Main Cast: Daryl Hannah, Pamela Reed, James Remar, Thomas G. Waites, John Doolittle
Release Year: 1986
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Cinematographer Michael Chapman directed this John Sayles adaptation of Jean M. Auel's best-selling ode to Cro-Magnon women. The story begins at the moment in pre-history when the last of the Neanderthal men were becoming extinct and the superior race of Cro-Magnons were starting to supersede them. Focusing on a tribe of wandering Neanderthals who adopt a young girl named, Ayla (played as an adult by Daryl Hannah). She grows tall, lithe, and smart. The Neanderthals quickly accept her into their tribe, but once a tribal member, Ayla begins to question the tribe's male chauvinistic presumptions. Unable to conceive of why only men are given weapons, she takes it upon herself to learn how to use a slingshot. She then questions the tribe's assumptions concerning sexual politics. She learns to count and becomes the assistant to the local medicine expert. As the seasons wear on, the tribe utilizes Ayla's knowledge for their own good while Ayla's continues to try the patience of the tribe with her unspeakable feminist demands. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
Pitched to the interests of teen girls, this simple-minded, semi-feminist tract is set in the dim reaches of a completely undefined prehistory. It tells the story of blond outcast Ayla (Daryl Hannah) who is adopted by the dark, hairy, and aptly-named members of the Cave Bear clan. When she grows up into adulthood her "blond ugliness" does not stop her from being raped by the Neanderthal clan leader. Left to her own devices, Ayla learns how to use weapons, and she is banished just for that fact. Big mistake. In the end, more is needed here than a pseudo, monosyllabic language to bring alive a prehistoric culture and to be convincing to viewers. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Curtis Armstrong - Goov; Karen Austin - Aba; Bart the Bear - the bear; Natino Bellantoni - Gorn; Paul Carafotes - Brug; Joey Cramer - Young Broud; Martin Doyle - Grod; Barbara Duncan - Uka; Nicole Eggert - Middle Ayla; Adel C. Hammond - Vorn; Salome Jens - Narrator; Gloria Lee - Oga; Tony Montanaro - Zoug; Janne Mortil - Ovra; Mike Muscat - Dorv; Lycia Naff - Uba; Keith Wardlow - Crug; John Wardlow - Droog; Christiane Boyce - Baby Durk; Guila Chiesa - Young Girl; Rory L. Crowley - Durc; Amy Cyr - Young Girl; Colin Doyle - Young Boy; Shauna Fanara - Young Girl; Catherine Flather - Baby Durc; Emma Floria - Young Ayla; Pierre Lamielle - Barc; Samantha Ostry - Young Uba; Shane Punt - Young Vorn; Linda Quibell - Aga; Mary Reid - Ayla's Mother; Bernadette Sabath - Ebra; Penny Smith - Ika; Rick Valiquette - Voord; Alan Waltman - Norg
Credit
Guy J. Comtois - Art Director, Richard Kent Wilcox - Art Director, Stan Rogow - Co-producer, Kelly Kimball - Costume Designer, Michael Chapman - Director, Wendy Greene Bricmont - Editor, Mark Damon - Executive Producer, Peter Guber - Executive Producer, John W. Hyde - Executive Producer, Jon Peters - Executive Producer, Alan Silvestri - Composer (Music Score), Michele Burke - Makeup, Michael Westmore - Makeup, Tony Masters - Production Designer, Jan de Bont - Cinematographer, Gerald I. Isenberg - Producer, Kimberley Richardson - Set Designer, Michael A. Clifford - Special Effects, Dewey Gene Grigg - Special Effects, John Wardlow - Stunts, Michael Austin - Screenwriter, John Sayles - Screenwriter, Jean M. Auel - Book Author
Dialogue is conducted mostly through a form of sign language which is translated for the audience with subtitles.
Because the film cost US $15 million to produce and brought in only US $1.9 million domestically, it is considered a box officeflop. There was supposedly a sequel planned which never came to fruition.
It was filmed in the Canadian Rockies, a precursor to the many Hollywood films that would film in Canada soon after. The score was composed by Alan Silvestri.
