A Tiger Walks *** (1964, Vera Miles, Brian Keith, Pamela Franklin, Sabu, Edward Andrews, Kevin Corcoran, Una Merkel, Peter Brown) – Classic Movie Review 13,597

Raja, a frightened, mistreated Bengal tiger, escapes from a travelling circus, in Disney’s 1963 drama film A Tiger Walks starring Brian Keith, Vera Miles, Pamela Franklin and Sabu.

Director Norman Tokar’s 1963 American drama film A Tiger Walks is based on one of Ian Niall’s novels, and stars Brian Keith, Vera Miles, Pamela Franklin, Sabu, Kevin Corcoran, Edward Andrews, Una Merkel, Peter Brown, Arthur Hunnicutt, and Connie Gilchrist.

Walt Disney Productions’ tough-toned, but honest-natured and good fun family adventure is all about Raja, a dangerous, mistreated Bengal tiger that breaks loose from the travelling circus in a cosy US town, focusing on Julie (Pamela Franklin), the daughter of the sheriff (Brian Keith) and his wife (Vera Miles), who tries to save the frightened tiger.

The sheriff’s daughter Julie Williams (Pamela Franklin) wants to capture Raja, buy Raja from the circus, and put it in a zoo. Julie starts a campaign with the slogan Save the Tiger, and soon support money pours in from kids across America after TV reveals the story, annoying the state governor. But Julie, her father and Indian tiger trainer Ram Singh (Sabu) must find Raja before the National Guard, who are ordered to shoot the tiger.

The tiger is undoubtedly a star, but the very good cast of humans (Sabu, Keith, Miles) all put in personable performances. The film is surprisingly cynical, or maybe just hard-nosed, in its portrayal of humankind for a Disney movie.

It is Indian-born Sabu’s last film, released on March 12, 1964 a few months after his death.

The cast are Brian Keith, Vera Miles, Sabu, Pamela Franklin, Kevin Corcoran, Edward Andrews, Una Merkel, Peter Brown, Arthur Hunnicutt, Connie Gilchrist, Theodore Marcuse, Merry Anders, Frank McHugh, Doodles Weaver, Frank Aletter, Jack Albertson, Donald May, Robert Shayne, Michael Fox, and Richard O’Brien.

The 1951 film No Resting Place is also based on one of Ian Niall’s works. It is directed by Paul Rotha, produced by Colin Lesslie Productions, and stars Michael Gough.

Sabu died suddenly of a heart attack in Chatsworth, California, on 2 December 1963, aged 39.

Kevin Corcoran (June 10, 1949 – October 6, 2015) 

Peter Brown, aka Pierre Lynn de Lappe (October 5, 1935 – March 21, 2016)

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,597

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