The Commenter before me stated this movie is the worst that was ever forced upon him/her as a child. I have to say though that I loved this movie when was little and I still love it today. The movie has the best running theme of all-family togetherness. Considering the time period the movie was released I thought the movie was acted out well. I only wish I could still find a copy of it somewhere!! Of all the 1980's films I watched as a kid this was on of my favorites. I know I probably watched it at least once a week with my brother and my mom. I would definitely recommend it to anyone I know-or don't know. So if you do find a copy of it I suggest watching it! It's wonderful and heartwarming.

Four kids, two boys and two girls, lose their mother. Because there are so many children, the authorities decide it is virtually impossible to keep them together and make plans to separate them into different foster homes. The kids hate the idea and decide to take matters into their own hands. Escaping with their beloved dog, they decide to trek from Los Angeles to Arizona, where they have an uncle named Jack. On the run, they encounter problems, of course. It is necessary to pump-and-run at the gas station, when they have no more money to fill the car's gas tank, although they do promise the owner to return the money "someday". They also manage to crash their car in the Arizona desert and have to rely on the kindness of a sweet and pretty lady to get them to their destination. Will these children succeed in beating the odds and manage to stick together? This is an acceptable family film. The children are lovable and natural actors while the pretty lady who helps them out of a bad situation is an attractive woman with a winning attitude. On the other hand, the production values are merely adequate, as the film was probably made on a shoestring budget, and the costumes are nothing to write home about, either. The Arizona locale's beauty, however, is very apparent. Most importantly, the plight of suddenly orphaned children strikes one straight through the heart, as one can see how splitting siblings up in foster care would result in great turmoil and sadness. If you want to show your family a "good" film, with adventure and important messages, this might do for an evening. It has no objectionable language or situations and, more wonderfully, delivers a solid story for children of all ages.

It's really too bad that nobody knows about this movie. I think if it were just spruced up a little and if it weren't so low-budget, I think one of the major film companies might have wanted to take it. I first saw this movie when I was 11, and I thought it was so powerful with the many great, yet illegal lengths that Mitchell goes to just to keep his family together. It inspired me then and it amazes me now. If you're lucky enough to find a copy of this movie, don't miss it!

A tough life gets tougher when the three children of a single mom are scheduled to be sent to separate foster homes after her untimely passing.To stay together, the older boy plans a daring, high risk escape to find a distant lost uncle- their only remaining next of kin.Their trek takes the three fearful runaways on a chase through the desert in a classic beetle, penniless, hungry, desperate, terrorized by delinquents and too young to drive, hunted by the ever threatening civil authorities.What the movie lacks in acting and plot realism, it makes up for in the honest human need to be a part of a fulfilled and complete family- even if that family is cobbled together with spare parts of broken lives.Sure, the ending is forced and too over-dramatic for the critical movie goer, but every heart beats the same cry for family togetherness and belonging.With all its weaknesses, I still give this movie a strong recommendation.