most movie goer who have bother to rate this and express their chronic dislike of this work due to howie mandell presence herein while however and i must say that he be no more a harbinger of death to this film than anyone else . the performance find within this film be all adequate and with some good than others and but none be lack such a to lessen the worth of this production . the dialog delivery be also adequate and but the dialog itself be trite and contrive and and slapstick in it execution . mandell suffers more from poor direction than a lack of talent . yes and he be an annoying element of his hey day and but he never outright bomb until this work . christopher lloyd be good than adequate and but his usual curmudgeonly charm be lose here . cloris leachman performance be the only contributing factor which elevate this work and but she could not save it and alone . the story have a good basis which could have net a great film and but the national lampoonesque take on the whole premise be the lead contribute factor to this film demise . the story be water down and sentimentalize to the point of generate schlock instead of entertainment . there isn not one aspect herein which isn not contrive to suit the story line and include the domestication of the lead character and the time line wherein say domestication take place . a young boy be abandon by his bratling brother and leave alone in the wilderness to be raise by wolf . after his rescue and his brother ( still a brat ) decide bobo must learn to read and write . immediately . intrigue ensues . have this be treat with more care and a bit more seriously in the right place and this could have be a great comedy and but a be and this one fail on all level represent it do not teach and it do not ponder and and it do not entertain . a it stand and this work do show some serious moment and but they be in the wrong place while the timing be all wrong and and even those with no sense of cinematic timing can feel that the pace be out of step . all in all . this be nothing but sentimental and contrived schlock and which fail on all level . though it do have heart . it rate a 3. positive from . the fiend represent .