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Born Free (1966) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   1,900 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Joy Adamson (book)
Lester Cole (screenplay) (originally as Gerald L.C. Copley)
Contact:
View company contact information for Born Free on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 June 1966 (USA) more
Genre:
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... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations more
User Reviews:
Quality family entertainment -- as long as you actually like wildlife. more (18 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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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)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG for some wild animal action and brief language.
Runtime:
95 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)
Filming Locations:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The theme song was not heard on the original British release of the film, although it later won Best Song Oscar. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Dark Angel: Boo (#2.5)" (2001) more
Soundtrack:
Born Free more

FAQ

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6 out of 7 people found the following review useful.
Quality family entertainment -- as long as you actually like wildlife., 13 November 2005
8/10
Author: Peter Hayes from United Kingdom

An English couple living in Kenya try to reintroduce an orphan lion cub back in to the wild. Based on a real story.

Family movies get a bad rap because they are usually films that only children enjoy and adults can bare only when drunk. Born Free is the kind of movie that can play well to both adults and children -- if they are the type that like wildlife.

You should never act with children or animals because they steal every scene they are in. Born Free features two very fine performances from real life couple Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers -- but when the cubs are on screen you won't be looking elsewhere.

I have read the book which I loved and well worth checking out because it is NOT a novelisation of this film -- Joyce Adamson (whose early life the script is based on) was not the angel of virtue she is portrayed here. She was a tough woman who made enemies and ruffled feathers. Her early death is another story and another film.

The problem with the film is that it has enough syrup in it without the extra sugar that is the title song. Also the real couple had personal problems that this film doesn't really want to deal with. From the nature of the film we know the final happy reel and are merely travelling towards it.

There aren't many films you can enjoy two or three times over and even get a bit emotional over -- but this is one such film. One for the DVD collection of all animal lovers. If you are the sort that doesn't subscribe to the Discovery Channel than you are better staying away.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Born Free (1966)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
What Was George's Illness in the Movie? jbartelone
What is real in 'Born Free'? bruno333ala
Dumb film.. sockscats
Question About The Real Story? jbartelone
Born Free theme, recycled Lawrence of Arabia Wakanohana
Brought a lion from Harrods Maccfan
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