The 20 best movies about human/animal friendships

Based on the novel by Walter Farley, The Black Stallion focuses on the friendship between young man Alec and an Arabian stallion known simply as The Black. After escaping from an island, they later enter a race against several noted racehorses. The Black Stallion manages to be both quite thrilling and deeply touching, particularly in the scenes in which young Alec and the horse bond with one another on the deserted island. It’s one of those films that is, at the bottom, a very simple story told well, and therein lies its particular magic.

Steven Spielberg can see war's beauty and horror. In War Horse, the iconic director turns his attention to Joey, the titular character, whose life becomes intertwined with several humans amid the battlefield horrors of the First World War. The film is vintage Spielberg, and while it doesn’t shy away from the destruction of conflict, it also draws its emotional power from the bond that forms between Joey and the boy Albert, who never gives up on his desire to find his beloved horse.

Not every film about the bond between humans and animals ends happily, as the Werner Herzog documentary Grizzly Man attests. The film’s primary focus is Timothy Treadwell, a man who took his passion for grizzly bear conservation to extreme lengths, up to and including living among them, which he did until he was killed and eaten by one of them. Herzog’s film is a haunting reminder of how dangerous the natural world remains and how humans forget that fact at their peril.

Disney has repeatedly turned toward the bond between humans and animals, notably in The Aristocats. This charming film focuses on the beautiful Turkish Angora, Duchess, her three kittens, and their bond with their beloved mistress. However, it all goes sideways when cunning butler Edgar tries to get rid of them so he can take their place in his mistress’ will. The film is fun and filled with lovely animation and catchy songs, and it also features a talented voice cast that includes Disney stalwarts Eva Gabor, Phil Harris, and Sterling Holloway.

The film Misty, based on Marguerite Henry’s novel Misty of Chincoteague, takes place in the Virginia beach of Chincoteague, where a young horse named Misty comes into the possession of the Beebe family. The movie adaptation has all of the magic that has long been associated with Henry’s book, and the fact that it was actually filmed in Chincoteague itself — home to the annual Pony Penning — gives it an extra layer of emotional authenticity. Even now, the film remains beloved, and it shines a fascinating light on the life and customs of Eastern Virginia.

Ratatouille is vintage Pixar. The film’s main characters are the rat, Remy, and the boy, Alfredo, who forge an unlikely friendship and partnership as the former tries to become a famous chef using the latter's body. Like so many of the studio’s other films, it manages to be touching and quite funny, and it’s anchored by gorgeous animation and a remarkably talented voice cast, including Patton Oswalt (who plays Remy) and Lou Romano (who plays Alfredo).

Few movies about animal/human friendships are quite as impactful or devastating as Old Yeller. The film is a true Disney classic, with its simple story about the friendship between a boy and his dog. The ending has earned the film its enduring reputation, and it’s arguably one of the saddest and most devastating moments in the history of Disney. As a result, Old Yeller has become one of those films that is a true cultural touchstone, particularly for Baby Boomers, and even the most hard-hearted viewer can’t help but shed a tear.

The buddy cop movie is one of Hollywood’s favorite genres, and in Turner & Hooch  it got a bit of a spin when one of the buddies in question is a dog. Tom Hanks is in predictably fine form as Detective Scott Turner, whose odd-couple bond with dog Hooch is key to the film’s humor. The movie has a bit of everything, and the ending is surprisingly more bittersweet than one would expect of a comedy. Turner & Hooch might not always manage to keep its various generic tones balanced, but it is still an amusing and touching piece of 1980s cinema.

Few animated bears have been more beloved than Paddington. In 2014, he was given his live-action movie, in which the eternally endearing Ben Whishaw voices him. There’s no question that this film is a pure delight from the beginning to the end, managing to capture everything that has made the little bear with the red hat and the blue coat such a key figure in children’s literature. Moreover, it’s the kind of movie that manages to be appealing to both children and adults in equal measure.

It’s not every animal documentary that manages to nab the Best Documentary Feature Oscar, but My Octopus Teacher achieved exactly this distinction. At the center of the film is Craig Foster, who, as the title implies, strikes up a surprisingly deep and resonant relationship with a common octopus. Parker becomes increasingly intertwined with the invertebrate’s life and in her death and, as a result, both the documentarian and the viewer come to rethink their place in the natural world and their bond with the animals with whom they share the planet.

The enchanting adventures of the lovable Paddington continue in the sequel, in which the poor bear ends up going to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Paddington 2  is, if anything, even more heartwarming than the original, with a delightful cast that includes Ben Whishaw (returning to voice Paddington), Hugh Bonneville, Brendan Gleeson, and Hugh Grant. For a long time, it even maintained a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is quite an accomplishment for a relatively simple film about the friendship between a bear and a human family.

While The Rescuers may not get as much love as some of the more recognizable entries in the Disney features canon, it still has its charms. After all, what’s not to love about a film about two mice — Bernard and Miss Bianca — who set off to rescue a girl named Penny from a ruthless woman named Madame Medusa? It’s cute, heartwarming, and funny, with just enough bittersweetness to keep it from falling into the realm of cheap sentiment. It also features a remarkable voice cast that includes the likes of Geraldine Page, Bob Newhart, and Eva Gabor.

Disney’s The Jungle Book may not be quite as famous or beloved as some of the studio’s other titles, but it still has its appeal. The story’s heart is the boy Mowgli, who, though raised in the jungle, finds himself contending with the malice of the tiger Shere Khan, who wants to destroy him. As the film goes on, Mowgli has to contend with what it fully means to be human, and, ultimately, he has to accept that his place is with the rest of his kind, though it’s clear that a part of him will always remain with his animal family.

The Rescuers Down Under is one of those rare things: a Disney sequel that manages to be just as good as the original film. In this film, Bianca and Bernard travel to Australia to save a boy captured by a ruthless poacher who wants to kill and stuff the beautiful eagle, Marahute. In addition to being a very enjoyable and sometimes very funny film, The Rescuers Down Under also features some remarkable animation, and it is due for some much-needed reappraisal. 

Few Disney films are as heartbreaking as The Fox and the Hound, with its story of Tod and Copper, whose childhood friendship is torn apart by prejudice. While the bond between the two creatures is obviously of central importance, just as vital is their relationship with their human companions: Tod with the Widow Tweed and Copper with Amos Slade. Though it emerged during one of Disney’s more fallow periods, it remains one of the most enchanting movies from the ‘80s.

Dogs might be man’s best friends, but they can also be a big pain, as anyone who has seen Marley & Me  can attest. Based on the bestselling book of the same name, the film focuses on a couple, John and Jenny (played by Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston), who adopt a yellow lab puppy who turns their lives upside down.  Marley & Me is just the right blend of funny and bittersweet, and while the human couple is a major part of its appeal, there’s no question its canine lead is the true star.

Years before she became a household name, thanks to her role as Sookie Stackhouse in True Blood,  Anna Paquin starred in  Fly Away Home. In the film, she plays a little girl who works with her father to train a clutch of orphaned geese how to fly on their own and eventually migrate. It could only have emerged during the 1990s, but fortunately, it never veers into outright sentimentality. Instead, it becomes a remarkably moving tale about the extraordinary bonds that often form between humans and their animal counterparts.

The animated film Charlotte’s Web, based on the E.B. White novel of the same name, is a heartwarming story about the relationship between the pig, Wilbur, and Charlotte, the spider who ends up saving him from slaughter. However, it’s also about the bond between Wilbur and Fern, the young girl who is the one responsible for saving him from slaughter due to his status as a runt. Hanna-Barbera brings the studio’s usual light touch and unique animated magic to this story, which remains a beloved part of the children’s film canon.

Jack London's works have been adapted many times to the screen, and one of the best-known and respected is Call of the Wild.  The book has been adapted many times, including in 2020, in which Harrison Ford stars as John Thornton, one of the men who becomes the master of Buck, the canine protagonist. While the CGI used to bring Buck to life might sometimes veer into uncanny territory, the film is still an earnest adaptation of London’s original novel and a testament to its enduring power. 

Jack London had an enduring interest in the natural world, particularly dogs. His novel White Fang,  which focuses on a wolf-dog hybrid named White Fang, has been turned into a number of movies, including in 1991. This adaptation might not be quite as gritty as the original novel, but it still makes for compelling viewing, not least because of the performance from Ethan Hawke as Jack, the young man who forms an extraordinary bond with White Fang.