Savannah Smiles is a 1982 family film written and produced by Mark Miller. Miller also played one of the male leads in the film. The film was directed by Pierre De Moro, and starred Bridgette Andersen as the title character, with Mark Miller and Donovan Scott as the two vagabonds who befriend her.

Plot

Six-year-old Savannah's father, a wealthy Salt Lake City businessman, is running for the United States Senate. Savannah has been relegated to the background in the lives of her mother and father. Feeling neglected, she decides to run away, packs her things and writes a note to her parents. Her aunt comes by to pick her up for a planned trip to the park, and Savannah manages to place her suitcase into the car unnoticed. At the park Savannah slips away and sneaks into the back seat of the car of Alvin "Alvie" Gibbs and Boots "Bootsie" McGaffee, two escaped, down-on-their-luck convicts. Savannah's father finds her note, but fearing that news of her running away and being exposed as a neglectful father would damage his chances of winning the election, he burns the note and orders the maid not to tell anyone. The convicts reluctantly take Savannah with them, but soon discover her parents have posted a $100,000 reward for her safe return. Alvie and Boots believe their luck has finally come in, but wonder how they could return Savannah and collect the reward without drawing attention to themselves and being sent back to prison. While trying to work it out they unexpectedly become attached to Savannah, and Savannah finds the love and attention she always wanted. Alvie confides in Savannah that he himself was a runaway, having left his abusive and neglectful next of kin as a child. The convicts arrange to return her, with the help of the family priest, but she becomes lost in the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah. Forgoing an opportunity to escape, the convicts search for Savannah and bring her back to safety, ultimately surrendering their freedom. As Savannah drives away with her parents, Boots tells Alvie he hopes no one tells Savannah they were "bad guys", but Alvie assures him it will make no difference to her. The film ends with a flashback of a young Alvie finally catching up to the pick-up truck with his cousins welcoming him on, finally having gained the family he never had.