THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD

In the charming family picture, THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD, Omri receives a skateboard, a helmet, an action figure, an old wooden cupboard, and a miniature plastic Indian for his birthday. When he puts the last two together, the Indian turns into Little Bear, a 18th Century Iroquois man. Amazed, Omri decides to keep him. Omri discovers that anything plastic placed in the cupboard becomes real, so Omri gives Little Bear a teepee. Little Bear rejects the teepee and asks for materials to make a long-house. In time, Omri becomes overwhelmed with meetings Little Bear’s needs and so he tells his friend Patrick about the cupboard. Patrick wants to turn his plastic cowboy and horse into real creatures. He does and creates Boo-Hoo Boone, a crying cowboy. Boone and Little Bear start fighting, but the boys become peacemakers, and the figures become friends. Omri and Patrick realize that taking care of friends requires responsibility. After great challenges involving a school teacher, a rat and an injury, the boys decide to send Little Bear and Boone back to their own times.

The story works because it refuses to condescend to children and accepts them as creative persons who face personal decisions everyday. Except for very few obscenities and exclamations and mild violence, this film provides a marvelous anecdote to the violent or New Age summer fare.