Old Yeller (1957)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Fred Gipson (screenplay) &
William Tunberg (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 December 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Drama | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

A motion picture to remember with glowing pleasure!

Plot:

A boy brings a yellow dog home. The dog loves the family as much as they love him, but can the love last ?

Plot Keywords:

Dog | 1860s | Ranch | Cattle | Bear

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Dorothy McGuire	...	Katie Coates
Fess Parker	...	Jim Coates
Jeff York	...	Bud Searcy
Chuck Connors	...	Burn Sanderson
Beverly Washburn	...	Lisbeth Searcy
Tommy Kirk	...	Travis Coates
Kevin Corcoran	...	Arliss Coates

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #18570) (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1974) | Germany:6 | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U (cut)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

A print ad from the Los Angeles Times on Feb. 11, 1958 shows that this film was widely distributed on a double bill in 21 area theaters. Most of the indoor theaters co-featured Ambush at Cimarron Pass (1958) starring Scott Brady, and all of the drive-in theaters co-featured Underwater! (1955) starring Jane Russell and Richard Egan.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Old Yeller catches the catfish and Travis scolds him and Arliss for being in the drinking water, the next scene shows Old Yeller lying on his side perfectly clean and dry.

Quotes:

[Travis has asked how he can tell if a creature has hydrophobia]
Burn Sanderson: You can't hardly tell at first, not till they get to the point of slobbering and staggering around. When you see a critter in that fix, you know for sure. But you want to watch for others that ain't that far along. Now, you take a bobcat or a fox. You know they'll run if you give 'em the chance. But when one don't run, or maybe makes fight at you, why, you shoot him and shoot him quick. After he's bitten you, it's too late.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: He's Too Sexy for His Fat (#2.17)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Old Yeller

Classic! The Best Dog Story Ever!

While there are many really good dog films out there, in my honest opinion, they all submit to the leader of the pack, and that leader's name is Old Yeller. I first saw this film when I was 10 years old, and have been a huge fan ever since. While the acting is superb, and the story is top notch, the real star of this film is the 170 pound Labrador/Mastiff mix named Spike who played the part of Yeller with heart and soul. If you are one of the few in the world who does not know the story of "Old Yeller", be warned that you may shed tears after seeing what many consider to be one of the most heartbreaking scenes in movie history. But that scene only makes you love this movie even more as through tragedy comes hope and learning experiences. Don't miss one of the greatest classics of all time.