How Long Is “The Bear”?

The life and times of a grizzly bear provide the basis of this extraordinary wilderness picture from French filmmaker Annaud. Set in the wild mountains of northern British Columbia, Canada, the story is done with little dialog and unlike its Disney-esque predecessors is not totally anthropomorphized, though the animals do display an astonishing range of human emotions. The bear is first seen as an orphaned cub who finds salvation under the sturdy paws of a full grown Kodiak grizzly. Unfortunately, the cub's protector is being stalked by determined trappers. The story comes from a novel by James Oliver Curwood. The Bear was filmed on location in the Tyrolean Alps. It took seven years to make the film.