I will Always Love You

The decades-old footage of a full-grown lion joyously embracing two young men like an affectionate house cat has made myriad eyes misty since it recently landed on YouTube. What is it about the old, grainy images that has attracted millions of clicks around the globe?

Is it simply that a lion, whimsically named Christian, remembered the two men who raised it and then released it into the wild?

Is it nostalgia for a simpler time 39 years ago, when you could walk into Harrods department store in London, stroll through the "exotic animals" section, and buy a live lion cub?

Is it a longing for the swinging Austin Powers-era London of 1969, when you could take the beast home to a basement flat, play soccer with it in a walled garden - and even take it out to restaurants in the back of a Bentley?

The answer may be all of the above. But it may be something more: the indelible image of a creature that could kill a man in seconds behaving like a pussycat with two men it obviously loves, smack in the middle of the African bush.

Credits: By Mike Celizic
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 8:59 a.m. ET, Wed., July. 30, 2008

In July 2008 a film 'clip' was taken from the movie titled CHRISTIAN THE LION. This brief film clip was shown on the internet and caused much interest in Christian. The clip is very touching but the ENTIRE movie is an even more delightful experience!

Unfortunately in their haste to 'jump on the bandwagon' of the popularity of this film 'clip', many places are not acknowledging the real heroes of this story which are George Adamson (known to many people because of the popular best selling book and award winning movie BORN FREE), who with patience and Love gave Christian (the other hero in this story) his freedom.

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