Lil' Scratch
(1971) color 89 minutes
SYNOPSIS: Sportsman/explorer Larry, his dog Homer and horse Job, arrive in a beautiful land near the Wyoming/Montana border, and pitch camp. Larry trains Homer to obey commands. Larry goes out and observes many animals, including coyote, swans, cranes, bald eagles, bull moose, mule deer, antelope. Larry plays with Homer in a snowbank. Larry visits Grasshopper Glacier in Montana, where fossilized grasshoppers stay frozen in the ice. Larry visits a canyon containing pictographs of Indian civilization, supposedly over 2,000 years old.
Larry hears shots. Larry finds an abandoned bear cub, who starches him; he names him "Lil' Scratch".
***
LIL' SCRATCH is a very obscure wildlife documentary filmed near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Beautiful photography (shot silent in 16mm) is augmented by perfunctory narration and stock library music as we follow hunter Larry and his hound dog Homer and discovering the wildlife about them, including an adorable orphaned bear cub.
Although the photography is competent, and at times downright brilliant, there are precious few close-ups, giving the film a sort of lonely, detached feeling.
Jones tries to be whimsical as he weaves his tale, but the stiff quality of his nervous monotone thwarts any comic intent. This also dampens the potential educational effect of the animal behavior and history described. The corny nature of the narration is only augmented by the familiar stock library music, of the type used in educational films for decades.
To be truthful, some of Larry's asides are kind of queer: ("Hello, dere!", "Don't drop anything in the shower", "Now that fella's legal!", "As Robin would say, 'Holy melted ice cubes'!") There are also a few bad attempts at dubbing.
The leisurely, free-form structure of the film probably imitates the nature of wilderness travel fairly well. Larry comes across at times like an ersatz Robinson Crusoe, making ingenious contraptions out of nearby raw materials. One dark note occurs when Larry whips out an old Colt revolver, and practices with it.
Speaking of guns, there is one curious "red herring" in the film. At some point, Larry hears shots fired, and becomes concerned. We assume that this was inserted for dramatic effect, and would involve a later plot point or revelation. Alas, the subject never comes up again!
Clearly the most poetic scene in the film involves Larry admitting that he's homesick, and singing "Shenandoah". As he sings, we see a woman's image distorted in the reflection of a lake; presumably, this is Larry's wife. It is a cheaply-done effect, but striking nonetheless.
Overall, LIL' SCRATCH is an amazing, Walden-like adventure, as a man spends about three months "alone" in the wild (alone with his brother cameraman, of course). It would be highly suitable for small kids, or those interested in wildlife, but for the highly traumatic ending.
The killing of our little cub by a marauding grizzly comes as a complete surprise, and makes one wonder how much of this part of the filmed adventure was real, or faked.
One may attach some significance to the fact that Lil' Scratch is only attacked and killed after the previously pacifistic Larry suddenly announces he's going out to kill an antelope. It is the poor cub's horrible death screams which divert Larry from his misguided quest, so one could perhaps see this as a sacrifice of sorts.
Regardless, Larry and Homer are obviously affected by this senseless death; Larry even writes an epitaph:
"The pines are tall,
We found ourselves oddly moved by this shocking tragedy, proving that even though we considered ourselves not thoroughly engaged in this meandering and plotless film, we were involved, after all. LIL' SCRATCH thus qualifies as a marginally narrative film well worth seeking out for animal lovers and wilderness buffs.
Video/DVD availability: VHS (unknown), DVD (Brentwood)
Larry Jones Productions
Cinematography: Richard Jones, Larry Jones
Directed by Larry Jones
Produced by Larry Jones
Narrated by Larry Jones
Larry takes Scratch back to camp, where he and Homer become fast friends. Scratch gets into all sorts of mischief. Larry starts to run out of provisions, so he goes fishing, catching some nice trout for the gang. Larry gets homesick, sings "Shenandoah", and dreams of his wife. The gang goes swimming. At first snow, Larry hunts moose. Larry plays target practice with his father's gun. While Larry is away hunting down an antelope, an adult grizzly bear appears at camp, and kills poor Scratch. Larry buries Scratch.
Larry, Homer and Job ride sadly off in the sunset.
The skies are blue.
The water's clear,
And my love is true.
It would be hard to find,
A friend to match,
A little bear,
By the name of Scratch.
I'll long remember,
Lil' Scratch."
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