Born Free
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Movie Reviews of Born Free
Movie Review: Once you see Born Free, you'll never forget it
Summary: 5 Stars
Having first seen this movie in my youth and recently watching it again as an adult, it has never lost its charm or appeal and I think it deserves to stand as one of the most fulfilling and heartwarming family films ever made. As it is based on a true story, that makes it even better. And what a story it is too.
Game warden George Adamson and his wife Joy are residents in Kenya, Africa and relate their experiences of raising an orphaned lion cub after the mother has been shot out of self-defense reasons. Actually it is three lion cubs but two are sent off to a zoo and the third, eventually named Elsa, is raised by Joy Adamson. It is interesting and enjoyable to watch the interaction of the cub with the adults and the relationship that grows ever closer between them. Upon raising the cub to maturity, it becomes a difficult time for the Adamson's knowing that releasing the grown lion into the wild is the only real answer. Due to being tame for so long, it is Joy's responsibility now to train Elsa to be able to survive on its own and she does an admirable job. When the fateful day finally comes, it tugs at the heart strings to see the emotional effects on the Adamson's when releasing something they love so dearly. It is also inspiring knowing that they cared so much and did it for all the right reasons. It eventually makes for a wonderful end to a great movie.
As for the film particulars, the cinematography is very attractive in Africa and the accompanying music is a perfect compliment to everything else. The acting is so innocent and natural you can almost be fooled into believing this isn't a movie. For being a timeless classic that is now over 4 decades old, this movie stands the test of time and will always be a treasure for anyone and everyone. This is a highly recommended film all around.
Movie Review: Family Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
It may be hard to believe that there were classic family films created in the 60s by anyone other than Disney. This movie is an example of a very good and classic family film, one where the only car chase is after a lion, there are no video games to be seen anywhere, and the central themes of the movie are love and that wild things should live free.
This movie is based on a book by Joy Adamson by the same name, and chronicles her and her husband's experiences with a trio of lion cubs. Eventually two of the cubs are sent to a zoo, but the third lion, a lioness that Joy calls Elsa, remains with Joy and her husband George. Of course, lions are wild animals and they can live with people for only so long, and Joy is faced with the need to have Elsa sent to a zoo. Joy is unable to think of Elsa being caged when she has been free for her whole life, so she attempts what had not been done before, repatriation of a captive lion back into the wild.
Elsa and her husband work long, hard and with a lot of frustration, despairing that Elsa would never be able to go back to the wild, or that she would die as a result of their attempts. All along the way you can see Joy Adamson's love for Elsa and her need to see Elsa be able to return to the wild.
Andy Williams sings "Born Free" to accompany the end of the movie. This song is one of Andy Williams' best. If you are familiar with this song you will recognize portions of it are used throughout the movie as a recurring theme.
This movie is simple and heart-warming. There are a few moderately violent scenes, but I would consider this movie appropriate for children of all ages, though with parents watching when the youngest family members watch. This kind of movie is rare in any age, and one to be treasured.
Movie Review: Great Family Movie.
Summary: 5 Stars
You always here the story or the expression that you can't take wild animals and try to them into pets. This movie tells and shows you why. The movie is based on a true story from a book by Joy Adamson. The movie is set back in the 1950 era when George Adamson who is the game warden for the Kenya area in Africa. While out on a routine run George has to kill a charging female lion in self defense. After George kills the lion he discovers that the lion was a mother as three lion cubs come out of no where. George takes the 3 cub's home because he knows that if he didn't the cubs will die. When the cubs get too much to handle they have to make the hardest decision of their life. Do they send the animals to the Rotterdam Zoo? Do they send all the cubs or do they keep one? To me the acting was great as Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna play George and Joy Adamson. As a side note McKenna also narrates the story as Joy voice-over, using the book. The real star of the show, though, is Elsa herself, actually played by three different lionesses. You can really see the genuine affection between the large cat and her caretakers as they interact. It is magical to watch. This movie would be great for you and your family because there's none of the following in this picture. There's really no violence, and there's no sex or any swearing for that matter. The entire movie was shot in Africa. If you can get the DVD the picture quality is as good as a movie that you would buy today. This review is based on my home addition of Born Free on DVD. You can get this DVD right here on Amazon.com and it by far better then the current VHS that's out there now.
Movie Review: 'As Free as the Wind Blows'
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie won the 1966 Academy Awards for song and best score shared by John Barry and Don Black which is sung by Frank Sinatra; I'm surprised it didn't win more awards than it did because this is my all time favorite movie! I saw this with my parents a few years after it came out in 1965; I cry every time, love everything about this picture. Love the lions!!! Especially Elsa who hung around until the local government got tired of her antics. The maturing Elsa begins to attract wild male lions and pretty soon, it becomes all too clear it's either the zoo or the African savannah. She came to the Adamson's East African residence when she was a little cub, her parents shot and killed by her soon to be foster father, George Adamson, the game warden for the area. Getting Elsa to adjust back to life in the wild is no easy matter and is the major part of the story.
The Adamsons in the movie, Travers and McKenna, were married in real life. I think Virginia McKenna's performance really made this movie. It looks like she didn't make tons of movies but has always been admired for her performances in the ones she did, sometimes winning nominations for them. For years after making the movie, she and her husband became active in conservation issues establishing the Born Free Foundation with their oldest son in 1991. She's also written a few books on the subject. The story is true and follows very closely the book written by the real Joy Adamson. Not even cursing is found in this movie!
Movie Review: Postscript
Summary: 5 Stars
More tragedy on the plains of Africa...
Astonishingly, Joy Adamson and George Adamson were both murdered, in 1980 and 1989 respectively.
Joy's death was originally thought to be due to a lion mauling, according to the autopsy report. Then it was hinted that she had been murdered with a weapon which inflicted wounds similar to a lion's...traces of metal in the cut flesh. Finally, Paul Nakware Ekai, one of the compound's employees, was charged and convicted of her murder. He initially admitted to stabbing Joy, later stating that she had shot him in the foot, and he, in turn, of shooting her three times. Her temperament was not, by some accounts, remotely similar to Miss McKenna's.
George was shot and killed by Somali bandits while coming to the aid of another safari.
Parenthetically, Dian Fossey (Gorillas in the Mist)was brutally murdered in 1985. Her true assailant, a government official, has recently been charged with her murder, though two others were earlier convicted of the crime, Kangaroo-Court style.
The 1980's were bad years for prominent naturalists.
1966 was a good vintage for great films: Born Free, A Man for all Seasons, The Professionals, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
Nice to experience (not merely see) films where you respect and admire all of the central characters, human or otherwise.