Perri (film)
A True-Life Fantasy from Walt Disney Productions.
Perri is a 1957 American adventure film produced by Walt Disney Productions, adapted from Felix Salten's 1938 novel *Perri: The Youth of a Squirrel*. It stands as the fifth feature-length installment in Disney's True-Life Adventures series and is the only one categorized as a "True-Life Fantasy." This label was used to distinguish it from the standard True-Life Adventures, as the filmmakers blended documentary-style footage with invented storylines and characters.
The narrative follows a young female squirrel named Perri as she navigates forest life and eventually pairs with a male squirrel called Porro. The film is structured around four seasonal periods: the Time of Learning, Time of Beauty, Time of Peace, and Together Time. Winston Hibler handled production, narration, and writing duties, having previously narrated the True-Life Adventures documentaries.
Production spanned three years, with the crew capturing 300,000 feet of 16mm film. This was later edited down to 8,000 feet and converted to 35mm. Some scenes were shot in Salt Lake City and the Uinta National Forest in Utah. Paul Smith composed the film's score, and the project marked the first on-screen credit for Roy E. Disney, who served as a photographer.
Upon release, *Perri* earned generally favorable reviews from critics and audiences. It was included in the Legacy Collection DVD set released in December 2006 alongside all the True-Life Adventures, and it was available on Disney+ when the streaming service launched on November 12, 2019. At the 1958 Berlin International Film Festival, the film won a Special Prize (the Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury).
Quick Facts
- Director
- N. Paul Kenworthy / Ralph Wright
- Writer
- Ralph Wright / Winston Hibler
- Based On
- Perri · Felix Salten
- Producer
- Winston Hibler
- Editing
- Jack Atwood
- Music
- Score: / Paul J. Smith / Songs: / George Bruns / Winston Hibler / Ralph Wright / Paul J. Smith / Hazel "Gil" George / Song arrangements: / Carl Brandt / Orchestrations: / Carl Brandt / Franklyn Marks
- Studio
- Walt Disney Productions
- Distributor
- Buena Vista Film Distribution Co., Inc.
- Released
- 28 August 1957
- Runtime
- 75 minutes
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The story's title character is a young female squirrel who learns about forest life, and finds a mate in Porro, a male squirrel. The film depicts seasons called the Time of Learning, Time of Beauty, Time of Peace, and Together Time. Perri was produced, narrated, and written by Winston Hibler, who had previously narrated Disney's True-Life Adventures series of documentaries. It was described as a 'True-Life Fantasy' to avoid confusion with True-Life Adventures.
Reader's Guide
Perri was shot over three years, using 300,000 feet of 16mm film, later edited to 8,000 feet and converted to 35mm. Parts were filmed in Salt Lake City and the Uinta National Forest in Utah. The score was written by Paul Smith, and the film was the first on-screen credit for Roy E. Disney, who worked as a photographer. Upon release, Perri was generally well received by critics and audiences. It won the Golden Bear for Best Documentary at the 1958 Berlin Film Festival. Along with all the True-Life Adventures, it premiered in December 2006 on Disney DVD as part of the Legacy Collection, and was available on Disney+ at its launch on November 12, 2019.
Did You Know?
- Perri was the only Disney True-Life Adventures feature labeled a True-Life Fantasy.
- The film was shot over three years on 300,000 feet of 16mm film.
- Perri won a Special Prize (Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury) at the 1958 Berlin International Film Festival, not the Golden Bear.
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