The Journey of Natty Gann

Release Date: September 27, 1985

Watch Date: January 2 – January 4, 2022

    What is it about ‘The Great Depression’ that Americans find so romantic? The struggle to survive? The wandering across the country looking for work? Surviving on your wits? Every American I’ve ever met has a story about the struggle of their relatives during this period of history. Us Canadians don’t seem to have that seem experience. I’m just saying, it’s become a major part of their national identity in a way I don’t think any other country on the globe has.

    This movie does one thing right, at least, it shows off beautiful American vistas. Grand sweeping views showing off the wild parts of a large and varied country. Sort of makes you want to hop on a train and travel cross country myself.

    Unfortunately, the rest of this movie is exceedingly dry. The romance between Natty and the much older teenage hobo is completely without chemistry and would have worked much better if it had simply remained a friendship. The events that keep Natty and her father apart, while possible, feel like a contrived way to force conflict and give Natty. We’re told constantly about how much they love each other, and yes Natty travels cross-country to find him, but I don’t know, I just don’t feel that father-daughter love the way I’m meant to.

    The ‘wolf’ is just a husky. Which is fine, from an acting perspective. Don’t force the teenager to work with a wolf. But just say she’s traveling with a stray/feral dog, not a wolf. Huskies existed in 1930. People knew what huskies were at that point – they existed. Constantly calling it a wolf drives me crazy, and maybe that’s unfair. But for some reason my suspension of disbelief stops as ‘husky is wolf’.

    There is one weird near rape, once again giving people a good reason not to hitchhike. Both Bob and I knew what was going to happen immediately, the moment she climbed into the car. But it’s one of those times you don’t really want to be proven right. Attempted rape did not need to be in this film. The whole thing is predictable and uncomfortable, though I suppose you don’t really want your sexual assault to be comfortable.

    There’s not really a lot to say about this film. It’s boring. I’m not really sure what inspired us to make it the first live action movie of our marathon – but at least we’ll never have to watch it again.