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Born Free ()

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The story of George and Joy Adamson and the orphaned lion cub, Elsa, they adopt.
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Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.
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Photos and Videos

31 photos | 2 videos

Cast verified as complete

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...
Joy Adamson
...
George Adamson
...
Kendall
Peter Lukoye ...
Nuru
Omar Chambati ...
Makkede
Bill Godden ...
Sam
Bryan Epsom ...
Baker
Robert Cheetham ...
Ken
Robert S. Young ...
James (as Robert Young)
Geoffrey Best ...
Watson
Surya Patel ...
Doctor
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elsa ...
Lion Cub / Lioness (uncredited)
Pati ...
Rock Hyrax (uncredited)

Directed by

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James Hill ... (directed by)
Tom McGowan ... (uncredited)

Written by

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Joy Adamson ... (book)
 
Lester Cole ... (screenplay) (originally as Gerald L.C. Copley)

Produced by

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Carl Foreman ... executive producer (uncredited)
Sam Jaffe ... producer
Paul B. Radin ... producer (as Paul Radin)

Music by

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John Barry ... (music composed by)

Cinematography by

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Kenneth Talbot ... director of photography

Editing by

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Don Deacon

Editorial Department

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Gordon Davie ... assistant editor

Production Management

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Sidney G. Barnsby ... production supervisor
L.C. Rudkin ... production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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William P. Cartlidge ... assistant director
Gavrik Losey ... assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Chris Greenham ... sound editor
Claude Hitchcock ... sound recordist
Bob Jones ... sound recordist (as Robert Jones)
Richard Best Jr. ... assistant sound editor (uncredited)
John Hall ... boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Chic Anstiss ... camera operator (as Rodney Anstiss)
Tom Watson ... gaffer
Wally Wheatley ... grip
Robin Browne ... clapper loader (uncredited)
Marc Hyams ... second camera operator (uncredited)
John Jay ... still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Elsa Fennell ... wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department

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John Barry ... conducted by / orchestrator (uncredited)
Sidney Margo ... music contractor (uncredited)
Eric Tomlinson ... music engineer (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Kay Rawlings ... continuity

Additional Crew

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George Adamson ... chief technical adviser
Carl Foreman ... presenter
Hal Mason ... production coordinator
Jane Oscroft ... production secretary
Joel Preston ... publicist
Peter Whitehead ... animal supervisor
Sieuwke Bisleti ... animal trainer (uncredited)
Halsey Raines ... publicity director (uncredited)

Thanks

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Haile Selassie ... the producers are also most grateful for help received from (as His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia)
Crew believed to be complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Married couple George Adamson and Joy Adamson have long lived in northern Kenya for George's work as the senior game warden of the region. One of George's primary responsibilities is to deal with dangerous animals that may be chronically threatening to humans, livestock and/or crops. It is in this vein that George and his staff end up killing a man eating lion and its lioness, resulting in their three young female cubs being orphaned. Although difficult to begin, George and Joy are able to wean and take care of the three cubs, who they adopt as pets. But soon, they know they have to provide a more suitable environment for the cubs, namely sending them to Rotterdam Zoo... that is except for the smallest, who they have named Elsa and to who Joy in particular has become attached as the emotional fighter among the three. As Elsa grows into lioness maturity, George and Joy provide her with greater freedom away from their property, which may get her into trouble as a largely tame animal. Ultimately, John Kendall, George's boss, directs them to send Elsa to a zoo like they did with her sisters, especially as with anyone in George's job he is soon being reassigned. Joy cannot bear the thought of Elsa being locked up for the rest of her life, believing that they can reintegrate her back into the wild instead, something that had never been done with a tame lion. John gives them three months to accomplish this task, which most specifically involves getting Elsa to be able to kill for food, other creatures which up to this point she has seen only as fellow playthings, and to be accepted by other lions, most specifically mate with and provide food for a male partner while standing up successfully to female competitors. Written by Huggo

Plot Keywords
Taglines From The Pages Of The Beloved Best Seller... A Motion Picture To Delight All The World! See more »
Genres
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Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Vivre libre (France)
  • Frei geboren - Königin der Wildnis (Germany)
  • Nacida libre (Spain)
  • A História de Elsa (Brazil)
  • Frei geboren - Königin der Wildnis (West Germany)
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Runtime
  • 95 min
Country
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Color
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Filming Locations

Did You Know?

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Trivia The lions "Boy," "Girl," and "Ugas" were freed upon the completion of production, under protest from the film company who wanted to sell the lions to zoos to recoup some of their money from filming. See more »
Goofs When Elsa is playing with and chasing the elephant herd, she is not wearing her collar. But in the next scene when she returns with an elephant calf, she is wearing her collar. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Radio Flyer (1992). See more »
Soundtracks Born Free See more »
Quotes Joy Adamson: Elsa, Elsa
[Joy cries sitting out on the hood of the truck as they ride in search of the young lioness]
George Adamson: Let's try this.
[2 shots ring out from his gun. George sees Elsa stumbling through the grass, approaching their vehicle]
Joy Adamson: all my nightmares had come true.
[Now Elsa rests in their tent as they argue over her]
George Adamson: ...she can't make it. she can't think. she can't mix with her own kind... She can't do anything the wild animals do to survive. You've done too good a job on her. You've made her tame. It's too late to try to let her go wild now. All we're doing is making her miserable, torturing her. How could you be so cruel?
Joy Adamson: You keep quiet George.
George Adamson: I don't know what goes on in that head of yours anymore... What's wrong with a zoo, anyway?
Joy Adamson: nothing. Except that she won't be free.
George Adamson: and Is freedom so important?
Joy Adamson: yes, yes, she was born free and she has the right to live free. Why don't we live in a more comfortable setting George? Other people do. We chose to live out here cause it represents freedom for us. Because we can breathe.
George Adamson: Joy, tell me the truth. You just don't want to give her up. What you're really hoping is that she can stay out here, wild, but not too wild. That you can see her every now and then.
Joy Adamson: it's not the whole truth. But I don't deny I'd like it.
George Adamson: it's impossible. It cannot happen.
Joy Adamson: ...at least she would be free. At least she wouldn't be in a cage for the rest of her life.
George Adamson: even if she gets herself killed in the process.
Joy Adamson: [stroking Elsa's leg] I'd never forgive myself I suppose.
[Joy narrates]
Joy Adamson: although at one time we were afraid she'd die, Elsa did recover. And when she did, she seemed somehow different.
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