Born Free: A New Adventure

Two teenagers, Rand and Val, rescue a young lioness that have been tamed by hunters. Now, they have to teach the lioness how to survive in the wild.

• Jonathan Brandis as Randolph 'Rand' Thompson
• Ariana Richards as Valerie 'Val' Porter
• Chris Noth as Dr. David Thompson
• Lea Moreno as Gina Thompson
• Linda Purl as Eleanor Porter
• John Matshikiza as George Luello
• Pamela Nomvete as Ondine Luello
• Siyabonga Twala as Jomo
• Florence Masebe as Frances
• Wandile Molebatsi as Nik Nik
• Vicky Kente as Selena Wilkinson

In 1960, Joy Adamson published a book called Born Free, based on her (and her husband, George Adamson) experience raising the lioness Elsa. The book was followed by two others, Living Free (1961) and Forever Free (1963).

In 1966, the first book was adapted into a movie. The film was a commercial and critical success, leading to a 1969 documentary called The Lions are Free and then a sequel, released in 1972 and based on the third book, but using the name of the second book. In 1974, the NBC did broadcast a thirteen-episode series, entitled Born Free, starring Diana Muldaur and Gary Collins as Joy and George Adamson. In 1996, this third sequel to "Born Free" was released. In 1999, To Walk with Lions was released. The film follows George Adamson (played by Richard Harris) in the latter part of his life and his fight to protect wildlife. In 2011, a one-hour documentary, called Elsa's Legacy: The Born Free Story was released.

Carole Horst from Variety magazine wrote: "Brandis and Richards (“Jurassic Park”) make a cute couple, and Noth and Purl do their best with the thin characters given them. Director Tommy Lee Wallace does keep things going, and cinematographer Johann Scheepers’ lensing is pretty. But the South African locations could have been used more effectively, and some scenes look like they were shot on a soundstage. Footage of animals roaming around the savanna is clumsily intercut with reaction shots of the actors, creating a jarring effect."[1] Tom Gliatto from People magazine gave the film a C− and said: "The word “adventure” is used with impudent liberality. As with its famous 1966 movie predecessor, this two-hour production involves Elsa, a tamed lioness who needs to be reeducated to survive in the wilderness, but huge chunks of the story are devoted to Jonathan Brandis (seaQuest) in the role of a sulky American teen whose widowed father is doing viral research in Africa (where the movie was shot). But this isn’t Born Free—it’s Tiger Beat."[2]

• Born Free: A New Adventure on IMDb
• Born Free: A New Adventure at Rotten Tomatoes