The Belstone Fox *** (1973, Eric Porter, Jeremy Kemp, Bill Travers, Rachel Roberts, Dennis Waterman, Heather Wright) – Classic Movie Review 10,657

‘When you hunt The Belstone Fox… you hunt HIS way!’

Tragedy results from an act of kindness when an old huntsman called Asher Smith (Eric Porter) raises an orphaned fox cub and a hound together.

Director James Hill’s 1973 family adventure drama The Belstone Fox [Free Spirit] is a sturdy, faithful rendition of David Rook’s novel The Ballad of The Belstone Fox, with a crisp screenplay by James Hill, brisk direction, strong performances from the British cast (especially Eric Porter), interesting human characters and beautiful wildlife filming (in Eastmancolor).

Bird impersonator Percy Edwards provides the animal noises.

Appropriately, it was distributed by Fox in America.

It also stars Rachel Roberts, Jeremy Kemp, Bill Travers, Dennis Waterman and Heather Wright.

Location shooting took place in Somerset and Buckinghamshire, while the pups were provided by the Heythrop Hunt in Oxfordshire.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,657

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com