• Rating:
• Genre: Children's/Family
• Movie Type: Animal Picture, Family-Oriented Adventure
• Themes: Man's Best Friend
• Director: Norman Tokar
• Main Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Gilles Payant, Emile Genest
• Release Year: 1962
• Country: US
• Run Time: 89 minutes

Plot

Big Red is one of several Disney pictures filmed in Canada during the 1960s. Orphaned Gilles Payant goes to work for wealthy Walter Pidgeon, who raises prize dogs. Pidgeon's particular favorite among his canines is Big Red, who unfortunately resists all efforts to be trained. Young Payant manages to "reach" Big Red, to such an extent that Pidgeon is worried: if the boy and dog become too close, Red will never behave anyone else. Pidgeon orders Payant to stay away from Red until after an upcoming important dog show. The boy disobeys his boss, resulting in a near-tragedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Review

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Disney produced a mini-genre of "animal pictures," including Big Red. Although all of them had humor, many of these tended to be a bit more "serious" in tone, as opposed to the "zanier" comedy of films like The Absent Minded Professor. Big Red is very typical of these films, and it's quite likeable. Yes, it's absolutely manipulative dramatically, but the kids that are its target audience won't really mind, and most parents probably won't be too offended by that either. The film's screenplay is pretty much a by-the-numbers affair, but those numbers do add up to an effective story. It has a rather obvious moral, of course, but it's a good one for its young viewers. And the cast is quite likeable, with Gilles Payant very winning as the boy and Walter Pidgeon appropriately short-sighted but teachable as the adult who doesn't understand the true value of things. Even more importantly, Big Red has an absolutely beautiful and totally lovable canine actor in the title role, who is bound to win most hearts with just a toss of his furry head. Add in some very lovely scenery and some rich, yummy color lensing, and the result is a pleasant little family diversion. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Walter Pidgeon - James Haggin
• Gilles Payant - Rene Dumont
• Emile Genest - Emile Fornet

Janette Bertrand - Terese Fornet
Doris Lussier - Farmer Mariot

Credit

Carroll Clark - Art Director; Edward Colman - Cinematographer; Marvin Aubrey Davis - Art Director; Walt Disney - Producer; Hal G. Gausman - Set Designer; Winston Hibler - Co-producer; Chuck Keehne - Costume Designer; Emile Kuri - Set Designer; Louis Pelletier - Screenwriter; Richard M. Sherman - Songwriter; Robert B. Sherman - Songwriter; Grant K. Smith - Editor; Norman Tokar - Director; Oliver Wallace - Composer (Music Score); Oliver Williams - Composer (Music Score); Pat McNalley - Makeup; Arthur J. Vitarelli - First Assistant Director; Jim A. Kjelgaard - Book Author

Similar Movies

Hills of Home; Lassie Come Home; Old Yeller; Rusty: The Great Rescue; Where the Red Fern Grows; Bingo; Benji; Shiloh; My Dog Skip

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Clifford Big Red Dog	Troy-bilt Big Red
Clifford The Big Red Dog	big red cream soda