Where the Red Fern Grows (2003)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Directors:

Lyman Dayton
Sam Pillsbury

Writers:

Lyman Dayton (writer)
Eleanor Lamb (writer)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Where the Red Fern Grows is the heartwarming and adventurous tale for all ages about a young boy and his quest for his own red-bone hound hunting dogs.

Plot Keywords:

Fern | Hunting | Dog | Boy | Friendship

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Joseph Ashton	...	Billy Coleman
Dabney Coleman	...	Grandpa
Ned Beatty	...	The sheriff
Dave Matthews	...	Will Coleman
Renee Faia	...	Jenny Coleman
Mac Davis	...	Bellington
Andrew Dickison	...	Rainie Pritchard
Stuart Dickison	...	Rubin Pritchard
Lindsey Labadie	...	Delores
Hillary Harwell	...	Delores' Friend #1
Cassidy Spring	...	Delores' Friend #2
Eric Starkey	...	Ben Kyle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gary Anson	...	Wendell
Orvel Baldridge	...	Mr. Pritchard
Baron	...	Dan the dog
Robert Bauman	...	Hunter #2
Johnny Dowers	...	(voice) (as Jake Alston)
Julia Downs	...	Sarah Coleman
Tess Downs	...	Alice Coleman
Rocky Frisco	...	Grandpa Pritchard
Kevin Gourd	...	Bully Garth
Zack Hamilton	...	Bart
Kyle Jeffrey	...	Rubin #2
Kris Kristofferson	...	Older Billy Coleman
Dave Lowry	...	Farmer
Erin O'Shaughnessy	...	Customer
Stan Randolph	...	Minister
Steve Sandalis	...	Steve Johnson

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements.

Runtime:

USA:86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #39585)

Filming Locations:

Cookson Hills, Oklahoma, USA

Company:

Crusader Entertainment

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Billy is given the trophy for catching the most raccoons, the camera pans the crowd and a little girl is shown (briefly) smiling, wearing braces on her teeth. Braces weren't invented yet during the period in which the movie takes place.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Where the Red Fern Grows (1974)

Two thumbs down!

To start, I am a huge Red Fern fan. I have the first one on DVD and video and also have read the book several times. I am from Tahlequah, OK where the movies were filmed and so it does strike a home chord for me. I finally purchased the remake today and I must say that I am so disappointed. Usually remakes kind of mix things up a little bit to make it a little more interesting than the first . . . this is exactly like the first, almost word for word and the acting leaves you wondering where they come up with these people at. Dave Matthews should stick with his singing gig and the boy that played Billy Coleman was awful. Also the movie was very unrealistic. I have been coon hunting several times and you let the dogs do the hunting and just wait until they bark treed. This poor kid is running all over the woods right behind the coon. UNREALISTIC. Also, I love how it is pouring down rain and they are fogging up dust. Poor special effects! Dust doesn't fog up in the rain! This movie was a good waste of $21 and also a good waste of Tahlequah's money since most of the bills were left unpaid here by the production crew! BAD MOVIE!