steven@ism70.UUCP (10/16/85)
THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN Starring Meredith Salenger and John Cusack. Also starring Ray Wise, Lainie Kazan and Scatman Crothers. Directed by Jeremy Kagan. Written by Jeanne Rosenberg. Produced by Mike Lobell. Photographed by Dick Bush. Production Designed by Paul Sylbert. Edited by David Holden. Music by James Horner. From Walt Disney Pictures (1985). Depression-era Chicago. Natalie Sue Gann's dad finds work in the Pacific Northwest and is pretty much forced by the economic circumstances of the era to go. Young Natty decides to hop the freight trains and hobo her way to Washington state to be reunited. For once, the ad campaign isn't designed to hide the fact that this is a Disney film. And why should it? We're talking spunky, independent young heroine. We're talking lovable wolf pet. We're talking beautiful American scenery (actually shot outside Vancouver, British Columbia). We're talking heartwarming tale of the ties that bind. "The Journey of Natty Gann" works as a family entertainment. It's not completely drowned in honey, and it has quite a bit of exciting action and stunt work to keep the energy of the story up. Meredith Salenger is pretty creditable in her movie debut as the strong-willed Natty. The story is a little too episodic as she makes her way across country. In particular, I think John Cusack's character gers a little shortchanged; I'd like to have seen him throughout her journey (ala "The Sure Thing") rather than just pop up here and there as he does. Well done. Kept the kids (and the adults) in their seats at the Sunday matinee show. Two and a half stars out of four.