Flipper

Set in Coral Key, a rustic island in the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys have been hit by hard times of late. First, a red plague kills off much of the fish in the area. And second, Hurricane Hazel unexpectedly changes course to hit the Keys. Regardless, the Ricks family formed by fisherman father Porter (Chuck Connors) , wife Martha (Kathleen Maguire), their preteen son Sandy (Luke Halpin) , and Sandy's pet pelican Pete, live in all its aspects by the sea, even during these hard times. When Sandy witnesses the accidental spearing of a dolphin, he, on his own, decides to find the dolphin to put it out of its misery. Upon finding the injured dolphin, Sandy, not having the heart to shoot him, decides instead to tow the dolphin home. Sandy is distraught when, having saved Flipper by pulling out a spear, his father insists the dolphin be released. A grateful Flipper, however, returns the favor when Sandy is threatened by Sharks. The wonderful story of a boy and his amazing underwater friend!.You'll have to see it to believe it!. It's Absolutely FIN-tastic!.The wonderful story of a boy and his dolphin pal...!.The Fabulous Dolphin !.

An adventure movie with an ecological angle, stars the famous dolphin and co-star Luke Halpin who seems to be genuinely fond of his dolphin friend , which will add to the realism of the thing youngsters. There're enjoyable ecological messages about the care of the environment , against the polluting the seas and responsibility for the animal and human life in Coral Key Park, Florida.

Wonderfully well captured in colour by cameraman Lamar Boren and underwater photography by Ricou Browning is really breathtaking. As well as attractive and catching score and song from Henry Vars. Well produced by Ivan Tors who was the notorious producer of numerous popular family friendly TV shows and movies in the 1950's and 60's including both Flipper movies and the TV series. The storyline is intelligent and director Clark has a deep feel for the Florida Keys locations. The motion picture was professionally directed by James B Clark . Filmmaker Clark was a craftsman who usually directed episodes for TV series , such as : Batman series , The High Chaparral , Lassie , The Monroe , Daniel Boone , Here comes the brides, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea , Firehouse , Loner , The Legend of Jesse James, and ocassionally for cinema , such as : One Foot in Hell, Misty , A Dog of Flanders , Villa ! , Sierra Baron , Under Fire . Rating : 6/10 . Acceptable and passable . The picture will appeal to nature buffs and children films lovers. A film highly recommended for young children, great for five to 11-year-olds, if a bit a slog for their parents

It was followed by ¨Flipper and the pirates¨ 1964 , by Leon Benson with Luke Halpin, Pamela Franklyn, the second screen adventure of the dolphin that became a superstar of Sixties' television. A successful 1960s television series: ¨Flipper¨ (88 episodes, 1964-1967) with Brian Kelly, Luke Halpin as Sandy Ricks who did all his own stunts throughout the Flipper TV stories; it centers on 15-year-old son Sandy and 10-year-old Bud and, especially, on their pet dolphin Flipper. Flipper was played by five female dolphins. Remade in 1996 in an amiable revival: ¨Flipper¨ by Alan Shapiro with Elijah Wood, Paul Hogan, Jonathan Banks.

if you have a dolphin in your fish pen, you're probably the richest kid in the world.

After a hurricane blasts through a small town in Florida, Sandy Ricks and his dad go out to clean out a ship. While Sandy bails water out of the lifeboat, a dolphin jumps out of nowhere and scares him to death. After awhile, this dolphin watches him carefully. it's a few days later he and his friend go out for a swim, and you'll see what happens if you see the movie.

This movie had a lot of good creators behind it. the idea to watch and take pictures of flipper underwater was pretty darn good for those days. although some of those scenes were played over and over again, the movie is still good.

8/10

Flipper is an exceedingly pleasant, modest picture about a boy and his dolphin, and features easygoing, natural performances from Luke Halpin, as the boy, and Chuck Connors, as his rugged, seafaring father. The film is the first in the franchise that led eventually to a popular TV show. Producer Ivan Tors, who was also the man behind the Sea Hunt series on television, struck gold again with this one, a nice alternative at the time (and now) to the prevailing Disney family fare. It's hard to pinpoint how this and other Tors projects differ from what the Disney studio was making. The kids are a bit less goody two-shoes, the grownups more realistic. One doesn't have the virtual insurance that nearly every Disney film at the time offered that everything would work out in the end, so the moments of suspense and danger have a real edge. Flipper, by the way, has a real personality, and has a way of making you care for him. For those who care for the sea, marine life or just simple movies about kids and animals, this one's a darn good show.

Flipper is a very old movie, released in 1963. Though I have always been fascinated by dolphins, and even worked as a dolphin researcher, I never saw the movie, put off by that silly "King of the Sea" song. The movie is much better than I expected. It was done before animatronics and CGI, yet the stunts were completely believable. I worry that they were not stunts, but actual animal cruelty done in the days before SPCA oversight.

The father, played by Chuck Connors, is authoritarian. He never asks what happened in his absence; he tells everyone. No one dares contradict him. He likes to grab his wife and kiss her unexpectedly and passionately, reminiscent of a Siamese fighting fish. I detested him, but he was a typical movie father for the era.

The hero is what I took to be a 10 year old boy from his height, later revealed in the dialogue to be 12, and played by a 15-year old actor, Luke Halpin. The boy, Sandy, is ridiculously docile by modern standards, and obsequiously does whatever father wants without complaint. Sandy is still every boy's hero, skilled, brave, outgoing, strong, handsome, respected by the community, trusted to run his own boat and fishing nets. Sandy has an erotic obsession with a male dolphin (played by a female dolphin to help tone down the obviousness of the mutual arousal). His parents pretend not to notice, pretending all that bumping and grinding is just cute.

There are a few things that don't make sense in the movie. For the first half of the movie, Sandy and an adoring younger girl whom he ignores are the only people his age in the vicinity. Then in one scene suddenly dozens of children appear, and sing that idiotic "King of the Sea" song then disappear again. It is just totally out of place. The song belongs in some animated short for toddlers or in a commercial to sell inflatable dolphin toys.

I was rather distressed by the "tricks" scene when they got Flipper to perform various fetch tricks, treating him as if he were a dog. Dolphins have bigger brains than we do, but you would never guess from that silly dog and pony show. They tossed an dachshund into the ocean with Flipper. To me the dog look panicked and could not get out of the enclosure, and tried climbing on Flipper's back to avoid drowning. This was all treated as great fun.

Sandy lives shirtless outdoors in the Florida sun on the ocean all day. Yet he never gets a sunburn or even a dark tan. Nobody ever reminds him to put on sun screen. I worried about the actor and whether making that film would have lead to skin cancer.

Chuck Connors (as Porter Ricks) lives on the Florida coast, with his 12-year-old son Luke Halpin (as Sandy), and wife Kathleen Maguire (as Martha). Following a hurricane, son Halpin goes to bail out a dingy; and, he is startled when a dolphin jumps out... it's Flipper!

As it introduces an enduring franchise, the first "Flipper" effortlessly overcomes its flaws; mainly, parts that go on too long, and look more repetitive and ordinary in hindsight. The catchy theme song, for example, will soon be improved upon, and given its logical place over the credits. The film opens with an exciting hurricane, and features beautiful location and underwater photography throughout. If you know Flipper, the film offers many origin story "firsts", topped by the meeting of Sandy and Flipper. Pete the Pelican is around, along with many familiar elements. The Ricks family line-up is different, however; mother Maguire is present, but no Bud.

The "Flipper" character is played by "Mitzie", and others, undoubtedly. The "A Boy and His Dolphin" concept is terrific, and the Flipper character retains its integrity through ensuing years. Halpin is very cute, and seems to improve his performance over the run of the film; his cavorting scenes are charming. Mr. Connors and Ms. Maguire are great parents - they make up much more natural family than expected. Joe Higgins (who also appears in the next "Flipper") and Jane Rose (who also appears in the first "Dark Shadows") are among the supporting players. Note that Connors' friend, who dies during the hurricane, is mentioned as "not of our faith"; this add some depth to the film.

******** Flipper (8/14/63) James B. Clark ~ Chuck Connors, Luke Halpin, Kathleen Maguire