The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)

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.

Director:

Jeremy Kagan

Writer:

Jeanne Rosenberg

Stars:

Meredith Salenger, John Cusack, Ray Wise

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meredith Salenger	...	Natty Gann
John Cusack	...	Harry
Ray Wise	...	Sol Gann
Lainie Kazan	...	Connie
Scatman Crothers	...	Sherman
Barry Miller	...	Parker
Verna Bloom	...	Farm Woman
Bruce M. Fischer	...	Charlie Linfield
John Finnegan	...	Logging Boss
Jack Rader	...	Employment Agent
Matthew Faison	...	Buzz
Jordan Pratt	...	Frankie
Zachary Ansley	...	Louie
Campbell Lane	...	Chicago Moderator
Max Trumpower	...	Chicago Worker

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.

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Plot Keywords:

train | girl | wolf | single father | 1930s | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Family | Adventure

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Natty Gann

Filming Locations:

British Columbia Railway, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Gross:

$2,135,577 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Silver Screen Partners II

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (as Dolby Stereo®)

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Only two steam locomotives were used in the filming of this movie. Both steam locomotives are owned by the Province of British Columbia. The first engine which appears in most of the scenes is ex CP #3716. It had its number changed in a few scenes to give the illusion of more locomotives. It is now operational at the Kettle Valley Steam Railway in Summerland, BC. The other steam locomotive is ex MB #1077 which is now operational at Fort Steele Heritage Town near Cranbrook, BC. #1077 also appeared in Shanghai Noon starring Jackie Chan. Both #3716 and #1077 also appeared together in the movie The Grey Fox about gentleman train robber Bill Miner.

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Goofs

The steam locomotives seen in the film have distinctly Canadian vestibule-style cabs.

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Quotes

Natty Gann: [to Harry] You ain't seen Chicago, you ain't seen nothin'.

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Connections

Featured in Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color: Disney Goes to the Oscars (1986)

User Reviews

Great movie. *CRUMMY* DVD.

I saw it in theatres when I was a kid, I bought the VHS when 1st available; I was overjoyed to the point of near misty-eyed-ness when I recieved the DVD from my wife. TjoNG is one of the reasons I fell in love with wolves & learned to overcome my American cultural ignorance of them. The movie is the reason I listened more closely to my grandparents tales of the depression; why I stopped thinking depression meant an emotional state & recognized it as an economic problem. You & your kids can *LEARN* something from this movie, you can enjoy watching it, again & again; there's a marvelous emotional hurrah! throughout the entire story, Disney at it's finest without the clubbed-over-the-head forced-spoon-fed social & morality message & commentary. The scenery is breathtaking, you kinda think I wish I could go back to then & live in that incredible world. The music is perfect, nudging & reinforcing without interrupting or annoying. This is also one of Scatman Caruthers' last roles, doing what he does best; adding a touch of autheniticty that makes our suspension of disbelief effortless. The DVD is a horiffic slap in the face to the theatrical release, the cast, crew & it's *SO* bad it makes the movie look shoddy. I won't reiterate what the other people so ably & eloquently illustrated of the flaws, I'll just say BUY THE VHS! if you can't, well, this DVD is better than nothing. Barely. The only reason there're 3 stars is because I was in the theatre on a magical night near to 2 decades ago & I *KNOW* what should have been on this disc. Let's not even mention the despair of finding no extra features.