The Adventures of the Wilderness Family

Adventures of the Wilderness Family

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Stewart Raffill
Produced by Arthur R. Dubs
Written by Arthur R. Dubs
Stewart Raffill
Starring Robert Logan
Susan Damante-Shaw
George Buck Flower
Music by Gene Kauer
Douglas M. Lackey
Cinematography Gérard Alcan
Distributed by Pacific International Enterprises
Release dates
 December 19, 1975
Running time
 100 min.
Country United States
Language English
Box office $31,223,000[1]

Adventures of the Wilderness Family (aka The Wilderness Family) is a 1975 family movie that stars Robert Logan, George Buck Flower and Susan Damante-Shaw. The film had two sequels, The Further Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1978, aka Adventures of the Wilderness Family 2) and Mountain Family Robinson (1979, aka Adventures of the Wilderness Family 3). The filming location was the Gunnison National Forest in the state of Colorado, although the film is set in Canada.

Plot

Skip Robinson is a construction worker who lives with his family in Los Angeles, California. Concerned about his daughter's health and the welfare of his family, as well as despising his job, Skip grows tired of the city life and decides to move his family to the Rocky Mountains with no plans to ever return due to the smog and congestion. After moving his wife Pat and two children, eleven-year-old Jennifer and seven-year-old Toby to the wilderness and then building their own cabin near a large lake, they settle in to find out that their new environment isn't always as peaceful as it may appear.

From the start, the Robinson family seemed to be adjusting to their new life in the Canadian wilderness. A few days after finishing building their new cabin, Toby and Skip go out hunting one morning with their dog, Crust and succeed in catching a grouse for the family dinner. Later that day, while climbing along the rocky slopes of a large hill, Skip and his son almost get caught in a deadly landslide. They later find a pair of young grizzly bear cubs who have lost their mother to the same landslide they got caught in. The cubs are quickly adopted into the Robinson family, but Pat and Skip tell their children that sooner or later the cubs would have to be released back into the wild when they are fully grown.

During the next few weeks, the Robinson family slowly adapt to their new life in the mountains. In addition to the two young bear cubs and their family dog, Skip and his family also befriend a raccoon that they find living near their cabin and name him Bandito. While Jenny and Toby are collecting flowers, they encounter cougar cubs near their den. The family receive numerous letters and packages from friends and family back in Los Angeles. Pat receives several letters from her mother and Jenny and Toby are given numerous schoolbooks from the Los Angeles schoolboard. Skip continues hunting for small game and fishing in the nearest creek to provide food for his family, while his wife works around the house and their two children work on their schoolwork.

One day, while fishing for some trout down by the creek with the two grizzly cubs, Skip and the cubs are scared by a large black bear that was roaming along the creekbed. Jenny and Toby had gone out for a walk with their dog Crust, to which they later encounter the same bear that their dad saw down by the creek. While Toby heads back to the cabin to get his parents, Jenny goes after Crust, who has managed to scare the bear away. Skip is informed by Toby of what happened, and he heads out with his rifle to find his daughter.

While trying to find their way back to the cabin, Jenny and Crust are attacked by a pack of timber wolves who chase them down to a nearby lake and almost attack Jenny. The dog Crust is able to fend the wolves off long enough for Skip to arrive in the nick of time and drive the pack away. Despite this frightening encounter, Jenny quickly recovers from the shock of what had happened and is brought home safe and sound.

The next day, Skip and his family meet a friendly aging mountain man who introduces himself as Boomer. Boomer informs them that he had been a longtime partner and friend to ol' Jake, Skip's uncle who lived in the same area where the Robinsons had built their cabin. Ol' Jake had been known to take extremely good care of the local wildlife in the area, including a large black bear named Samson that was the same black bear that Skip and his family had encountered a few times before. Boomer also warns Skip and his family to keep a watchful eye for Three-Toes, a locally notorious grizzly bear that has been known to invade the properties of humans who are living in the mountains. Boomer is then forced to leave when the two bear cubs accidentally frighten away Boomer's mule Flora.

One day, while Pat and Jenny are picking berries, they encounter Three-Toes; Crust manages to fend off Three-Toes while Pat retrieves Jenny, who suffered a massive shock. Skip goes to find Crust while tracking down Three-Toes. The following morning, Jenny's condition has gotten worse, Skip tries to call for help but the radio's batteries are dead, so he has to walk to get help. During a wind storm, Three-Toes tries to break into the cabin, but Pat tries to fend him off. Samson comes to fight off Three-Toes and Pat manages kills him. Skip returns with a doctor, saying that Jenny's health is improving. Pat is still hesitant about staying but she tries to adapt. Boomer then shows up and then loses his animals.

Main cast

DVD details

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Adventures of the Wilderness Family, Worldwide Box Office". Worldwide Box Office. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
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