The dog that played Rontu was the offspring of Spike, the dog from the classic film Old Yeller . Review of ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS (1964) (Blu-ray)
Karana initially seeks revenge against the wild dogs, but after wounding the pack leader, she takes pity on him and nurses him back to health. She names him Rontu, and he becomes her loyal companion.
Based on the 1960 Newbery Medal-winning novel by Scott O'Dell, the 1964 film tells the survival story of Karana, a young Native American girl stranded on an island for 18 years. Story Overview Island of the Blue Dolphins(1964)
Directed by James B. Clark, the film stars Celia Kaye as Karana, a performance that earned her a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year.
Finally, a ship arrives. Karana, now a woman, decides to trust the strangers and leaves her island home for a mission in Santa Barbara, accompanied by her pets. Film and Historical Context The dog that played Rontu was the offspring
The narrative is inspired by the true story of Juana Maria (the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island"), who lived alone on a Channel Island from 1835 to 1853.
Missionaries arrive to evacuate the remaining tribe members to the mainland. As the ship departs, Karana realizes her younger brother, Ramo, has been left behind. She jumps overboard and swims back to the island to stay with him. Based on the 1960 Newbery Medal-winning novel by
Russian fur traders and Aleut hunters arrive to hunt sea otters but refuse to pay as agreed. A violent battle breaks out, and Karana's father, the chief, is killed along with many others.