Young Tina lives with her mother and stepfather on a wildlife reserve in Kenya. While her stepfather believes this is a wonderful environment for her to grow up in, her mother becomes increasingly concerned by her behaviour. These concerns are reinforced when it is revealed that her daughter's best friend in the whole world is a fully grown lion. Worried that her daughter may be turning into a savage, she sends for her former husband, Tina's biological father, in the hope that he can take her back to civilization (in this case rural Connecticut). But it seems as though Tina's mother wants something more than a civilized upbringing for her daughter.
Cinematography
Jack Cardiff shot this—expect lush African vistas.
Practical Effects
Real lion! Real child! Real insurance nightmare!
Director
Jack Cardiff
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Jack Cardiff was primarily a cinematographer—this was his second directorial feature. He shot The Red Shoes. He knows pretty.
The film gently interrogates 'civilizing missions' while still centering white familial drama. Baby steps for 1962.
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