The Journey of Natty Gann

The story takes place in the midst of the Great Depression and starts out in Chicago. Natty and her father are struggling to make ends meet, but still manage to love each other and survive. Trouble comes when Natty's father finally gets a job - in Washington. Unable to find Natty to tell her, he leaves her a note and leaves her in the charge of an overbearing boardinghouse owner. Fed up with bad treatment and not wanting to believe that her father abandoned her, Natty sets out to meet up with her father, hopping on trains and hitching rides west. Along the way, she helps free a wolf who is being used in dog fights. She and the wolf meet up later and become companions. Natty also joins up with John Cusack, another drifter looking for work.

The movie includes beautiful scenery and an interesting portrayal of Depression-era America. The relationships are also fascinating. For instance, Natty only calls the wolf "wolf," and still recognizes that he is a wild animal. In other words, she doesn't attempt to make him into a pet. Additionally, her relationship with John Cusack's character is not silly, self-conscious, or filled with expectation.

Another reviewer noted that the DVD version of this movie is disappointing. I found the quality of my DVD to be absolutely fine. There are no special features, but the film itself is of decent quality.

This is a sweet, fascinating movie that is appropriate for children and adults and should immediately be considered a classic.


Decent movie, bad transfer   March 22, 2004
C. A. Luster (Burke, VA USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

A good period piece about people struggling to find work during the depression. When Natty's father leaves Chicago, Illinois and goes to Seattle, Washington for a job at a lumber camp he leaves her behind. He misses her when he has to leave so he tells her in a letter he will send for her. When she decides she can't wait she strikes out on her own. She runs into John Cusack's character and helps a wolf escape from a dogfighting ring. Her adventure getting to her father is difficult and enriching. She travels the rails and highways to get there. A little slow in parts but overall a decent family movie. If only Disney had thought enough of this movie to make a good transfer to DVD. I was appalled at how bad it was during the opening credits. The credits jumped around on the screen. The rest of the movie was not as bad as that but it was a little grainy, not clear and sharp like we usually see with Disney films. That probably explains why I have seen it selling for what it is sold here or less.


a little gem- 2 stars for the dvd, 4 for the film   December 16, 2003
I recently saw this movie again on cable, and concur with other reviewers that the dvd is a waste of time. This movie is a rarity for family fare in that it is uncompromising and un-sappy. It treats the depression theme in a very mature way, but the journey itself transcnds what could be a very dark and somber mood throughout the movie. Interesting to me that it was all filmed no more than 15 km. from my neighbourhood in Vancouver . Seeing it for the second time 20 years later, I got to see a small slice of my past- the old train station, the law courts building, etc.