Born Free: A New Adventure (TV 1996)

Another thrilling adventure for Elsa the lioness as she works her magic on two teenagers struggling with changes in their life

Director:

Tommy Lee Wallace

Writers:

Joy Adamson (characters from the book "Born Free"), John McGreevey

Stars:

Jonathan Brandis, Ariana Richards, Chris Noth

Cast

Cast overview:
Jonathan Brandis	...	Randolph 'Rand' Thompson
Ariana Richards	...	Valerie 'Val' Porter
Chris Noth	...	Dr. David Thompson
Lea Moreno	...	Gina Thompson
Linda Purl	...	Eleanor Porter
John Matshikiza	...	George Luello
Pamela Nomvete	...	Ondine Luello
Siyabonga Twala	...	Jomo
Florence Masebe	...	Frances
Wandile Molebatsi	...	Nik Nik
Vicky Kente	...	Selena Wilkinson

Storyline

Another thrilling adventure for Elsa the lioness as she works her magic on two teenagers struggling with changes in their life

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Plot Keywords:

lioness | wildlife | animal rights | sequel | zoo | 

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Genres:

Drama | Adventure | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

A História de Elza - Parte 2

Filming Locations:

Lanseria, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Franklin/Waterman Productions, Columbia TriStar Television, Moviworld

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Follows Christian the Lion (1971)

User Reviews

Elsa #2

Eleanor Porter (Linda Purl) is a nurse/practitioner in a South African clinic, who is given David Thompson (Chris Noth), a Chicago biological researcher with a 2 year grant and 2 children, Rand (Jonathan Brandis) and Jena (Lea Moreno). Eleanor has her own daughter Val (Arianna Richards), who cares for a domesticated lion cub Elsa, before she is due to be shipped to a zoo. Rand and Val want Elsa to be integrated back into the wild instead, and train her to this end. Will it work?

Purl's role doesn't give her much to play, an initial resentment of David because he got the grant her friend wanted, an equally worried parent when Rand and Val run away, and finally a supporter of the cause, however there is an amusing edit from a closeup of her to a wilderbeast. And despite Eleanor's seemingly stronger position, her sparring with David works against her because Noth is the funnier performer.

The teleplay by John McGreevey, based on characters from the book Born Free by Joy Adamson, has the audacity to actually have Rand and Val told to read Adamson's book for tips! Talk about self-reverential. Although presumably pitched as a children's film, director Tommy Lee Wallace allows Brandis to deliver a mannered James Dean-inspired polymorphously perverse performance, supplies an artificial looking crocodile to interrupt the Blue Lagoon teen romance, and uses stock footage for Elsa's in the wild tests.