The Journey of Natty Gann

PG

Released Sep 27, 1985

1 hr. 41 min.

Kids & Family

Adventure

List

91%

32 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Warm-hearted family tale of a girl's cross-country trek to find her father, set during the bleak days of the Depression in America. When her father goes to work in the Pacific Northwest, the brave youngster sets out on the long journey from Chicago to join him. En route she is befriended by a wolf, which becomes a protective traveling companion.

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Joel H

It's been a very long time since I've seen The Journey of Natty Gann. I remember watching it multiple times as a kid and I remember seeing the preview on almost every Disney VHS tape we owned. I'm happy to say that it still holds up watching it as an adult. The story is simple: a girl is trying to find her father. However, Meredith Salenger gives a strong performance as the titular character, and she and Ray Wise seem to have a real bond with each other. It is slow going, though. They could have easily trimmed off ten minutes or so. Nevertheless, I'm glad I was able to take this journey again.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Jeremy Kagan directs a story during the Great Depression about a young girl trying to find her way back to her father Meredith Salenger, John Cusack, Ray Wise and Scatman Crothers Natty Gann and her father struggle during these hard financial times urging other laborers to fight for their right to work, some though think her father is a communist but Naty sticks up for him Pretty much everyone is hoping to get paid a fair wage, only a select few are chosen to work and families are getting thrown out of their homes, and when her father is offered to work cross country in Washington Natty gets left behind With only herself and a wolf she befriends escaping a cage fight she embarks on a long trek to reunite with him It isn’t long until she runs into Cusack’s Harry during a train ride on several occasions The movie is rough, hard-hitting, bleak and everyone during this time is so mean-spirited but still hopeful that this girl will get to her destination True it’s a tough watch for younger viewers but the scenery is lush across the country and Salenger works well with this animal companion, she won’t stop until she sees him again A good movie along the likes of ‘White Fang’ with a Shirley Temple component

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/29/23

Full Review

Steve D

Contrary to the film's insistence it is completely forgettable.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/06/23

Full Review

Liam D

This Heartwarming Disney Adventure has great acting, fantastic costumes and production design and good score

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/22

Full Review

Audience Member

It's an underrated and not really much talked about Disney film only the true Disney lovers will talk about it but The Journey of Natty Gann is a film that shouldn't be underrated. Set in Great Depression American Natty Gann embarks on a cross country journey to reunite with her dad and becomes more adults she travels with Harry and a wolf-dog hybrid. Lainie Kazan is a excellent villain as Connie and Meredith Salenger gives a home run preformance as the main protagonist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The story of a girl who crosses the country during the Great Depression to find her father. I am not a historian, but I think this movie does a great job of depicting the Great Depression era. Meredith Salenger plays the titular character, and does a good job. John Cusack plays a love interest, but all you really see is the beginning of what might be a relationship. The other name I knew was James Horner, who was the composer. I really didn't notice his work until the end credits, which may be a compliment to the score. Not sure what else to say about this movie other than I think it is worth your time.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

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Jeremy Kagan

Director

Meredith Salenger

Natty Gann

John Cusack

Harry

Ray Wise

Sol Gann

Lainie Kazan

Connie

Barry Miller

Parker

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Rita Kempley

Washington Post

It's a typical animal adventure, stripped of its guts by an enfeebling if commendable effort to shield young viewers from violence and death.

Mar 31, 2020

Full Review

Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

The real missing element is heart.

Mar 31, 2020

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Of course we all know what ''Natty Gann'' is leading up to, but it`s a testament to the landscape and to the freshness of Salenger that getting there is such a joy.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 31, 2020

Full Review

Steve Warren

Bay Area Reporter

The Journey of Natty Gann has an excellent sense of time and place in its multiple settings.

Apr 30, 2020

Full Review

Candice Russell

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

It's disheartening to contemplate what Disney Pictures deems necessary in order to woo an audience these days.

Mar 31, 2020

Full Review

David Sterritt

Christian Science Monitor

The performances are uneven, the story is rigged, and the ending -- which tries sincerely to be inspirational -- is just corny.

Mar 30, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Warm-hearted family tale of a girl's cross-country trek to find her father, set during the bleak days of the Depression in America. When her father goes to work in the Pacific Northwest, the brave youngster sets out on the long journey from Chicago to join him. En route she is befriended by a wolf, which becomes a protective traveling companion.

Director: Jeremy Kagan
Screenwriter: Jeanne Rosenberg
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Walt Disney Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 11, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.5M
Sound Mix: Surround

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