Born Free (1966)

After killing a man-killing lioness in self defense, a game warden (Bill Travers) returns to camp with the lioness's three cubs. His wife (Virginia McKenna) raises them but becomes attached to the smallest cub she calls Elsa. When the other two are sent off to zoos, Elsa is kept but as she grows into adulthood, it becomes clear that she must either go to a zoo or returned to the wild. But as a tamed cat, how will she survive? Based on the non fiction novel by Joy Adamson, this is one of the best animal movies ever made. Filmed entirely in Kenya and lovingly shot by Kenneth Talbot, the film has a nice authenticity to it. The relationship between the Adamsons seems natural and unforced which is not surprising as McKenna and Travers were married to each other in real life. The movie manages not to veer off into sentimentality while still tugging at our tear ducts. An intelligent animal film for the whole family. John Barry's underscore won an Oscar as did his title song. Sadly, the Adamsons separated eventually and were murdered in separate incidents. With Geoffrey Keen and Peter Lukoye.