So Dear to My Heart (1948)

"So Dear to My Heart" is the sort of unabashed bit of schmaltz that Disney did very well and which you would never see today. It's pure Americana--the sort of perfectly groomed and manicured America that Walt Disney himself wanted to promote--and which he later promoted with Disneyland and Disneyworld. It represents a look at a time and place that isn't realistic--it's more hyper-idealized and sweet--and it's pure nostalgia. Some might balk at this sort of thing--I felt like it was an incredibly sweet film.

The story is about a boy (Bobby Discoll) and his pet lamb. It's also a parable about hard work, determination and good old fashioned values. And, it culminates with the lamb going to the county fair.

When the film was tested, audiences didn't like that there was no animation as they expected animation in a Disney film. I really do NOT think it was needed and the animated sequences are completely unnecessary for the film, though they have a certain charm. I think they weren't needed because the film had so much going for it already--great acting by Driscoll (a very talented child actor), Beulah Bondi and Burl Ives, some AMAZING cinematography (with amazing shots of forests and meadows) and a nice but very simple script. It's a great film for kids--especially because of its healthy messages and an unusually strong religious message for a Disney film. Well worth seeing for all ages.