The Great Adventure (1953): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1953, The Great Adventure is a drama, adventure, family and documentary film directed by Arne Sucksdorff, running about 77 minutes.

What it’s about. A vixen mother invades a chicken coop to provide food for her cubs. She continues to raid the coop until she is shot by a farmer. The cubs are attacked by the farmer and only one survives. An otter trapped in a burrow is rescued by 10-year-old Anders and his six-year-old brother, Kjell. In secret, the boys cage the animal and finally domesticate it. They obtain food for the Otter by fishing through the ice on a frozen lake. The boys manage to keep their secret from their family. On the eve of the May Day festival, Kjell reveals to family and friends the otter's presence. Anders is so distressed that he runs into the woods with the otter. The otter breaks away and returns to its life of natural freedom. The film was a prize winner at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival.

Who’s in it. The Great Adventure stars Anders Nohrborg as Anders, Kjell Sucksdorff as Kjell, Holger Stockman as Kvast-Emil and Arne Sucksdorff as Father, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Great Adventure has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Metrograph. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Great Adventure page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Great Adventure tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.