Customer Reviews

Sign of the Beaver [VHS]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm not sure if some of the other reviewers either a) work for the movie company and are thus biased, or b) just haven't read the book. I have a very different perspective on this movie and I will be happy to tell you why.

Here's the deal: I'm a 3rd grade teacher and we've just finished reading the book as a class. The kids LOVED it. We are heading into the final days before Christmas and my thinking is: this movie would make a perfect "finale" to completing the book! I just finished watching it and I am disappointed to say the least. The movie is EXTREMELY different from the book, in ways that are both baffling and unnecessary. Here's the laundry list:

-Matt starts the movie in Springfield (why not Quincy?), Mass., with his family. We get a lot of time-wasting backstory on how Matt and his father get to Maine. His mother somehow has a prominent role in the movie and the actress that plays her overacts her lines constantly. There are numerous breaks in the movie away from Matt's life in which we see all the reasons his family gets delayed in their travels to Maine. This does not add to the movie.
-Ben, Ben, Ben! In the book he is present for 1 chapter, steals Matt's gun and is never heard from again. In the MOVIE, we see him half a dozen times and, in the end, he leads Matt's family to Matt!!! Talk about a bogus, bizarre, happy Disney ending.
-Matt & Attean's story arc from enemies to brothers is VERY quick and lacks the real development (and events) necessary to justify it. Maybe if we didn't have to keep cutting away to see all the mommy/daddy drama, this movie would do Elizabeth George Speare's book some justice!
-No bear (this is the only difference I can accept: based on the low budget I can see why this would get dropped) and thus no big bear feast.
-No focus on THE SIGN OF THE BEAVER - and this is the BIGGIE - the title phrase is just not addressed in the movie at all. No visit to a beaver dam, talk of beavers, or any acknowledgement that Attean's tribe is of the beaver variety.
-Lots of little things that just degrade the "class" Mrs. Speare had throughout her text. In the end, Matt gives Attean "Robinson Crusoe" instead of his watch. Matt's mother and father have a tasteless zoomed in make-out session. In a sad and pointless scene, Matt's father kills the family horse when it goes lame. Matt's mother starts the movie with her baby born, rather than pregnant, Attean's dog is completely marginalized, etc. etc. etc.!!!

I'll end my rant there. Despite all the negatives I have listed, I will still show the movie to my kids because I want them to exercise their comparison/contrast skills and catch all differences I have. This is a big lesson they can learn: movies are all too often NOTHING like the books they are "based on". I fear they will also find this out with the Despereaux movie coming out over Christmas (we also read that book earlier in the year). Better they learn this lesson early, right?!

It's just such a shame that there are so many differences that really dilute the high quality of Speare's work. I'm giving it 2 stars because the production level is decent, but hopefully anyone else interested in this movie is aware of how much it truly diverges from the book it is named after.

I am a classroom teacher and have been using the book, The Sign of the Beaver, for years in my reading program. when I finally saw a film that I could use to accompany the book, I was thrilled. I believe the original title of the film was The Promise. And the film was good if that is what you wanted to see, a boy keeping his promise. But that is not the reason I got the film. After watching the film, if one did not read the book, one would have no idea why the film was named The Sign of the Beaver. Most of the film was spent dealing with the hardships faced by the father, mother and two other children in their travels to the wilderness; and very little time was spent developing the story of the boy who lived and learned to survive throughout the autumn and winter until his family joined him. He survived because of his interaction with the local Indians and their teachings which was only briefly touched upon in the film. All in all, the film was VERY disappointing. If you want to see a film about a boy keeping a Promise, buy it. If you want to use it as an accompanying film with the book in the classroom, I'd think twice.

This is a moving story, well produced and enhanced with DVD capabilities. "The DVD feedback option is wonderful for promoting discussion." "The ease of going from scene to scene was a great benefit." Good historical information and author's biography. The kids liked the adventure story. DVD features easy to operate for most. "I liked the way we could go back to different sections, like when they were shooting arrows." "It showed a lot about hunting and building a cabin." "Matt got along with the Indians." Best for ages 8 to 12.

Keeping the Promise is a movie based on the children's novel, Sign of the Beaver, by Elizabeth George Speare. I'm a teacher, so I have my students read the book, then we watch the movie and compare the two. It is a good family movie with a positive message. My students enjoy watching it every year!

While this movie barely resembles the book, "The Sign of the Beaver" (they changed many things) it is still a very good family movie. My 11 year old son and I enjoyed watching it, but there were a couple of scenes my 6 1/2 year old daughter found a little upsetting (especially when a horse had to be put down...it is not at all graphic, but my daughter tends to be very sensitive about animals). All in all, it's a great story about family, friendship, and honor. I recommend this movie.

Terrific family entertainment and certain to please younger viewers as they relate to the child protagonist, 13-year-old Matt. The young settler has agreed to protect the homestead while awaiting the return of his family but, due to unforseen delays, his short wait turns to months. With assistance from the Penobscot Indians the boy learns the necessary skills to survive and must make the difficult decision whether to continue waiting for his family or depart with the natives as the Maine winter approaches...

I purchased this movie after my son had read the book it was based on "Sign of the Beaver" for his English class. It did have some differences but was very good. I would reccommend this as a nice family movie to watch.

What I loved about this book is that there are so many details so you know what you are reading. You can really visualize the story and have so many adventures reading this exciting new book.

Terrific family fare that's certain to entertain younger viewers as they relate to the movie's protagonist, 13-year-old Matt. This young settler has promised his father that he'll protect the new homestead until pa can return with the rest of the family and, due to unforseen delays, poor Matt struggles for months to keep his word. With the assistance of the local Native Americans the youth learns the skills necessary to survive and must make the difficult decision whether to stay or accompany the tribe when they leave...

This movie is in the tradition of "Old Yeller" and "The Red Pony" -- it's taken from a popular children's book, and it has been made into a very watchable film. Journeyman actors such as Keith Carradine are very convincing in a story about a family's life and survival in the wilderness.

This makes a good movie for a family movie night, but I would then mix it up with something lighter to make for a nice contrast. Two of my older children, teenaged girls, who were baby-sitting three younger cousins (2 boys and one girl under age ten), and my husband, myself and my dad all watched this together and we were all enthralled. The three girls cried, and I was a little misty myself. So I was glad to put in "Enchanted" afterwards, which we all loved, also. (see my review Enchanted (Widescreen Edition)