Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
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The story
When a family moves to San Francisco, their pets—an American Bulldog named Chance, a Golden Retriever named Shadow, and a Himalayan cat named Sassy—are left at a ranch. After a misunderstanding leads the ranch owner to believe the animals are not there, the pets are left alone. Fearing abandonment, Shadow decides to lead the group back to their home. The trio embarks on a dangerous trek through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains, facing wild animals and harsh terrain as they navigate the wilderness in an attempt to reunite with their owners.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Chance, an immature American Bulldog, Shadow, a wise Golden Retriever, and Sassy, a pampered Himalayan cat, are left alone on a ranch after their owners move. Shadow decides to lead the group back home through the Sierra Nevada mountains. Along the way, they encounter bear cubs, a mountain lion, and a missing girl named Molly, whom they protect. Sassy is briefly separated from the group after falling into a river but is rescued by an old man. The dogs eventually find a rescue party and are taken to a shelter, from which they escape together. They eventually reach their hometown, where they are reunited with their owners, including Shadow's owner Peter, despite Shadow suffering a leg injury during the journey.
- First release year
- 1993
- Runtime (minutes)
- 84
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Duwayne Dunham
- Writers
- Caroline Thompson · screenplay; Linda Woolverton · screenplay; Jonathan Roberts · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Robert Hays; Kim Greist; Veronica Lauren; Kevin Chevalia; Benj Thall
- Genres
- adventure; comedy
- Themes
- loyalty; family; bravery
- Tone and mood
- adventurous; heartwarming
- Setting
- The Sierra Nevada mountains and a journey toward a hometown.
- Premise and plot tags
- animal adventure; road movie; remake
- Source material / true-story basis
- The 1961 novel of the same name by Sheila Burnford.
- Franchise connections
- Homeward Bound
- Reception
- The film received positive reception, with critics praising its charm and the success of its remake. It also received a high CinemaScore from audiences.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 87% · scale: percentage · review count: 30; CinemaScore · score: A+ · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The film was a remake of the 1963 film The Incredible Journey.; It was the final film released in Don Ameche's lifetime.; The film used 10 different cats to play the role of Sassy.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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