Long before Elizabeth Taylor took an unwanted stroll with these gentle giants in "Elephant Walk", there was Sabu as the "Elephant Boy". This adorable adolescent who went on to play many delightfully mischievous free spirits obviously had that rare ability to cavort with nature unlike any other human. In this British made adventure drama from the Korda brothers, Sabu is an Indian boy who comes from a long line of ancestors who have emotional ties with these pachyderms. Yes, even as a beast of burden, the elephant can sense that their master has passed on to that great elephant graveyard in the sky, and they cry out in grief before going crazy. Only Sabu can stop the elephant (who was mourning his father, the leader of a hunt for wild elephants to be used as beasts of burden) and now he must find a way to prove his worth to take his father's place. The kindly British commander of this expedition (Walter Hudd) takes a shine to little Sabu who has become the target of jealous hatred by others in the quest. This will lead to the test that Sabu must pass in order to continue his family's legacy.A magnificently filmed adventure drama with dollops of humor and a memorable debut by a young boy who hadn't set out to become a child star makes this a must. Other films with certain animals show their love for humans (in spite of what some humans do to the animal kingdom) and these elephants are no exception. The scene of Sabu being picked up by his beloved elephant is warmhearted, as if the elephant considered him one of her own. Of course, the shots of the baby elephants are just adorable, and like the humorous scene in "Hatari" (1962) with a baby elephant falling for the pretty Elsa Martinelli, you can't help but go, "Ah.....". But like in all elephant movies (even "Dumbo"), you know that elephants deep down are wild creatures, and once man does their worst to them, it will not be a quiet payback. Scenes of a few other jungle animals (Bengal tigers, some cute little spider monkeys) add to the nature of the film. The movie also speaks to the innocence of children when it comes to their love for the animal kingdom and the world they are learning about, as well as the cynicism of the adults and how sometimes it is the child (or child-like quality in grownups) which brings peace to the world.

1937. Technicolor still waiting (and expensive and technically demanding), it's no surprise this is in black and white. And, sorry to say, much more black than white. Many scenes look light night, even if from context they should be in daytime. I had to squint my eyes sometimes to see what goes on. (This may also be due to the fact that it's in public domain, and not much was invested into digital remastering. Hey.. they sold it for €1 at Woolworth..) I also had to squint my ears - sound quality is not crystal-clear, and Indian English takes some more getting used to. But...Atcha! Against those odds, I enjoyed Elephant Boy tremendously. A simple but strong story, great shots of elephants.. (who needs monster movies when you have these creatures?) I can now better understand Sabu's short success story in the movies. He's ... well, more authentic than say, Douglas Fairbanks as the Thief of Bagdad (which I loved too). Between Prapancha Pash (1929 silent made on location in India), and Sabu's later highlights in Jungle Book (1942) and Black Narcissus, Elephant Boy fits very well in my collection, and I'll keep it in fond memory and re-watch it. Relatively short and quite mono-thematic (it's all about elephant & boy), for me it was a great and memorable experience.

I didn't like this movie at all Too much of the "hysterical elephant goes berserk" routine,and the horrid racket to go with it Sabu as the earnest,young Hindu boy was at best,cloyingly maudlin. The patronizing British Head Honcho was also a bit too much to take. I'm not even sure a child would like it.The pathetic elephant screams might be a bit scary. Parental Guidance Recommended (by me at least)

Wonderful little film adapted from Rudyard Kipling's story Toomai of the Elephants. Kipling's work always makes fine films, even if his British colonialism makes it somewhat dated. This particular film features an unpleasant master-servant relationship between the white man, Petersen (Walter Hudd), and the Indians. But, if you can get past that, and I think most mature people should be able to see the class system in its proper historical light, the movie is very enjoyable. Robert Flaherty discovered Sabu, later to star in such great films as The Thief of Bagdad, The Jungle Book, and Black Narcissus. Sabu is very good, though his English is sometimes difficult to understand. This was Flaherty's only narrative film - I expect that he directed the nature parts of the film and Zoltan Korda directed the actors. The best moments feel just like Flaherty's masterpieces, including a wonderful opening bit (discounting the unnecessary prologue) where Sabu, his elephant, and a monkey echo each other's movements as they all wake up in the morning. The cinematography is quite beautiful, as is the musical score. 8/10.