Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this movie is set in the Depression and depicts the bleakness of extreme poverty. Natty's mother is dead and her father leaves her because he found work across the country, so Natty must fend for herself. While there's considerable violence -- from a bloody dog fight to a man who tries to assault Natty when he offers to give her a ride -- the scarier moments aren't portrayed as graphically as they could be. Even when a train derails, Natty walks away with only a few scrapes.

Sexual Content

Natty and Harry kiss once.

Violence

A man who picks up Natty hitchhiking attempts to sexually assault her. A train derails and sends Natty flying. Some punching, rock-throwing, slapping, explosions, and a serious fall from a tree. Dogs are shown fighting with bloodied mouths and Wolf attacks two men. Natty skins a bunny and cooks it. Vigilantes torch a shanty town and beat the homeless people there.

Language

A few uses of "hell," "son of a bitch," "d--m," and "s--t."

Social Behavior

Natty does some things because of her poverty: She breaks into a movie theater to watch a movie, steals food, and helps some kids steal a cow and car. Men gamble on a dog fight.

Consumerism

Not applicable

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Connie smokes cigarettes and drinks liquor. Natty and her friends share a cigarette. Harry smokes cigarettes. The lumberjack foreman smokes a cigar.