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Simply Perfect

Memorable, crazy movie

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Disney's 'follow-up' to "Old Yeller" from 1957, adapted from the book by "Yeller" author Fred Gipson by Gipson and William Tunberg, happily reunites Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran as the feuding Coates brothers, but this time they're not given anything special to do. The kids are looked after by their uncle, played by Brian Keith, and a floppy-eared dog, a Bluetick Coonhound, said to be Yeller's son. The production seems cheap for Disney, and the tribe of Indians who battle our heroes are like relics from a 1940s b-western. Not even Keith's macho panache can elevate this one. Norman Tokar directed, probably in between other assignments from the studio. Lumbering, by-the-numbers family entry. *1/2 from ****

Norman Tokar took over directing duties on this sequel to "Old Yeller" that sees Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran return as Travis and Arliss Coates, who, several years later, now have a new dog called 'Savage' Sam(though whether he really is related to Yeller is never established) who still proves as brave and heroic as Yeller, since both boys(along with a female friend) are abducted by a hostile Native tribe, and held for some undetermined reason. Meanwhile, their Uncle Beck Coates(played by Brian Keith) is looking for them, since their parents are away taking care of a sick relative. Just how can the group get out of this predicament? Disappointing film isn't at all bad, but is forgettable and ineffectual, with little of the folksy charm of the first.

Not that many people, even among those who are big fans of OLD YELLER, know that a sequel was made to that beloved movie. Seeing the sequel today, I think I know why this sequel quickly drifted out of the public's conscious. Despite the movie having the name of the family dog in its title, there are large chunks of the movie where the dog is off camera. (And why is Sam shown to have a dark colored coat of hair when in the first movie as a puppy, he had golden hair?) Also, the characters of the little brother and the teenage girl are off camera for a sizable chunk of time as well. The biggest problem the movie has is that there isn't as much excitement or big feelings about anything like the first movie had. It's as if the movie was trying to be as mediocre as possible. Still, some loutish viewers may get a few laughs from how uncomfortable Tommy Kirk seems to be in the scenes where he's paired up with a female love interest.

We all know that "Old Yeller" is a classic. It will always stand out as one of the best live-action Disney films of its time. With that said, does any kind of follow-up film deserve any attention? "Savage Sam" certainly does. It is another well made Disney adventure. Classic? Almost, but "Old Yeller" was a tough act to follow.I found "Savage Sam" refreshing because it made no attempt to be anything like "Yeller". Sam the dog is not a threat to anyone. In this movie, he is also not the center of attention. This story is different; Travis and Arliss are older. That's how it should be. Six years passed between the release of the movies.Brian Keith was great in this film. Here, he is supposed to be the younger brother of Fess Parker's character in "Yeller". I really liked him here.As another DVD in my Disney collection, everyone in the family enjoyed it. I give it *** out of four stars.