Big Red

Big Red 1962

Big Red 1962

About half way through ‘Big Red’, Big Red the dog jumps out a glass window.  He does this on the eve of the big show where he could win his owner $10,000 dollars at the dog show. This story takes place in either the 40’s when the book was written or in the 60’s when the movie takes place so that’s a lot of mula. Why does he does this? Does he survive? Does the owner get the money? This is the BIG turning point in the film where the dog jumping out of the window with gusto and speed suddenly gives the story some real tension and excitement where up this point not much has happen to make this film stand out in anyway. This dramatic and exciting breathtaking scene doesn’t save the film from being the most boring Disney film ever made. 

Based on a series of books by Jim Kjelgaard , Film critic historian and Disney expert Leonard Maltin says the book doesn’t read well on paper. This doesn’t view well for the book at this point, not having read it. The blurb on the inside page of the book describes the story as ‘Danny had always dreamed of owning a great dog. Finally, in Big Red, he found a true champion. Together they roamed the wilderness hunting, fishing. Together they conquered  a blizard and tracked an outlaw bear.’ This sounds a heck of a lot more interesting then what actually happen in the film.

Blond haired actor Gilles Payant stars in his first and last big movie role EVER as Rene Dumant  (not Danny) who is supposed to be 10 in the film but seems more like 15 in age. He is a Disney orphan who was living with his uncle before he died and then decided to wander around Canada's Quebec Province till he found a job. This wouldn’t probably happen in modern day America as he would be placed in DCF custody. He is walking by one residence in the lush country side when he notices a Red Irish Setter’s paw stuck in the metal wiring of the cage he is in. He frees the dog’s paw only to let him out.  He then meets Walter Pigeon’s James Haggin, a VERY RICH bachelor/widower (I’m not sure which), as the dog starts to run away from the cage. After letting Mr. Haggin know that he is not stealing his dog he is offered a job to take care of his $5000 dollar dog.  $5000.  For a Dog. Big Red was the winner of a dog show where he offered the owner $5000 for the dog. 

Rene is a talented young man. He can play the harmonica and there is an amusing scene where he has a jam session with the caretaker of the dogs and his wife. He played the spoons until his wife got him up to dance to the beat of the harmonica.  He has also been teaching himself how to read English as he speaks French.  Haggin wants to send him to school but the boy doesn’t seem interested.  He tells him that if he goes to school he can get a good job and make money. He asks him if he wants to get rich and he relies that he just wants to be useful. Not a bad moral lesson to take from this film.

The boy is supposed to be prepping him for the big dog show but tries to train him to hunt instead.  The dog becomes so attached to the boy that Haggin orders the boy to stay away from the dog. Of course the boy can’t stay from the dog entirely and has to say goodbye to him on the eve of the big dog show where Haggin has a chance to win $10,000. This is when Big Red jumps out the window injuring himself.

After this scene what follows is Red’s recovery in Rene’s deserted cabin, Red’s affair with Molly the Dog, Their escape from a train after it is stopped by a moose, Rene’s track into the wilderness to find Red and Molly,. The discovery of the dog’s secret cave where Molly goes to have her puppies. Haggin’s trek into the wilderness to find Rene. A confrontation with a mountain lion. Here we find out that Rene is good with a gun. Back then 10 year old’s could carry a hunting rifle with out much fuss about gun permints, back ground checks and other things you need in modern America to make sure unsafe people don’t have them. It all ends with  A happy Disney ending. 

Big Red isn’t a bad movie just a rather boring film. Not much tension, excitement, laughs or real personality sparking from the actors.  If you like Disney films there are much better ones out there. If you like dog movies there are much better ones out there. But if you’re a Disney affectiado it’s not terrible to sit through, although  you might not want to sit though it twice.