Common Sense Media Review
By Tom Cassidy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Live-action Disney drama has violence and outdated terms.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Bears and I
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE BEARS AND I, Vietnam War veteran Bob Leslie (Patrick Wayne) adopts three cubs at a mountain region and mediates between the Native American residents and the U.S. government.
Is It Any Good?
The gorgeous mountain setting is the star of the show in this movie, with its natural beauty lovingly captured in Technicolor. The Bears and I lays out its tone with the opening credits, showing a rambler winding through the mountains to the sound of John Denver. Its star, Patrick Wayne (son of John Wayne) gives lead character Bob Leslie the warmth needed to be a man who'll adopt wild bear cubs, mediate violent disputes between Native Americans and the U.S. government, but also readily use his fists when he crosses paths with his adversary, Sam Eagle Speaker (Valentin de Vargas).
The movie's best when showing the natural world, with its brilliant vistas and the innately cute cubs. That said, the movie does depict bears in leashes and animals in close proximity to fire -- a reminder of when the welfare of animals on set was not a primary concern. There's also outdated terms such as referring to Native Americans as "Indians." Still, thanks to a satisfying conclusion, The Bears and I navigates its way to being an enjoyable, steady drama.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Bears and I. Do the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was the violence involving the animals less, more, or equally as shocking as when it involved the human characters? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Some of the language used in the movie is no longer acceptable today. Why is it important for language to adapt?
Talk about how Native Americans are portrayed in this film. How does this reflect the culture of the time in which the film was made, and how does this contrast with how Native Americans are depicted in later films?
Talk about the character of Bob. How does he demonstrate compassion and communication during the movie. Why are these important character strengths to have?
Discuss the animals in the movie. Is it ethical to train animals to perform in movies? How can we be assured that no animals were hurt or caused distress during the filming of movies?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 31, 1974
- On DVD or streaming : September 14, 1999
- Cast : Patrick Wayne , Chief Dan George , Andrew Duggan
- Director : Bernard McEveety
- Studio : Buena Vista
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters , STEM , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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