Where the Red Fern Grows (2003 film)

An older Billy Coleman rescues a beagle from attack by another neighborhood dog. He takes it home with him so that its wounds can heal. In light of this event, he has a flashback to when he was a ten-year-old boy living in the Ozark mountains.

Growing up in the Ozarks with his parents and two younger sisters, Billy wants to own a pair of hunting dogs but his parents tell him that they can't afford them. He tries going to his grandfather when he learns that he's selling a Bluetick coonhound outside his store, but his rivals, the Pritchards, beat him to it. After they leave, Billy tells his grandfather that he believes that God doesn't want him to have any dogs. His grandfather replies that maybe it's because Billy's not doing his fair share of the deal, and if he wants His help, he has to meet Him half ways. At first, he doesn't understand what that means, but after coming across an article in a sportsman magazine offering a pair of Redbone coonhounds in Kentucky for $25 each, he finally understands what his grandfather meant and decides to earn the money himself.

For two years, he works many different jobs, and manages to save $50. When he reveals the money to his grandfather and tells him he understood what he meant, his grandfather is amazed by Billy's hard work. When he asks if he ever told his father, he reveals that he never knew, believing that his father would use the money to get a new mule, which is something he is in deep need of, if he ever knew about the money. Inspired by Billy's hard work, his grandfather guarantees that Billy will get his hounds.

For many days, Billy desperately awaits for the day to come that his dogs would eventually come. When his father tells Billy that his grandfather has something for him, Billy immediately runs off to his grandfather's store, only to discover that the dogs were delivered to Tahlequah, not to his store. Billy is discouraged, but his grandfather tells him to not worry, that he can get a ride in a week from that day. He also gives Billy his change of $10, telling him that prices are going down on everything due to the depression. However, Billy is convinced that his pups won't last that long, and sneaks out the following night to walk down to Tahlequah himself to get his dogs.

After many hours, he finally reaches Tahlequah by daylight, and gets his dogs. However, a group of classist boys start ganging up on Billy. When one of them start abusing one of his dogs by pulling on its ear, Billy warns him to stay away. However, the boy challenges him to a fight, which results in a fallout between Billy and the boys. Suddenly, the sheriff shows up and breaks up the fight, and orders the boys to leave. He tends to the beat up Billy, and compliments his dogs. He is amazed by how Billy got his dogs, and he befriends him. With $10 left over, he decides to go shopping for his family; his father a pair of new overalls, his mother some sewing cloth to make dresses, and some candy for his two little sisters. Before he leaves, the Sheriff buys Billy a soda, something he's never had before.

Finally, Billy begins his trip home. During the night, he senses something coming in the bushes. Hidden, he briefly sees the face of a mountain lion, but before it can come out and attack, Billy grabs a branch, lights it on fire, and uses it to scare it away. The next morning, Billy sees a heart carved in a tree that says "Dan Loves Ann" in it, and decides to name his dogs Old Dan and Little Ann.

• Joseph Ashton as Billy Coleman
• Dave Matthews as Will Coleman
• Renee Faia as Jenny Coleman
• Mac Davis as Hod Bellington
• Kris Kristofferson as Older Billy Coleman
• Ned Beatty as Sheriff Abe McConnell
• Dabney Coleman as Grandpa

• Official website
• Where the Red Fern Grows at IMDb
• Where the Red Fern Grows at Rotten Tomatoes