Born Free (1966)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

James Hill
(more)

Writers (WGA):

Joy Adamson (book)
Lester Cole (screenplay) (originally as Gerald L.C. Copley)

Release Date:

22 June 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Drama | Adventure

Tagline:

From The Pages Of The Beloved Best Seller... A Motion Picture To Delight All The World!

Plot:

Joy Adamson and her husband, Kenya game warden George Adamson, raise Elsa, a lion cub. When Elsa approaches maturity...

Plot Keywords:

Animal Attack | Elephant | Death | Duology | Rifle

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Virginia McKenna	...	Joy Adamson
Bill Travers	...	George Adamson
Geoffrey Keen	...	Kendall
Peter Lukoye	...	Nuru
Omar Chambati	...	Makkede
Bill Godden	...	Sam
Robert S. Young	...	James (as Robert Young)
Bryan Epsom	...	Baker
Geoffrey Best	...	Watson
Robert Cheetham	...	Ken
Surya Patel	...	Doctor

Directed by
James Hill
Tom McGowan		(uncredited)

Writing credits (WGA)
Joy Adamson		(book)
Lester Cole		(screenplay) originally as Gerald L.C. Copley

Produced by
Sam Jaffe	....	producer
Paul B. Radin	....	producer (as Paul Radin)

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Kenneth Talbot		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Don Deacon

Production Management
Sidney G. Barnsby	....	production supervisor
L.C. Rudkin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William P. Cartlidge	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
Claude Hitchcock	....	sound recordist
Bob Jones	....	sound recordist (as Robert Jones)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Anstiss	....	camera operator (as Rodney Anstiss)
Tom Watson	....	gaffer
Wally Wheatley	....	grip
John Jay	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gordon Davie	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Sidney Margo	....	music contractor (uncredited)

Other crew
George Adamson	....	chief technical adviser
Carl Foreman	....	presenter
Hal Mason	....	production coordinator
Jane Oscroft	....	production secretary
Kay Rawlings	....	continuity
Peter Whitehead	....	animal supervisor
Sieuwke Bisleti	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Atlas
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (present) (as Columbia Pictures)
• Highroad
• Open Road Films

Distributors

• CBS Television (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia Pictures (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Television (USA) (TV)
• Video Collection International Ltd. (1993) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Game Department of Uganda, The  grateful thanks
• Kenya Game Department  filmed with the co-operation of
• National Parks of Kenya  filmed with the co-operation of

MPAA:

Rated PG for some wild animal action and brief language.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Sweden:11 | Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Kenya

Company:

Atlas

Trivia:

Both the lions "Boy" and "Girl" were freed upon completion of filming.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Quest of the Delta Knights (#10.13)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Born Free

Returning Lions To The Wild

Set in Kenya in the 1960's, and based on factual events, the film is the story of how a young orphaned lion cub is rescued by a British colonial couple who run a wildlife sanctuary and then prepared for a return to the wild. The scenery is spectacular, and the thin dividing line between death and survival in the wild is palpable. But the film is not only about struggle, it is, in an almost unique way, a love story too; one between a woman and a lioness. Hugely popular when released, the film still has the power to move. An especially good movie for families.