Plot
Remake of the popular Disney classic, this time featuring some well known voices as two dogs and a cat...

Release Year: 1993

Rating: 6.6/10 (14,467 voted)

Director: Duwayne Dunham

Stars: Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, Don Alder

Storyline
Remake of the popular Disney classic, this time featuring some well known voices as two dogs and a cat trek across America encountering all sorts of adventures in the quest to be reunited with their owners.

Writers: Sheila Burnford, Caroline Thompson

Cast:
Don Alder - Molly's Father
Ed Bernard - Desk Sergeant
Kevin Chevalia - Jamie Seaver
Anne Christianson - Research Assistant
Ted D'Arms - Vet
Woody Eney - Forest Ranger 'Mark'
Kim Greist - Laura Burnford-Seaver
Rich Hawkins - Forest Ranger
Robert Hays - Bob Seaver
Nurmi Husa - The Caterer
Jane Jones - Molly's Mother
Veronica Lauren - Hope Burnford
David MacIntyre - Foote
Kit McDonough - Female Forest Ranger
Mary Marsh - Laura's Mom

Release Date: 3 February 1993

Filming Locations: Bend, Oregon, USA

Gross: $41,833,324 (USA)

Runtime: 84 min

Trivia:
Although the film is a remake of the 1963 version The Incredible Journey and based on Sheila Burnford's novel of the same name, the main characters names and breeds have been changed. In the film Chance is a young, exuberant American Bulldog, while in the novel his name is Luath and he is a Labrador Retriever. In the film Shadow is a wise, old Golden Retriever while in the novel his name is Bodger and he is a Bull Terrier. The film has a female Himalayan cat named Sassy, while the novel has a male Siamese cat named Tao.

Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Kate closes the gate on Chance, she says, "Frank will be by to feed you later," but her mouth isn't moving as she's saying it.

Quotes:
[Chance is staring longingly at platefuls of food]
The Caterer: Sorry, NOT for doggies

The perfect family film

Rating: 10/10

Homeward Bound is a great family film, one of the last best used with talking animals. Still to this day I cannot resist watching this film, and I still laugh, keep my eyes glued to the screen and I cannot help but cry. I always have to have a major box of tissues next to me when I watch this movie. It has such a soul and is a great story with wonderful characters. All of us as children had pets who were like our best friends and they were just as loyal back and Homeward Bound shows us the love that animals could have for their owners.

Chance, an American Bulldog, explains that he is the pet of Jamie Burnford, but expresses no interest in his owner or having a "home". He shares his home with Shadow, an older Golden Retriever owned by Jamie's brother Peter, and Sassy, a Himalayan cat, owned by their sister Hope. Bob Seaver is marrying Laura Burnford, joining the family. Shortly after the wedding, the family goes on a trip to San Francisco, leaving the pets at a ranch belonging to Kate, a family friend. Kate later goes on a cattle drive, leaving the animals at the ranch to be looked after by one of her ranch hands. However, the animals think they have been abandoned, and Shadow begins to worry about Peter, so he decides to go find them. Sassy and a reluctant Chance follow. They head into the rocky, mountainous wilderness, with Shadow leading by instinct but of course the road is a bumpy one and it's not an easy journey coming back home.

I'm going to give a few spoilers here, so don't read on if you haven't seen this movie. There are some absolute great laughs, with Sally Field as Sassy you just couldn't go wrong. Her leading the vet security guard around was so cute and very funny. Plus when Chance is curious about a porcupine, Shadow and Sassy warn him to get away, but being a dog he can't help but wonder and BAM, "it bit me with it's butt!", he's stung with the needles, poor Chance, but what a funny scene! Then there are some very touching moments where Chance is learning how wonderful life could be having a home. The scene where Sassy is reunited with Chance and Shadow was wonderful. Then there are the tear jerker moments that are killer. Shadow falls into a muddy pit where he hurts his leg and can't get out, Chance tries to help him but Shadow thinks he's too old and can't move and says to Chance "I've taught you everything you needed to know, now all you need to learn is how to say good-bye", I'm actually tearing up as I'm writing it, seriously. Then Shadow makes a triumphant return into Peter's arms and seeing him act like a puppy was so wonderful. I adore this movie, the voices, the setting, the story, it's just a touching family movie that is perfect to watch. I have no complaints about this movie and could go on, but trust me when I say it's more than worth the watch.

10/10

Comments: