Bear Country

1953 0h 33m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 16

Documentary

Synopsis

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Bear Country is a 1953 American short documentary film directed by James Algar. It won an Academy Award at the 26th Academy Awards in 1954 for Best Short Subject (Two-Reel).[1] The film was produced by Walt Disney as part of the True-Life Adventures series of nature documentaries.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Winston Hibler
Narrator

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: James Algar
Writers: James Algar
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 33-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

73 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "True-Life Adventures Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lloyd L. Richardson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0045545 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 16 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

James Algar directs. Lloyd L. Richardson cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 33-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
273 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "True-Life Adventures Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Editor Lloyd L. Richardson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6IMDB entry: tt0045545 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 16 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Editing: Lloyd L. Richardson
Runtime: 33 min · 0h 33m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): G
IMDB: Bear Country (1953)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Two-reel

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

True-Life Adventures Collection

In 1940 Walt Disney got the idea for the first ever nature documentary True Life Adventures during animal studies for his upcoming film Bambi. Instead of imitating the natural through animation, he could just use what was already there. When the sun rises and light enters through the eyelids the body is triggered to begin its wake-up cycle, including the release of cortisol. By the time the light is at full brightness, sleepers wake up on their own. An alarm is not needed anymore.

Also by

James Algar

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-07-10
★ 7/10
Taking from us one very chilly North American winter through to another, we follow the antics of a mother bear and her two curious cubs as they emerge from their snug den out into the melting snow and explore their surroundings. Whilst the youngsters find fun in just about everything, especially climbing trees and playing with baby mountain lions, their mother must engage in more productive activities like feeding them, teaching them, and keeping them safe from predators - chief of whom is actually another male black bear who will merrily slaughter the cubs if he gets a chance. This is one of Winston Hibbler’s more personable commentaries, I found, with some charm and light-heartedness guiding our exposé to the adventures of these giant animals atop the food chain amidst the trees and beauty of this untamed wilderness. I can’t help but wonder if they don’t have the right idea, these critters: sleep through the bitter cold of winter; wake up; eat, drink and be merry then go back to sleep for another five months!

Production companies