I appreciate the earnest simplicity of this movie. The soundtrack is defined almost exclusively by Franklyn Marks' duly varied score, and by Frank DeKova's narration, with only sparing audio that was collected alongside the film footage. 'The legend of the boy and the eagle' almost feels like a logical extension of the techniques of the silent era, with DeKova's voice substituted for the plain text of intertitles that would relate essential plot between scenes. As someone who absolutely treasures silent films, this can only be a point in this feature's favor, and perhaps it's crucial in this specific instance. There is no cinematic embellishment here: the picture presents as relating a Hopi legend, and so what we plainly see before us are beautiful landscapes, video of wildlife, and depictions of the lifestyle and tools of a culture that exists in balanced harmony with the natural world. There are no narrative hooks or twists, no stylized dialogue or character interactions, no special effects - only the most fundamental of direction and editing, arrangement of scenes, and drama and action in accordance with the uncomplicated essence of the title.
With Disney being best known for churning out animated features and various shows appealing to modern youth, it's easy to forget or overlook the vast wealth of live-action titles they produced for several decades that haven't had the same level of attention. This is most certainly one of them, and it falls neatly within the company of features that centered nature to one extent or another; even as the focus is on the story, in the visuals and in DeKova's descriptions we're treated to honest examination of the world around us. Yet while the approach here to film-making and storytelling may be unfamiliar or even off-putting to some audiences, it's not forced, contrived, or hokey - for whatever heavy- or ham-handedness one may arguably perceive at times, 'The legend of the boy and the eagle' is a gratifyingly frank and sincere picture. At risk of overusing a root word, the style here can only be described as naturalistic; one gets a sense that each passing moment is staged only insofar as producers set the pieces in motion to capture certain desired shots, and otherwise each scene and the narrative at large are precisely how this sequence of events would play out, no more and no less. With that, there's a grace and ease to it all that is a great pleasure to watch as a viewer.
That this lacks the flourishes and grandiosity of any major motion picture may surely be a turn off for some. As far as I'm concerned, however, that's exactly what makes it so terrific. The bare candor of the production, the outright beauty of the cinematography, and the endearing, unadorned truthfulness of the small narrative all stir together into an enticing, fluid, quietly captivating viewing experience. It may not appeal to all moviegoers, but so it is for the medium at large. For my part, I think 'The legend of the boy and the eagle' is a superbly well made, capably entertaining slice of cinema that's worth more than the mere 50 minutes it takes to watch, and boasts more value than many titles that are far longer. One maybe doesn't need to go out of their way to watch this, but if you have the opportunity, it's well worth one's while to do so.
