are sensitive and evocative. It is a classic
story of loss, and an excellent way to begin a discussion of
those issues.
Families can discuss why Travis doesn't want Old Yeller at first. Why doesn't he want the pup? How does he hurt Elsbeth's feelings? Why does Katie say, "No wonder they didn't want him on no cow drive" about Elsbeth's father?Why did Sanderson trade Old Yeller for the toad and a meal? Why did Sanderson say "that's the way a man talks" when Travis told him that he was a little scared but would take Sanderson's advice? What made that "manly"?
Common Sense Media Review
In 1869 Texas, Jim Coates (
Fess
Parker) says goodbye to his family, as he leaves for three
months to sell their cattle. He tells his older son, Travis
(Tommy Kirk) to take care of his mother, Katie (
Dorothy
McGuire) and his younger brother, Arliss (Kevin Corcoran).
Travis asks his father to bring him back a horse. His father
says that what he needs is a dog, but Travis does not want one.
"Not a dog in this world like old Belle was."
A stray dog comes to their farm and scares the horse, knocking over Travis and knocking down the fence. Travis throws rocks at the dog, saying, "That dog better not come around here while I got a gun." But the dog comes back and Arliss "claims" him, over Travis' objections. Later, Old Yeller saves Arliss from a bear. Travis admits, "He's a heap more dog than I ever figured him for." Yeller turns out to be an outstanding dog for farming and hunting.
Old Yeller fights a wolf that was about to attack Katie. She insists he be tied up, because the wolf would not have attacked unless he had hydrophobia, and Yeller may have been infected. When Yeller becomes vicious, Travis knows he must shoot him.
Jim returns, as Travis and his friend Elsbeth are burying Old Yeller. Jim tells him that the loss of Yeller is "not a thing you can forget. Maybe not a thing you want to forget...Now and then, for no good reason a man can figure out, life will just haul off and knock him flat. Slam him agin' the ground so hard it seems like all his insides is busted. It's not all like that. A lot of it's mighty fine. You can't afford to waste the good part worrying about the bad. That makes it all bad...Sayin' it's one thing and feelin' it's another. I'll tell you a trick that's sometimes a big help. Start looking around for something good to take the place of the bad. As a general rule, you can find it." Jim has brought the horse Travis wanted, but says, "Reckon you ain't in no shape to take pleasure in him yet." Travis goes back to the house, where he sees Yeller's pup, and knows that he won't replace Old Yeller, but will be as good a friend as his father was.
