Gentle Giant

Gentle Giant

Year: 1967

Runtime: 95 mins

Language: English

Director: James Neilson

AdventureFamily

A wisp of a boy…A ton of bear…And a whole angry town trying to tear them apart The Story of a boy and his bear.

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Timeline & Setting – Gentle Giant (1967)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Gentle Giant (1967). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Florida, Everglades

The story unfolds on the Florida coast around a game reserve near the Everglades. It features marshy landscapes, coastal waters, and a community of fishermen whose livelihoods depend on the sea and its wildlife. The reserve and its animal inhabitants provide the backdrop for tensions between poachers and conservation efforts.

🌴 Florida 🐾 Wildlife 🎣 Fishing economy

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:15

Main Characters – Gentle Giant (1967)

Meet the key characters of Gentle Giant (1967), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Mark Wedloe (Clint Howard)

A curious and empathetic boy who adores animals. He befriends Ben the bear and repeatedly disobeys warnings to help the cub, driven by a child’s sense of loyalty and justice. His actions drive much of the film’s moral arc and highlight the bond between child and wildlife.

🧒 Child 🐾 Animal lover

Ellen Wedloe (Vera Miles)

Tom’s wife and Mark’s mother, she supports her family while navigating the dangers of poachers. She warns against getting close to Ben, emphasizing family safety and the need for responsibility toward wildlife. Her perspective grounds the family’s decisions.

👩️ Family 🐻 Wildlife

Tom Wedloe (Dennis Weaver)

A pilot who spotlights schools of fish and later becomes a wildlife officer. He embodies practical toughness and caution, balancing his duties with his love for his son. His evolving stance on Ben tests his beliefs about danger and mercy.

👨‍✈️ Family 🐊 Wildlife officer

Fog Hanson (Ralph Meeker)

The local fisherman and bully who leads a gang of poachers. He represents greed and cruelty, seeking to profit from wildlife through intimidation. His confrontations with Tom and Mark escalate the film’s moral stakes.

🧪 Antagonist 🐟 Poacher

Gentle Ben (Bruno the Bear)

A bear cub who forms a close bond with Mark. Ben grows into a dangerous but protective animal who challenges humans and their boundaries. His journey from captivity to the wild anchors the story’s emotional core.

🐻 Bear 🧭 Wild ally

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:15

Major Themes – Gentle Giant (1967)

Explore the central themes of Gentle Giant (1967), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤝 Friendship

Mark forms a deep, compassionate bond with Ben the bear, illustrating how trust and care can bridge the gap between species. Their growing friendship motivates Mark to protect the cub and challenge dangerous behavior around him. This relationship drives the emotional core of the story and tests familial boundaries.

⚖️ Conflict

The film centers on the clash between illegal poaching and the rule of law. Fog Hanson embodies greed and intimidation, while the Wedloes navigate duty and safety. The tension escalates from confrontations to a violent showdown that forces moral choices about mercy and responsibility.

🌿 Conservation

Poaching threatens wildlife and livelihoods, prompting characters to adopt protective roles. Ben's captivity, the rescue, and his return to the wild underscore themes of rehabilitation and coexistence. The resolution suggests humans and wildlife can share a habitat when respect for nature prevails.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:15

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Gentle Giant Summary

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Gentle Giant Summary

Gentle Giant Timeline

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Gentle Giant Timeline

More About Gentle Giant

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Gentle Giant (1967) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Gentle Giant (1967) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Gentle Giant (1967) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow