A SUMMER TO REMEMBER

US, 1985, 93 minutes, Colour.
James Farentino, Tess Harper, Louise Fletcher, Burt Young, Sean Justin Gerlis, Dennis Haysbert.
Directed by Robert Michael Lewis.

A Summer To Remember is a pleasant family about two children, one of them deaf, and their encounter with an orang-utan that escapes from a scientific laboratory. While the plot may seem far-fetched, it is handled quite nicely. The plausibility of the escape, the orang-utan travelling to Oregon, the encounter with the children, the orang-utan knowing sign language, the orang-utan being taken by a circus owner, the final escape with a gorilla. Needless to say, there is a happy resolution.

The film has a strong cast including James Farentino and Tess Harper as the parents, Louise Fletcher as the doctor, Burt Young as the circus manager - and a deaf boy, Sean Justin Gerlis, as the boy. The film will entertain a family audience.

1. Enjoyable family film? Animals? Children and animals? Science? Circuses? Decisions about animals?

2. The atmosphere of the American western states, the laboratories, the countryside, Oregon, homes, circus? Musical score?

3. The title and its importance for the children?

4. The plausibility of the plot: the training of the orang-utan to communicate in sign language, the car crash and the escape, the travel to Oregon, the children being able to hide the animal, the circus, the contact with the gorilla, the escape? The confrontation with Toby?

5. Dr. Dolly McKeever? and her training of the orang-utan, sign language and communication, intelligence? The car crash? Her wanting to get the orang-utan back, the co-operation of the police, the media? Her injuries? Discovering Casey? Handling the situation and the children? Friendship with the children?

6. Toby and Jill? At home, relationship with their mother, their stepfather, memories of their dead father? Tensions at home? Toby and his deafness? Unwillingness to communicate? The discovery of Casey? Their hiding her, in the tree-house, feeding her? Trying to persuade their parents? The strong insistence of the parents in telling the truth? Their happy excursions with Casey? The discovery of the truth? The circus? The harsh treatment by the manager? Their decision to let Casey go? Toby and the escape? Dr. McKeever? and the police? Chasing for Casey? The confrontation with Max? The rescue? Toby's reconciliation with his parents? The character of Casey - the personality of the orang-utan, the communication? The affection of the children?

7. The parents: their love for the children, concern, wanting them to tell the truth, not believing about the animal? The mother and her care? The stepfather and the strained relationship with Toby? His trying to take the place of the dead father? Promises, clashes? The reconciliations? The crises, the circus, the rescue and the chase? The final happiness - and Toby speaking?

8. The circus manager, his rough style, Max the gorilla, taking Casey, his harsh treatment, the escape? His assistant? Their being knocked around -comic style - by the gorilla?

9. The background of scientific research, animal experimentation, care of animals? Circuses and their treatment of animals? The human touch with the portrait of the family and the affection for the animals?