Balto was the husky who led the last leg of a husky-malamute team some 53 miles in 1925 during the Diptheria Epidemic. The beautiful Eskimo dog has been immortalized in statue as a testament to his bravery in getting the team through so the medicine could be provided to the people needing it.
Although this fictionalized account of Balto's life off duty is just that, it does have some appealing qualities. The animation of Balto's mate, the beautiful husky Jenna; Balto's lineage revealing him to be a wolf-hybrid and the story of his beautiful, curly-tailed daughter, Aleu are all literary license that make the story appealing.
Although many disliked this film, it is deeper than it appears on the surface. Aleu is the only one of the Jenna-Balto union who is not adopted. Her siblings could pass for dogs. She is the one who looks like her wolf paternal grandmother; she is the one with the howl of the wolf, the body of the wolf and the curly tail of Jenna. Once she learns she is 1/4 wolf, she is devastated. Balto has to break the news to her about why nobody picked her. Even so, Aleu tries to pass for a husky. She denies her lupine heritage.
Aleu does bring to mind the 1934 and 1959 remake of "Imitation of Life," the story of a girl who passes for white and denies her black mother. The theme of passing has been expounded upon in many books and movies. "Pinky," and "Lost Boundaries," two 1949 films explore this highly charged topic as does "Devil in a Blue Dress," 1972's "Trick Baby" and the 1996 movie, "A Family Thing." This theme has been followed in the more recent "The Human Stain." Sadly, racism in society does prompt many to make this decision, which often affords people jobs and social openings they might not otherwise have. That is a sad comment in today's world. One would hope more progressive thinking has prevailed so as to abolish racism and the need any might feel to take this step.
Aleu does bear a strong resemblance characterwise to the young woman in "Imitation of Life;" using a wolf-husky character offers some "distancing" when introducing this very serious topic. The wolf-husky can indeed be viewed as a metaphor for passing to "get ahead." Aleu sees no benefit to being part wolf; after all, it is her lupine appearance that made her "unadoptable" by human standards.
After some dangerous travails and travels, father and daughter connect and in time their issues are neatly ironed out as would be expected in an animated film. The part that I found most worthwhile was the issue of passing - the beautiful curly tailed wolf-husky felt she had to "pass" and deny part of her heritage - that could be a metaphor for what many people have done in order to get ahead. The very need to pass at all is a sad comment on an aspect of society. Still, I think this is a rather decent film with decent music. I loved the wolves and dogs.