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The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)

PG  |   |  Family, Adventure  |  27 September 1985 (USA)
7.0
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Ratings: 7.0/10 from 3,746 users  
Reviews: 40 user | 10 critic

In the 1930s, a tomboyish girl runs away from her guardian to join her single father who is 2,000 miles away, because there was work there.

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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Harry
...
...
Connie
...
Sherman
...
Parker
...
Farm Woman
Bruce M. Fischer ...
Charlie Linfield
...
Logging Boss
Jack Rader ...
Employment Agent
Matthew Faison ...
Buzz
Jordan Pratt ...
Frankie
Zachary Ansley ...
Louie
Campbell Lane ...
Chicago Moderator
Max Trumpower ...
Chicago Worker
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Storyline

Natty Gann (played by Meredith Salenger) is a twelve year old Depression era girl whose single-parent father leaves her behind in Chicago while he goes to Washington State to look for work in the timber industry. Natty runs away from the guardian she was left with to follow Dad. She befriends and is befriended by a wolf that has been abused in dog fights, hops a freight train west, and is presumed dead when her wallet is found after the train crashes. Dad gets bitter and endangers himself in his new job. Meanwhile Natty has a series of adventures and mis- adventures in various farmhouses, police stations, hobo camps, reform schools, and boxcars. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

With innocence behind her and danger ahead, only courage and love were on her side. [UK] See more »

Genres:

Family | Adventure

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

27 September 1985 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Natty Gann  »

Box Office

Gross:

$2,135,577 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(as Dolby Stereo®)

Color:

| (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

James Horner replaced Elmer Bernstein as the film's music composer. According to website "Filmtracks', only two short bits of Bernstein's score music remain in the picture. See more »

Goofs

The story takes place in 1935, but in the scene where Natty finds the puppy behind the cinema, the movie poster behind her is for "The Buccaneer" (the name of the film star, Fredric March, can be seen in the close up), which was released in 1938. See more »

Quotes

Harry: [Harry has just hauled Natty into the boxcar, where she was dangling dangerously over the edge] You know, uh, you can get hurt that way.
Hobo: I thought *that* one was a goner.
Hobo: *Rail* meat.
Hobo: Little bits of blood and busted...
Harry: Leave the kid alone!
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Starlight Hotel (1987) See more »

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User Reviews

 
A movie I loved as a kid
1 July 2002 | by (Canada) – See all my reviews

This movie was really great, it had an exciting and plausible plot, reasonable acting -- and it wasn't just cheesy crap compared to most of the other drivel that was being played for us kids at that time. This clearly stood out shining in my mind, up there with "The Neverending Story" and "Flight Of The Navigator". This movie didn't talk down to me as a child, which I quite liked. And it wasn't just another cartoon, which for the most part I found painfully dull in their lack of realism. The Natty character, and all those she meets on her adventures (including the wolf that she befriends), are unique, interesting, thought provoking ... and you actually care what happens to them all by the end.

And how many other movies aimed at youth have a kid getting chased away from eating out of a garbage dumpster ? Heh.

Great film !

I want to watch it again to see if I still like it as much, but I know I probably will ... I know the plot quite well, I did watch the movie at least 8 or 10 times as kid.


7 of 9 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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