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100 Greatest Animal Movies

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Criteria: These Movies are ranked based on quality of storyline, acting, and lasting popularity. These movies have one or more animals, real or not, that the story is centered around. Dinosaur, and Made-For-TV movies are not included.

Last Updated: 2019-04-07
Newly added names are in  Red 
Greatest Animal Movies
  Title - (Year) (Animal) (Main actor involved with animal, or narrator)
  1. Jaws - (1975) (Shark-Great White) (Roy Scheider)
  2. Old Yeller - (1957) (Dog-Labrodor) (Tommy Kirk)
  3. King Kong - (1933) (Gorilla) (Fay Wray)
  4. Moby Dick - (1956) (Albino Sperm Whale) (Gregory Peck)
  5. Lassie Come Home - (1943) (Dog-Collie) (Roddy McDowall)
  6. Benji - (1974) (Dog-Mut) (Edgar Buhcanan)
  7. National Velvet - (1944) (Horse) (Elizibeth Taylor)
  8. Babe - (1995) (Pig) (James Cromwell)
  9. Gorillas In The Mist - (1988) (Silverback Gorillas) (Sigourney Weaver)
10. The Bear - (1989) (Bart the Bear) (Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud/no actors)
11. My Friend Flicka - (1943) (Horse) (Roddy McDowall)
12. The Yearling - (1946) (Deer) (Gregory Peck)
13. Sounder - (1972) (Dog) (Paul Winfield)
14. Born Free - (1966) (Elsa the Lion) (Virginia McKenna)
15. Harry And Tonto - (1974) (Cat) (Art Carney)
16. Cujo - (1983) (Dog-St. Bernard) (Dee Wallace)
17. Turner and Hooch - (1989) (Dog-Mastif) (Tom Hanks)
18. The Black Stallion - (1979) (Horse) (Mickey Rooney)
19. Seabiscuit - (2003) (Race Horse) (Tobey Maguire)
20. The Ghost and the Darkness - (1996) (Lions) (Val Kilmer)
21. War Horse - (2011) (Horse) (Jeremy Irvine)
22. The Adventures of Milo and Otis - (1989) (Cat & Dog) (Nar. Dudley Moore)
23. The Shaggy Dog - (1959) (English Sheep Dog) (Tommy Kirk)
24. The Incredible Journey - (1963) (Cat and 2 Dogs)
25. The Adventures of Rin Tin-Tin - (1947) (Dog-German Shepherd) (Robert Blake)
26. That Darn Cat - (1965) (Cat-Siamese) (Hayley Mills)
27. The Birds - (1963) (Birds) (Tippi Hedren)
28. Free Willy - (1993) (Killer Whale) (Jason James Richter)
29. Black Beauty - (1971) (Horse) (Mark Lester)
30. Salty - (1972) (Sea Lion) (Clint Howard)
31. Flipper - (1963) (Bottlenose Dolphin) (Luke Halpin)
32. Andre - (1994) (Seal) (Tina Majorino)
33. 101 Dalmations - (1996) (Dalmations) (Glenn Close)
34. March of the Penguins - (2005 Documentary) (Emperor Penguins) (Nar. Morgan Freeman)
35. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey - (1993) (Cat, Golden Retreiver, Bull Dog)
36. Dr. Doolittle - (1967) (various animals) (Rex Harrison)
37. Zeus And Roxanne - (1997) (Dog, Dolphin) (Steve Guttenberg)
38. Oh Heavenly Dog - (1980) (Benji the Dog) (Chevy Chase)
39. Babe: Pig In the City - (1998) (Pig) (James Cromwell)
40. Lad, A Dog - (1962) (Dog-Collie) (Angela Cartwright)
41. International Velvet - (1978) (Horse) (Tatum O'Neal)
42. Willard - (1971) (Rat) (Ernest Borgnine)
43. Call Of The Wild, Dog of the Yukon - (1997) (Dog-Husky) (Rutger Hauer)
44. Mighty Joe Young - (1949) (Gorilla) (Robert Armstrong)
45. Napoleon And Samantha - (1972) (Lion) (Johnny Whitaker)
46. Beethoven - (1992) (Dog-St. Bernard) (Charles Grodin)
47. Living Free - (1972) (Elsa the Lion) (Susan Hampshire)
48. Sammy The Way Out Seal - (1962) (Seal) (Billy Mummy)
49. Dr. Doolittle - (1998) (various animals) (Eddie Murphy)
50. Shiloh - (1997) (Dog-Beagle) (Rod Steiger)
51. It's A Dogs Life - (1955) (Dog-Bull Terrier) (Dean Jagger)
52. Orca, The Killer Whale - (1977) (Killer Whale) (Richard Harris)
53. Air Bud: Golden Receiver - (1998) (Dog-Golden Retriever) (Kevin Zegers)
54. White Fang - (1991) (Dog-Husky) (Ethan Hawke)
55. Paulie - (1998) (Parrot) (Hallie Kate Eisenberg)
56. Project X - (1987) (Chimpanzee) (Matthew Broderick)
57. The Amazing Panda Adventure - (1995) (Panda) (Stephen Land)
58. Buddy - (1997) (Gorilla) (Rene Russo)
59. The Cat From Outer Space - (1978) (Cat) (Ken Berry)
60. Fly Away Home - (1996) (Geese) (Jeff Daniels)
61. Larger Than life - (1996) (Elephant) (Bill Murray)
62. Flipper - (1996) (Bottlenose Dolphin) (Elijah Wood)
63. Operation Dumbo Drop - (1995) (Elephant) (Danny Glover)
64. Joey - (1997) (Kangaroo) (Ed Begley Jr.)
65. That Darn Cat - (1997) (Cat-Siamese) (Christina Ricci)
66. Ring Of Bright Water - (1969) (Otter) (Virginia McKenna)
67. Mighty Joe Young - (1998) (Gorilla) (Bill Paxton)
68. Harry And The Hendersons - (1987) (Bigfoot) (John Lithgow)
69. King Kong - (1976) (Gorilla) (Jessica Lange)
70. Best In Show - (2000) (Dogs) (Eugene Levy)
71. Francis - (1949) (Mule) (Donald O'Connor)
72. Big Miracle - (2012) (Family of gray whales) (Drew Barrymore)
73. The Red Pony - (1949) (Pony) (Peter Miles)
74. Dunston Checks In - (1996) (Sam the Orangutan) (Jason Alexander)
75. Jumanji - (1995) (various animals) (Robin Williams)
76. Never Cry Wolf - (1983) (Wolves) (Charles Martin Smith)
77. Jungle Book - (1942) (various animals) (Sabu)
78. A Dog of Flanders - (1999) (Dog) (Jesse James)
79. The Doberman Gang - (1972) (Dogs-Dobermans) (Hal Reed)
80. My Dog Skip - (2000) (Dog-Jack Russell) (Frankie Muniz)
81. A Dog's Purpose - (2017) (Dog) (Josh Gad)
82. Cats & Dogs - (2001) (Cat-Persian, Dog-Beagle) (Jeff Goldblum)
83. Fluke - (1995) (Dog-Irish Setter) (Matthew Modine)
84. Legend Of The White Horse - (1985) (Horse) (Christopher Lloyd)
85. K-9 - (1989) (German Shepherd) (Jim Belushi)
86. Snow Dogs - (2002) (Huskies) (Cuba Gooding Jr.)
87. Wishbone: Dog Days West - (1998) (Dog-Jack Russell) (Angee Hughes)
88. Running Free - (2000) (Horse) (Chase Moore)
89. Racing Stripes - (2005) (Zebra, farm animals) (Hayden Panettiere)
90. Top Dog - (1995) (German Shepherd) (Chuck Norris)
91. Run for the Roses - (1978) (Race Horse) (Vera Miles)
92. Gus - (1976) (Mule) (Don Knotts)
93. Monkey Trouble - (1994) (Capuchin Monkey) (Thora Birch)
94. Phar Lap - (1983) (Race Horse) (Martin Vaughan)
95. Ben - (1972) (Rat) (Joseph Campanella)
96. Good Boy! - (2003) (Dogs) (Molly Shannon)
97. C.H.O.M.P.S. - (1979) (Dog-Robot) (Valerie Bertinelli)
98. Salt Water Moose - (1997) (Moose) (Johnny Morina)
99. Zebra In The Kitchen - (1965) (various animals) (Jay North)
100. Congo - (1995) (Gorillas) (Tim Curry)

Jaws movie poster
Old Yeller movie poster
King Kong movie poster
Moby Dick movie poster
Lassie Come Home movie poster
Benji movie poster
10 Greatest Animated Animal Movies



Bambi - 1942 movie DVD cover









The Edge - 1997 movie DVD cover
  1. Bambi - (1942) (Fawn / Forest Animals)
  2. The Lion King - (1994) (Lions)
  3. Finding Nemo - (2003) (Clown Fish)
  4. Animal Farm - (1955) (Napoleon the Pig / Barnyard animals)
  5. Dumbo - (1941) (Elephant / Circus Animals)
  6. 101 Dalmations - (1961) (Dalmations)
  7. Lady And The Tramp - (1955) (Dogs - Mut and Cocker Spaniel)
  8. Stuart Little - (1999) (Mouse)
  9. The Lion King II: Simba's Pride - (1998) (Lions)
10. Chicken Run - (1994) (Chickens)
10 More Worth Mentioning
Theses movies involve animals in lesser, though often important roles.
  1. The Edge - (1997) (Bart the Bear) (Anthony Hopkins)
  2. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - (1986) (Humpback Whales) (William Shatner)
  3. The Horse Whisperer - (1998) (Horses) (Robert Redford)
  4. Every Which Way But Loose - (1978) (Clyde the Orangutan) (Clint Eastwood)
  5. Any Which Way You Can - (1980) (Clyde the Orangutan) (Clint Eastwood)
  6. In Pursuit Of Honor - (1995) (Horses) (Don Johnson)
  7. The Beastmaster - (1982) (various animals) (Marc Singer)
  8. The Secret Of Roan Inish - (1995) (Silkie) (Eileen Colgan)
  9. The Wizard of Oz - (1939) (Toto-Cairn Terrier) (Judy Garland)
10. Tarzan The Ape Man - (1932) (Cheeta the Chimpanzee) (Johnny Weissmuller)



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