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

Porter Ricks and his young son Sandy are fishing off the Florida coast. They scramble home ahead of a big hurricane. After the storm, they go spearfishing. Sandy saves a dolphin which got accidentally speared. He brings it back to health and becomes his best friend.

The legacy of this film has grown murky over the years. It created the space for SeaWorld and other water parks. As a movie, the story has limited tension. It's a family picture and it doesn't get more family than watching the dog swim with the dolphin. They seem to have used all the wind machines to create the hurricane. There is a lot of swimming with the dolphin which would have amazed everybody back in the day. The underwater adventure is good cinema. All in all, it's a mixed bag.

Our friends in the sea the dolphins get their due in this family film about a young boy who saves a dolphin and the dolphin returns the favor. Succinctly put that is the plot of Flipper.

Enough has been studied and written about how next to humans, the dolphin is the most intelligent creature on this planet, some might opt the dolphin is more intelligent. You can sure prove it by what you see with this particular dolphin.

Chuck Connors and Kathleen Maguire are the parents of Luke Halpin. Connors is a commercial fisherman, but a fish plague of sorts has decimated the fish population in his fishing grounds and those of the other fishermen. Making matters worse a hurricane appears as the film opens and Connors and Halpin have to beat it back to shore in the Florida Keys.

They make it, but the boat is severely damaged. While Connors looks to scrounge up work, Luke saves the life of a stranded dolphin who is on the beach with a spear in him. Pretty soon he's teaching him all kinds of tricks, but dolphins do eat a lot of fish and fish are scarce at this time.

I think you can see where this is all going. Doesn't detract from the fact that Flipper became one of the most popular family films of all time spawning two more films and a four year run television series all with Luke Halpin. By the time Flipper got to TV Halpin had grown a bit and his voice changed. His father's profession had changed from fisherman to park ranger and he was played by Brian Kelly. He also lost his mother and gained a younger brother. And Halpin became a bubblegum teen idol of the first order.

But for this original film the underwater photography was of Oscar type caliber and the acting chemistry between Halpin and the dolphin was good and unique. In fact some years ago I read that Halpin got the part for his swimming ability.

After 50 years Flipper holds up quite well for family viewing.

RELEASED IN 1963 and directed by James B. Clark, "Flipper" stars Luke Halpin as a boy in the Florida Keys who saves a dolphin and develops a relationship with the animal. Chuck Connors and Kathleen Maguire play the parents.

As far as dolphin flicks go, I prefer 2010's "Beneath the Blue" with cutie Caitlin Wachs, but "Flipper" is worthwhile as heartwarming innocuous entertainment. It's also of historical interest to observe life in Southern Florida in the early 60s. Not only do you get the dolphin, Flipper (Mitzie in real life), but you also get the kid's pet pelican, Pete.

THE MOVIE RUNS 87 minutes and was shot in Grassy Key, Florida, and (studio) Miami. WRITERS: Arthur Weiss from the story by Ricou Browning & Jack Cowden.

GRADE: B-