Greyfriars Bobby

History and Review written by Michael J. Ruhland














Michael's Movie Grade:A+
Year Released:1961

                                                                 History
Greyfriars Bobby was a return to Britian for the Disney studio. Disney started making live action films in Britain with 1950's Treasure Island. This was done because the studio had made money in Britain that the government wouldn't allow to be spent in the U.S.A.. He followed this with three more live action British films, The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, The Sword and the Rose and Rob Roy: The Highland Rouge. Though this ended the studio's original four British films, they would return to Britian occosianlly over the years. Greyfriars Bobby was one of those films. 

It was also the first Disney film directed by Don Chaffey, who later directed The Three Lives of Thomasina and Pete's Dragon (1977) for Disney. Because this film was made in Britain, it didn't feature Disney's usual live action actors and actresses. However some people appearing in this film, had appeared in Disney films before. For instance Laurence Naismith played a small role earlier in Third Man on the Mountain and Duncan Macrae, Andrew Cruickshank and Alex Mackenzie had all played small roles in Kidnapped.

This film was also the next to last film for actor Donald Crisp. Donald Crisp had been appearing in films since 1908 (with a short called The French Maid). Over his career Crisp had appeared in such films as The Birth of a Nation, Broken Blossoms, The Black Pirate, Jezebel, and How Green is my Valley. He also played the mayor in Pollyanna for Disney. He had also worked as a director, co-directing The Navigator with Buster Keaton, and he directed by himself Don Q Son of Zorro starring Douglas Fairbanks.

The film received very positive reviews from critics. However it did not do well at the box office.

Greyfriars Bobby was based on a believed to be true story (or a book about that story) about a dog who guarded his masters grave. However in recent years there has been some argument as to whether the story was actually true. This is because there is now evidence that supports there being two dogs and neither of them belonged to the man whose grave they sat by. However as it often does the legend trumps the fact, on the basis that people love a good story.


                                                                      

                                                        Review

Incredibly moving and heartwarming film.

This is a rather slow paced movie, but it uses that slow place perfectly to it's advantage. The town of Greyfriars is as much a character in this film as Bobby himself. This slower pace lets the atmosphere of this town fully come to life. With the atmosphere being so vivid, the story and characters become more compelling. Every character has a distinct personality that really shows though out the film, and this just adds to the great atmosphere. The scenes involving Old Jock are extremely moving and even profound. This is due to a great sense of atmosphere and great characters.

Like nearly all Disney films of this era, the movie looks really good. The art direction (by Michael Stringer) couldn't be better, and neither could Paul Beesons' cinematography.

A must watch.

                                                  Film Credits
Director: Don Chaffey
Writer: Robert Westerby
Based on a book by Eleanor Atkinson    
Cast: Donald Crisp (James Brown), Laurence Naismith (Mr.. Traill) , Alex Mackenzie (Auld Jock), Duncan Macrae (Sgt. Davie Maclean), Andrew Cruickshank (Lord Provost), Gordon Jackson (Farmer), Rosalie Crutchley (Farmer's Wife), Freda Jackson (Caretaker), Moultrie Kelsall (Magistrate), Joyce Carey (First Lady), Vincent Winter (Tammy), Jameson Clark (Constable), Jack Lambert (Doctor), Joan Juliet Buck (Allie), Hamish Wilson (Hamish), Kay Walsh (Mrs. Brown), Geoffrey Bayldon (Vicar), John Breslin (News Correspondent), Betty Duncan (Woman), Damaris Hayman (Woman), Andrew Keir (Constable), Gerald Lawson (Man), Gennie Nevinson (Farmer's Daughter), Alec Paterson (Doctor), Robin Stewart (Jodie Ross)
Producers: Walt Disney, Hugh Attwool
Music: Francis Chargin
Cinematographer: Paul Beesons
Editor: Peter Tanner
Set Decorator: Vernon Dixon
 Art Director: Michael Stringer
Casting: Maude Spector
Costume Designer: Margret Furse
Makeup Artist: Harry Frampton
Hair Stylist: Barbara Ritchie
Production Manger: Peter Manley
Assistant Directors: Dennis Bertera, Graina O'Shannon
Special Effects: Albert Whitlock
Draughtsman: Norman Dorme
Sound Artists: Red Law, Terry Poultan, Norman Bolland, Malcom Stewart

                                                       Resources Used
 The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054944/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021906/Greyfriars-Bobby-hoax-Dog-kept-vigil-masters-grave-publicity-stunt.html
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Greyfriars%20Bobby

-Michael J. Ruhland
                       

Nikki Wild Dog of the North

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland














Year Released:1961
Michael's Movie Grade:B+

                                              History
Like Perri, Nikki Wild Dog of the North used nature photography to help tell a fictional story. However unlike Perri, This film used both nature footage and footage using human actors.

The nature footage in this film was shot in Canada, and the photographers were sent out to find footage, that fit an already written script. Two different units were sent out to Canada to get the footage. One unit was headed by Jack Couffer, who receives credit as the unit's director. Couffer had already worked as a photographer on three of Disney's nature documentaries, two features (The Living Desert and Secrets of Life) and one short (Islands of the Sea). Nikki Wild Dog of the North was his directorial debut. He would later direct the short film A Country Coyote Goes Hollywood and the feature film The Legend of the Boy and the Eagle for Disney. The other unit was headed by Don Haldane. He receives credit as this unit's director. This is the only time he worked for Disney.

This film naturally had many veterans from Disney's nature documentaries working on it. Winston Hibler had been the narrator for all of the Disney nature documentaries at this time, and had written and produced many of them. Hibler was a producer and writer for this film (though Jacques Fauteux, who had never worked for Disney before or since (in fact this was his only English langue film) was the films narrator).Oliver Wallace who had done the music for many Disney films of all types is once again doing the music here. Photographer Lloyd Beebe had also been a photographer for three of Disney's nature documentaries (The Vanishing Prairie, White Wilderness and The Jungle Cat).

This film featured at least three new photographers. These were William W. Bacon III, Ray Jewell and Donald Wilder. William W. Bacon III would later work on Charlie the Lonesome Cougar, while the other two would never work on another Disney movie.

The story of this movie revolved around an unlikely friendship between a dog and a bear. However this friendship happened in real life, as this movie was being made. Both the dog and the bear used for this film quickly became great friends, and were from all accounts inseparable.

The reviews of the film were very positive. The film did okay at the box office, but it was definitely far from one of Disney's biggest hits.              

                                                                   Review
Excellent film.

This movie is often times very exciting, and even pretty intense. For people who only think of Disney as making cute little movies for kids, the fight scene towards the end must be shocking. In fact for those of us who know better, it is still shocking. The reason for this has little to do with blood (though there is some blood) and gore and much more to do with expert filmmaking. The scene is expertly made and extremely exciting. However this is not the only exciting part of the film. A scene were Nikki fights a bear is equally exciting. It is safe to assume that these scenes would not be as exciting if we didn't care about Nikki, but luckily we do.

On top of this the nature photography for this film is beautiful. Simply every scene that uses this is simply gorgeous to look at. Some of these shots even amaze you as to how they were done, and there are many I admit I don't know how they did.

On the downside this movie can feel like two different movies put together at times. Also the animal actors often outshine the human actors. However this are small problems with an excellent movie.

                                          
                                                             Film Credits
Directors: Jack Couffer, Don Haldane
Writers: Winston Hibler, Ralph Wright, Dwight Hauser
Based on a book by James Oliver Curwood
Cast: Nikki (Nikki), Jean Coutu (Andre Dupas), Émile Genest (Jacques Lebeau), Uriel Luft (Makoki), Robert Rivard (Durante), Jacques Fauteux (Narrator)
Producers: Walt Disney, Winston Hibler, Erwin L. Verity
Music: Oliver Wallace, Evelyn Kennedy, Clifford Vaughan
Photographers: Jack Couffer, Lloyd Beebe, William W. Bacon III, Ray Jewell, Donald Wilder
Editor: Grant K. Smith
Set Decorator: Jack McCullagh
Makeup Artists: Ken Brooke, Barry Nye
Unit Manager: Leo Ewaschuck
Assistant Directors: Jerry Stroll, Phil Hersch
Sound Artists: Robert O. Cook, George Mulholland, André de Tonnancourt
Costumer: Jan Kemp
Animal Trainer: Art Krowchuck

                                                    Resources Used
The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin opening and closing remarks on the film for TCM
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/85030/Nikki-Wild-Dog-of-the-North/articles.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055232/?ref_=tttr_tr_tt
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Nikki%20Wild%20Dog%20of%20the%20North

-Michael J. Ruhland