‘Homeward Bound’ Copied This Wholesome Family Movie Recommendation

If you've ever wished you could go back to a time when stories were simple — no hidden agendas, just a great story well told — I've got a 1963 Disney gem that's going to take you right back to that time. I've watched it more times than I can count. It's one of those rare finds that leaves everyone with a warm feeling in their hearts. And I'll also tell you exactly why the 1993 remake gets it completely wrong.

What Is The Incredible Journey About?

The Incredible Journey is a 1963 Disney film based on the book by Sheila Burnford, and it's exactly what the title says — an incredible journey. The story follows three animals who are best friends: Luath, a young Golden Retriever who is the leader of the pack; Bodger, an older Bull Terrier; and Tao, a Siamese cat.

Their family has gone away out of the country, and a close family friend has taken them in to pet sit. When the man heads off for a couple of weeks of duck hunting, the animals think he's abandoned them. Luath gets this instinct that tells him to take everybody home. So they set off 200 miles through the Canadian wilderness — little do they know the adventures and close calls waiting for them along the way.

Why This Movie Works So Beautifully for Families

What works so well about this movie is its simplicity. There isn't a lot of talking. You have a narrator guiding you through the story over the scenes, some dialogue at the beginning, in the middle, and toward the end. The chunk of the film is just the animals, the landscape, and the narration. And the silence.

That silence is necessary to really appreciate this movie, especially when nowadays we're so bombarded with films that are just go, go, go — moving at a fast pace to keep people engaged. Silence gives you time to think about the story, to really mull it over, and to let your kids feel the story with their heart. It's something we don't get a lot of in family entertainment anymore.

3 Values This Movie Will Teach Your Kids

1. Hope

The children in the film never stop believing their animals are going to make it home. The adults — well, they're practical. You can't blame them. You hear it in their voices: Bodger's too old, there's no way he can survive the wilderness, it's 200 miles, they can't find food. That's just the practical thinking that comes from living longer than our children and knowing how life goes. But the children never lose hope.

When the animals finally make their journey home, you see it in the dad's face at the end of the film. This grown man just standing there, hearing a dog barking, with his daughter telling him, It's Luath! It's Luath! He has that childlike hope in his heart and calls his dog — and there he comes, against all the odds, making it home. It is acting that just can't be replicated.

2. Self-Sacrifice

There's one scene in particular that may break your heart. Along the journey, Tao falls into a pretty dangerous predicament — without sharing too much, it's a near life-and-death experience that ends up separating Tao from Bodger and Luath. A little girl finds Tao, takes him in, nurses him back to health, and she loves her new cat. You can see it. What little girl doesn't love her cat?

My daughter is obsessed with our cat, and if you have a cat, I'm sure you understand that bond. Tao loves the girl back too. But then one night, the narrator tells you what's happening inside Tao's mind — and Tao knows he can't stay. He already has a family. He has two best friends still moving through the wilderness without him. He has his own little girl at home who misses him.

So he tries to say goodbye, and it's just sad — because you want Tao to stay with the girl who saved his life, but you also want him home with his real owner. You can't have both things at once. Tao makes his choice and moves on. I know it's a cat, but the scene really teaches your kids something profound: that love often means letting go of something.

3. Determination

And boy, do these animals have determination.

There's a little moment I love where Tao does not want to touch the snow they're walking through. She hates it. She steps one careful paw at a time directly into Bodger's paw prints so she doesn't have to feel the snow as much. Then there's a scene where Bodger gets into some trouble with a mama bear through no fault of his own — and Tao steps in to protect him. The friendship between these three animals is genuinely special.

What About Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)?

I know somebody out there is thinking — isn't that the same movie? I'm telling you, it's not, and it doesn't do the same thing.

The concept is the same: the animals making their way home. But making the animals talk changes the whole dynamic. The silence is lost, and it just cheapens the story. The lessons get lost right along with it.

The Bigger Message I Wasn't Expecting

We all have to-do lists that never get done, dinners to prep for, schoolwork, appointments, sports — all that stuff. It's easy to rush right past the beautiful moments in life. This movie quietly taps you on the shoulder and says: Hey, slow down. Smell the roses. Look at what you have right in front of you. The people who need you most. The ones who are already finding their way home to you every single day.

That's the incredible journey. Sometimes it takes three animals and 60 years of filmmaking to remind you of it.

Is The Incredible Journey Right for Your Family?

The Incredible Journey is a clean, wholesome family movie that works for all ages. Best of all, it's one of those rare picks that your kids can watch completely on their own while you take a little time for yourself. My kids watched it over and over when they were small, and I still watch it today in my forties.

Where to Watch

You can find The Incredible Journey on Disney+, YouTube, and Amazon Prime. I'll drop all the links in the show notes.

What to Watch Next

If your kids love The Incredible Journey, your next stop would be The Black Stallion and The Black Stallion Returns and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

And head over to wholesometvpicks.com and sign up for my email list — you'll get instant access to a list of quick picks I've covered, sorted by category and ready to grab when you need something fast.

Winston Churchill said, "The greatest virtues of human society are created around the family and the home." That's exactly why what we put in front of our kids matters.

Next week I'm sharing a true story that is going to make you want to sit down with your older kids and have a very important conversation. Thanks for listening — remember, your values matter and your TV should too. I'll catch you next week. Take care.