Long before Elizabeth Taylor took an unwanted stroll with these gentle giants in "Elephant Walk", there was Sabu as the "Elephant Boy". This adorable adolescent who went on to play many delightfully mischievous free spirits obviously had that rare ability to cavort with nature unlike any other human. In this British made adventure drama from the Korda brothers, Sabu is an Indian boy who comes from a long line of ancestors who have emotional ties with these pachyderms. Yes, even as a beast of burden, the elephant can sense that their master has passed on to that great elephant graveyard in the sky, and they cry out in grief before going crazy. Only Sabu can stop the elephant (who was mourning his father, the leader of a hunt for wild elephants to be used as beasts of burden) and now he must find a way to prove his worth to take his father's place. The kindly British commander of this expedition (Walter Hudd) takes a shine to little Sabu who has become the target of jealous hatred by others in the quest. This will lead to the test that Sabu must pass in order to continue his family's legacy.
A magnificently filmed adventure drama with dollops of humor and a memorable debut by a young boy who hadn't set out to become a child star makes this a must. Other films with certain animals show their love for humans (in spite of what some humans do to the animal kingdom) and these elephants are no exception. The scene of Sabu being picked up by his beloved elephant is warmhearted, as if the elephant considered him one of her own. Of course, the shots of the baby elephants are just adorable, and like the humorous scene in "Hatari" (1962) with a baby elephant falling for the pretty Elsa Martinelli, you can't help but go, "Ah.....". But like in all elephant movies (even "Dumbo"), you know that elephants deep down are wild creatures, and once man does their worst to them, it will not be a quiet payback. Scenes of a few other jungle animals (Bengal tigers, some cute little spider monkeys) add to the nature of the film. The movie also speaks to the innocence of children when it comes to their love for the animal kingdom and the world they are learning about, as well as the cynicism of the adults and how sometimes it is the child (or child-like quality in grownups) which brings peace to the world.
A magnificently filmed adventure drama with dollops of humor and a memorable debut by a young boy who hadn't set out to become a child star makes this a must. Other films with certain animals show their love for humans (in spite of what some humans do to the animal kingdom) and these elephants are no exception. The scene of Sabu being picked up by his beloved elephant is warmhearted, as if the elephant considered him one of her own. Of course, the shots of the baby elephants are just adorable, and like the humorous scene in "Hatari" (1962) with a baby elephant falling for the pretty Elsa Martinelli, you can't help but go, "Ah.....". But like in all elephant movies (even "Dumbo"), you know that elephants deep down are wild creatures, and once man does their worst to them, it will not be a quiet payback. Scenes of a few other jungle animals (Bengal tigers, some cute little spider monkeys) add to the nature of the film. The movie also speaks to the innocence of children when it comes to their love for the animal kingdom and the world they are learning about, as well as the cynicism of the adults and how sometimes it is the child (or child-like quality in grownups) which brings peace to the world.