| The Incredible Journey | |
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Original theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Fletcher Markle |
| Produced by | James Algar Walt Disney |
| Written by | James Algar |
| Narrated by | Rex Allen |
| Starring | Emile Genest John Drainie Tommy Tweed Sandra Scott |
| Music by | Oliver Wallace |
| Cinematography | Kenneth Peach |
| Editing by | Norman R. Palmer |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution Company |
| Release date(s) | November 20, 1963 |
| Running time | 80 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Incredible Journey is a 1963 live-action Walt Disney film based on the novel, The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford. Narrated by Rex Allen, the film follows the adventure of three pets, Luath the Labrador Retriever, Bodger the Bull Terrier, and Tao the Siamese cat, as they journey 250 miles through the Canadian wilderness to return to their home.
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The Hunter Family leave their two dogs and cat with their friend John Longridge to watch while they are abroad. When Longridge leaves for a hunting trip, the animals also depart on their own journey in an attempt to get back to their real home. Longridge believes the animals are being cared for by a neighbor who is taking care of his house, while the neighbor thinks he has taken them along with him, so it is a few weeks before anyone knows the pets are missing. The three animal friends travel 250 miles through the sparsely populated wilderness of northern Canada, helping and encouraging each other as they encounter hunger, rugged terrain and various dangerous situations before finally arriving back home.
In 1993 Disney made a new version of the film, entitled Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Featuring the voices of Don Ameche, Sally Field, and Michael J. Fox, the film keeps the same basic story line, but adds a subplot in which the kids are dealing with a new step-family. All three pets are renamed, the original breeds are switched, the gender of the cat switched, and the ages of the original Labrador and Bull Terrier are switched. It also has vocalizations of the animals' thoughts and communications with each other.