Old Yeller aims to amplify our emotions and succeeds, but at times feels repetitive due to its plot structure, which keeps on turning its wheels.
Set in rural America, an adolescent named Travis (Tommy Kirk) is left to care for his family while his father is away for a few months. During his time as the ‘man’ of the family, he comes across the titular stray dog, who slowly finds a place in Travis’ heart.
Old Yeller is a decent family flick, nothing too drastic or awful; it’s the right kind of melodramatic, but at the same time, it is the reason why it doesn’t feel special. It feels too safe. There are times when it feels that the film is repeating the same plot device of the yeller helping the family, which began to wear thin on me.
Yet, at its core, the film has a good message about bonds and coming-of-age. Travis, too young to be the head of the family, learns that there is more to life than being the head of the household. There is also a tragic message that I can’t talk about because it will reveal the climax, but it is an important life lesson.
The film is well-acted for what it is, and I was impressed by its usage of various animals. It shows how much effort went into this, as they couldn’t use special effects during that time. Its score felt too cheesy, sounding like a low-budget TV movie at times.
Old Yeller aims to amplify our emotions and succeeds, but at times feels repetitive due to its plot structure, which keeps on turning its wheels.
Set in rural America, an adolescent named Travis (Tommy Kirk) is left to care for his family while his father is away for a few months. During his time as the ‘man’ of the family, he comes across the titular stray dog, who slowly finds a place in Travis’ heart.
Old Yeller is a decent family flick, nothing too drastic or awful; it’s the right kind of melodramatic, but at the same time, it is the reason why it doesn’t feel special. It feels too safe. There are times when it feels that the film is repeating the same plot device of the yeller helping the family, which began to wear thin on me.
Yet, at its core, the film has a good message about bonds and coming-of-age. Travis, too young to be the head of the family, learns that there is more to life than being the head of the household. There is also a tragic message that I can’t talk about because it will reveal the climax, but it is an important life lesson.
The film is well-acted for what it is, and I was impressed by its usage of various animals. It shows how much effort went into this, as they couldn’t use special effects during that time. Its score felt too cheesy, sounding like a low-budget TV movie at times.
