Recently, the boys and I caught the first in a series of films about a family that leaves their life in a densely populated metropolitan area and try their hand at living off the land.
If I saw any of these films when they originally hit theaters in the 1970’s, I do not have any memory of them.
Of course, the clarity of the images has that typical dated look. But, the boys didn’t mind as they were curious to see how everything would play out. On more than one occasion, they’ve hinted at the idea of going into the wilderness up here and building a cabin in the woods. Watching a film like this is a way to watch someone do just that.
About the Movie~
The movie starts by showing the Robinson family living in southern California, but not finding contentment. The dad longs for a better outdoor space and sees their daughter’s allergy diagnosis as the impetus to make a drastic change and find a place where his family can ‘live off the land’.’
Their new home is set in a breathtaking area that in some ways resembles our own Alaska landscape. (The film was made in Colorado.) But, the rustic cabin they find is a little more rustic than they were anticipating. Which gives them the push to getting moving on building their own slightly larger log cabin.
They end up adopting a few wild animals for pets and have a few close calls. And, they soak in the beauty which surrounds them while adopting a slower pace of life than that one they left behind.
Our Thoughts ~
Overall, it was entertaining. The downside was when the ‘city folk’ did crazy things that someone acquainted with the outdoors would not do. Such as going fishing at the river when bears are in the area and leaving your gun behind in the house. Or, letting your kids bring a cougar home with the idea of having a new pet.
One neat thing about this movie for my boys was seeing that the family was doing ‘homeschooling’ in coordination with the school board at a time when homeschooling was not a regular occurrence.
This particular film doesn’t even see them reach their first winter in the new home. But, you can see that they find joy in so many of the simple things in life and each other’s company.
Aside from a few scary moments with animals being animals (which is why trying to make a cougar a pet is NOT a good idea), the film is extremely family friendly.
We watched this on one of the on demand stations for our cable and noticed that the second and third in the series are available as well. With the weather getting cooler, we just might try watching the others this fall.
What has your family been watching lately?
This post has been submitted for inclusion in The Christian Home, Issue 82 hosted here.
As the featured columnist for the Movies and Music category, you can be looking forward to weekly posts on what we are watching or music we’ve enjoyed.
Feel free to leave suggestions for me as well that are family friendly or uplifting for adults. While I have movies and some music selections in mind, I’m always on the lookout for other great choices.
Looks interesting. I’ll try to get a copy and watch this together with my family. Thanks for sharing.
You are most welcome!