Ring of Bright Water (1969) User Reviews

Charming Film for all Nature Lovers

[JamesHitchcock · 7/10 · 13 December 2005]

The plot of "Ring of Bright Water" is a simple one. Graham Merrill, a London-based civil servant, one day, on impulse, buys an otter which he sees in a pet shop window. It soon becomes clear that a London flat is no place in which to keep a pet otter, and this persuades Merrill to put into effect a plan which he has had in mind for some time, namely to escape from the rat-race and move to the Scottish Highlands in order to write a book. Once there, he takes up residence in a dilapidated old cottage by the shore and becomes friendly with Mary MacKenzie, the local doctor.

Although a romance develops between Graham and Mary, their love-story has to take second place to the love-story which is really at the centre of the film, that between Mij the otter and the audience. Mij, who takes his name from an Arab sheikh whom Graham met during his travels, is one of the most entertaining and engaging creatures in the history of the cinema, and virtually the whole of the film is centred upon him and his adventures- the havoc he wreaks during a train journey from London to Scotland, his growing friendships with Mary's dog Johnnie and with a family of young geese which Graham also adopts, and Graham's efforts to catch a shark in order to provide him with food. (Mij, predictably enough, decides that shark steaks are not to his liking).

The human stars of the film, Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, were husband and wife in real life, and both were well-known for their support for animal welfare and conservation. Three years earlier they had starred together in "Born Free", a film with a conservationist message, and "Ring of Bright Water" can perhaps be seen as more of the same. Here that message is rather underplayed, except perhaps during the poignant ending, but there are some occasional neat touches such as the scene where Graham, on a visit to London, sees an otter-skin coat in a shop window.

This is not a particularly deep film, but it is a charming one, its charm being helped by a catchy theme song (another similarity to "Born Free"), a fine musical score and some equally fine photography of the Scottish Highland scenery. This is perfect Sunday afternoon viewing for the family, and perfect for all nature lovers. 7/10

An unexpected delight

[laursene · 8/10 · 19 April 2012]

I saw this when I was a child and enjoyed it, then ran into it unexpectedly on TV not long ago, and was delighted. I'm not a fan of "Born Free," the more famous Travers-McKenna starrer, with its self-importance, travelogue nature photography, sentimentality ... and that awful Andy Williams vocal at the end. Perhaps this has something to do also with the rather insistent way the move was flogged as "wholesome family fare" at a time of change and - some of us would say - maturity in the commercial film industry. Nevertheless, I wasn't prepared for much on the second viewing of "Ring of Bright Water." I was wrong. Jack Couffer, a veteran of Disney's True Life Adventures, turns out to have been a real filmmaker who knew how to create an ambiance that at times approaches a kind of poetry. The atmosphere seems to proceed out of the characters, not just the settings (from London to western Scotland). The cinematography is lovely (Couffer got his start as a DP). The animals - especially Midj - are not sentimentalized but are endearing and empathetic. The story isn't pumped up with any crude comedy. The (human) performances are nicely low-key. The burgeoning romance between the writer and the doctor is predictable but not oppressively so.

Altogether, Couffer's film has a "naturalness" that almost all other family-nature flicks completely lack. "Ring of Bright Water" has little or nothing to do with the social and political changes happening at the time it was made, nor with current trends in film. It could have been made in almost any year. And it will no doubt continue to provide a strong measure of pleasure for some time to come.

I also saw this as a child

[m_a_singer · 8/10 · 9 January 2005]

I must have been nine years old, given the date of the film, when I saw this. I remember it as gray, wet, and fascinating. There seemed to have been a run on children's films from the UK in the late sixties ("Run Silent, Run Free" comes to mind as well), and that may have helped make me the Anglophile I am today.

And the killing... yes, it was a huge emotional shock. But was it an inappropriate one? I don't think so. In fact, what I remember even more than the shock of the killing itself was watching the main character's grief and recovery from that. I don't think I'd seen anything like that before in a film, and it is something very worthwhile that stayed with me.

Certainly you should be prepared to talk to your children about this, but I don't know if sheltering them from it is a good response. That's like never getting them a pet because animals die.

Wonderfully endearing

[shark-43 · 6 December 2000]

usually when you have fond memories of some childhood film you saw when you were young, they usually turn out to be quite awful or trite or just plain dumb upon second viewing as an adult. But I rented this for my 5 year old who loves animals and we both enjoyed it. I had wonderful memories of seeing this when I was nine and it really is a terrific rental to seek out. In fact, my 5 year old was so intriguedby Mij and the other otters, she promptly went to the library and got a book by the original author of Ring Of Bright Water - Gavin Maxwell called an Otter's Tail.

Traumatized

[frmrphy · 6/10 · 11 July 2019]

I saw this in grade school with our entire school in our hall. Although the movie is a delight for the most part especially falling in love with Mij. However, I'm 56 years old and have never rewatched this film or showed it to my kids when they were small. I must have been 8 and was deeply affected by the ending of this movie.

Stunning Visuals complemented by Superb Direction

[rhsymonds · 10/10 · 26 April 2006]

I have no idea how some people give this film low marks, everything from the scenery to the interaction between cast and animals is breathtaking. I was enthralled throughout this emotional roller-coaster thanks to the trainers of Mij the otter and the acting of the two lead roles, i watched seven samurai the night before this, so it had a lot to live up to, and it was one of the first films in ages where i didn't look at the time once, i was so happy watching this man and otter co-exist that i didn't want it to end.

There are emotional extremes in this film, moments of tearful joy and moments of terrible sadness, so be careful if watching with kids. For a 1969 production, I cannot recommend this enough, i watched a free copy with a newspaper, and i will be buying the full DVD very soon and I'm 24! Thoroughly impressive editing & acting makes this a film that will stay with me till the day i die. And dammit, i want that otter !!

Stuck in my mind since I was 5 years old

[wmtaylor3 · 7/10 · 9 September 2007]

I saw this movie at five and have never forgotten it. I thought the otter's name was "mitch" and had no clue what the movie title was, but I managed, after renting four or five otter movies to find it again. I found it just as memorable the over 3 decades later. The scenery is quite amazing. The movie is a great snapshot of 1960's England. I did find the sound to be low; the narrator's speaks so softly it is hard to hear him sometimes.

You can judge the ending from other posts, but at 5 years old I was totally devastated. I have no idea why children's movies tend to be so traumatic.

I was surprised to see that the main characters were the same two actors in Born Free.

One of the best animal films. ever.

[intelearts · 10/10 · 12 February 2009]

Absolutely one of the films that defined a generation - Ring Of Bright Water was a huge success worldwide and is considered by many to be the best animal film.

The true story of a divorced insurance actuary who trades London and the 9-5 for Scotland because he bought an otter from a pet shop is simply brilliant. Based on Gavin Maxwell's excellent autobiography it translated very successfully to film.

Director Jack Couffer already a long career making classic animal films for Disney and had obviously never heard W C Field's famous line about never working with animals of children...here he adapted to a British sensibility and we end up with a film that is not sappy but rather genuinely magic. The cinematography by Walter Suschitsky is outstanding. Suschitsky went on to film the original Get Carter (....And not a lot of people know that ) The humans are great, but the otter (and other wildlife: the geese!) are truly amazing and lift this from ordinary to extraordinary. Maxwell actually bought the otter back from Iraq and it was discovered to be new subspecies which named by the London Zoological Society in his honour Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli.

If you vaguely remember seeing this first time round you'll definitely want to see it again, if you haven't I promise you'll see something you won't easily forget - it is charming in the best sense with Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna at their understated British best. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking: it is the otter and the beautiful settings that you'll remember.

One of our favourites ever.

Good family movie

[miclhole · 7/10 · 8 October 2005]

Based on the Classic book (Gavin Maxwell-Ring of bright water.) The film is a warm,family tale,that is loosely based on the book. It has a great feel and atmosphere,mainly because it was filmed on location in London and the Highlands (although not the real locations )The acting,as you would expect from the cast,is great. They have a real feel for the wildlife. By the way,this film was the last that the author,Gavin Maxwell ever saw. He was dying of cancer at the time,and went to see the film,in great pain. He thought it was great,crying at the scene of Mig's death. By the way he had no contact with the films producers. I would recommend the film,as an introduction to the books,not as a substitute to them.

Positive, uplifting, getting-away-from-it-all kind of movie

[Glaschu · 10/10 · 13 August 1999]

If you ever feel like giving up the rat-race of the city life and a hectic job, see this film. Ring of Bright water is a getting-away-from-it-all kind of movie set in the Gaelic-speaking Western Isles of Scotland. The busy London professional decides to take a broken-down croft house, fix it up, write and be creative. He accomplishes all these things but finds the friendship and love of a woman and as well as a dear otter. There are some scenes with Gaelic dialog to add reality to the film. The bittersweet end will bring a tear to even the most hardened big-business type. Great movie for a rainy day or a cozy evening - positive, uplifting.

A family-friendly animal/nature film with edge

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 13 March 2014]

After the success of the 1966 British film "Born Free," which starred real-life couple Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, is it any wonder that the similarly-themed "Ring of Bright Water" came out a few years later in 1969? THE STORY: Travers plays a writer in London who is strangely drawn to an otter in a pet store window. After purchasing the animal he decides to leave the city to give them both some much-needed breathing space. They move to desolate coastal Scotland where he fixes up a shack to make it livable. There they develop a relationship with another animal-lover, a rural doctor played by McKenna. Adventures ensue.

"Ring of Bright Water" is a must for animal/nature fans. The film features a good assortment of animals, although otters are the main item. In addition the picture features some beautiful rural Scotland photography (filmed on location, of course).

Personally, I can relate to the protagonists' love for the otter and other cute & cuddly critters. A family of woodchucks (aka groundhogs) used to live by us until last May and we would get much enjoyment out of watching them, especially each Spring when the mother would have 5-7 cubs. We've become so familiar with woodchucks that we often spot them on our drives in the country. If you know what to look for you'll spot woodchucks almost every day in the Northeast. One day this past August we spotted ten woodchucks in ten minutes (!). But I digress.

"Ring of Bright Water" is a quiet film, a breath of fresh air in this age of special-effects laden extravaganzas. To appreciate it you have to be in the mood for something that glorifies nature and is generally laid-back. The film is certainly family-friendly but, be forewarned, it has edge. This is a good thing, to me at least.

For one thing, there's a sequence where the couple goes out to an island looking for their missing otter (named Mij), who naturally went off looking for a babe. The sequence takes on an ominous vibe with mysterious shots of the ancient landscape.

Other reviewers rightly point out that the film ultimately takes an unexpected dark turn (even though it still ends on a positive note). Some have even given the DVD a low rating for this reason. I defend this "dark turn" for a number of reasons. For one thing it does give the film an edge. By this point in the story things had become a bit lull; something shocking NEEDED to happen.

I don't want to give away the ending so don't read the next paragraph if you haven't seen the film yet.

***SPOILER ALERT*** I found the ending uplifting despite the otter's death; in fact, it delivers quite a few important messages. The message of Mij's death is revealed in the words of the old man who killed him; he states, "Oh, I didn't know it was your pet; I just thought it was an otter." In other words, he killed the beautiful creature for no legitimate reason at all; just because Mij happened by him. This is a tendency of the fallen nature of human beings; it's ignorance & hostility and it must change if this world is to ever improve. Aside from this the ending shows the couple discovering that Mij had a mate and kids. His life begat life; and that life continues despite Mij's death. Another message is that perhaps otters should stay in the wild rather than become our pets; if Mij wasn't a pet he wouldn't have needlessly died the way he did. Yet another lesson is the cold fact of death in this world. Children (and people in general) need to learn and accept the reality of death sooner or later, why not sooner? The film opens the door for parents to discuss this important subject with their kids. It powerfully illustrates how death can happen at any time and can be quite a shock. We all know of friends and loved ones who have died suddenly, without warning, and what a shock it was to deal with. This movie preps us all for this inevitable happening. ***END SPOILER*** Bad ending? No way; it's an important and necessary ending.

The film was based on the book of the same name. The ending sort of explains the strange title but IMHO they should have come up with a better title. "Born to Frolic and Swim Free" perhaps. Just joking, but just about anything would be better than "Ring of Bright Water." Another highlight is the moving acoustic folk song played during the credits, which I assume (from the lyrics) is also titled "Ring of Bright Water." This is a simple yet magnificent & timeless piece, and the singer has a stirring voice.

The film runs 1 hour and 44 minutes.

GRADE: B+

A Gem of a Film

[PoppyTransfusion · 10/10 · 8 July 2011]

A very simple plot: man disaffected with London life decamps to the Scottish wilderness accompanied by the tame otter he rescued from a pet shop. In Scotland he meets a woman and their mutual appreciation of the countryside and love of the otter brings them together. The film has a very bittersweet ending as a tragedy gives birth to a creative endeavour.

The film is autobiographical being based on a true story available as a book of the same name. It is subtle and unassuming making the most of the characters given its simple plot. The footage of the otter - called Mij - is fantastic and if you were indifferent to otters before I am confident you will love them after watching Mij. The connection between the man, Graham (played by Bill Travers), and Mij is funny and poignant.

This is a gem of a film. It offers so much without any of the manipulations in which many modern films indulge. I was absorbed watching it and it has stayed with me since seeing it. I recommend this highly. Be warned it is upsetting and if you decide to show it to a child there may be tears.

Effortlessly Enjoyable ( Possible *Spoilers*)

[highpriestess32 · 7/10 · 6 April 2007]

Graham Merrill is a disillusioned White Collar worker in London. One lunchtime he ventures to the pub with his colleague and is persuaded to buy a raffle ticket. Little could he know that the purchasing of this ticket would dramatically change the course of his life forever.

Graham wins first prize - a juicy fresh salmon and he carries it wrapped in newspaper along the streets of the city until it slides out and lands directly beneath the window of a pet shop, behind which sits a curious looking little otter.

The otter seems to instantly bond with and thereafter recognise Graham every time he passes - as though he senses his presence, even in spite of Graham's various attempts at disguising himself or shielding his face with a book as he passes. The daily passing of the pet shop becomes somewhat of a ritual and when Graham one day overhears two men discussing the benefits of buying and training the otter for circus work, Graham wastes no time in purchasing the furry friend.

Once home, it is not long before the newly-named Mij makes his destructive mark on Graham's flat and before long he is told to vacate the premises. This leads him to change his lifestyle completely when he spots an advertisement in a local paper for a remote Scottish cottage that would suit a writer.

And so begins the journey to pastures new, where Graham must live off the fat of the land, repairing and furnishing the cottage largely with driftwood and just about any resources he can find lying around in and around the bay.

Graham's love interest is local doctor Mary (Played by Virginnia McKenna), and between Graham, Mary, Mij and Mary's dog, the four become close companions as they face new challenges with the change of seasons.

A relaxed setting and pace, this film is an absolute must for a dreary afternoon but do get the tissues at the ready!

Be very, very careful if seeing this movie with a child.

[elohi · 2/10 · 30 June 2018]

Spoiler alert. I saw this film when I was 9 years old. My parents took me, and believing it to be a good film about an animal that I would enjoy, they hadn't done any research on it. I went into shock when the "star" was brutally, and without warning, killed by a shovel. Even though it was off scene, my mind imagined it violently cut in two. And as I had seen my dog die from being hit by a car a year earlier, I knew what fresh blood, torn flesh, brains, lungs and muscles looked like. I also knew what the last breaths of life sounded like wheezing and bubbling through blood. I was in true shock for over a week and it affected me for months. I was so deeply stunned that I didn't even cry. I will never forget how I felt. Up until then, it was the 60s, after all, all the movie and TV shows of animals were happy, or a bit sad, but not gruesome. And no, I never saw Bambi. Today's kids may not take it so hard, but keep the ending in mind. The end was so horrific for me that I can't remember one second if the rest of the movie. I was surprised to read reviews about what a good, charming, etc film it was.

Wonderful film made with sensitivity and insight

[alembic · 8 May 2001]

Like other reviewers, I first saw this film when I was a child. I was totally absorbed by the story and the antics of Mij the otter. I saw it again on video recently and it had lost none of it's charm. I remember the stunning cinematography of the wild country where it was filmed,best seen on a true big screen. Bill Travers and Virginnia McKenna ( Born Free - An Elephant called Slowly ) are well cast as Mij's friends. Any child with an interest in animals will enjoy this film , but there is enough adult interest to make it fun for all. The ending may seem somewhat brutal/bitterwseet ( although not shown in graphic detail ) but we often underestimate childrens abilities to understand what is happening around them and as I recall being a child when I saw it, the film was more memorable because it had a gritty ending and not a "warm fuzzy" throw away end. Enjoy !

Disappointing and shocking ending

[pby · 6/10 · 19 March 2012]

The first 85% of this movie was a warm beautiful story in which the critter stole the show. The main actors having worked with animals in Born Free were naturals and believable. The otter overcame all sorts of problems and mischief to steal your heart. The settings in Scotland and photography were absolutely spectacular and realistic. Then it happened, the poor otter was bludgeoned to death with a shovel. He deserved a better ending and so did the movie.It is not hard to blame the character of Dr.Mary for not protecting poor Mij. Having Mij's offspring show up at the end was unrealistic and hardly made up for what happened to Mij.

Don't over sanitize movie selections for kids

[migriky · 9/10 · 13 July 2008]

Great move, good right of passage. I read the other posts by folks who think this is too rough for kids...yes, I saw it as a child, yes it stayed with me, yes I can still touch that sad feeling left for me at the films end. Come on, we are creating a race of freaks if no parent wants their child hurt in any way. Leaning to deal with the personal death of a friend is a character shaping event. I too want only good for my son but know I am sending him out into the world unprepared if his life is only brightness and sunshine. Watch the move, talk to your kids about it..good discussion to build foundations on. Life, friendships, responsibility to the earth and it's creatures.

Good, but...

[jaffray · 7/10 · 29 June 2002]

It's all about the otter. The film is dated, and I didn't care much about the human characters, but any time Mij was on screen, this film was pure delight. Watching an otter play is a wonderful thing. But...

-------- SPOILER! -------- In the end Mij is killed. A stupid, senseless, awful death. This comes as a huge emotional shock, especially when the film up to that point was so cheerful, carefree, and escapist.

I'm desensitized to most on-screen violence, but I felt sick at the end of this movie. My companion, who's rather more sensitive, was sobbing. The G rating is crazy - there's no way I would show this to a young child, and even with older kids, I'd expect to have a long discussion with them afterwards.

Does the ending make it a better or worse film? Tough to say. The intent of the story may have been fulfilled by it, I suppose; but I wasn't nearly as interested in the story as in the otter, and if you're watching the movie to see an hour and a half of otter antics, killing the otter is BAD BAD BAD.

I rated it a 7/10 anyway, but if you want a positive uplifting cheerful movie, watch until Graham goes back to London and leaves Mij with Mary, and stop there.

Beautiful and deeply moving

[iggy1967 · 10/10 · 7 January 2007]

Ring of Bright Water is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.

Modern advances in wildlife photography (Planet Earth etc.) cannot compare to the simple and powerful camera work by Wolfgang Suschitzky (Get Carter) who captures the antics of Mij, the otter, with an obvious passion and humour for a deeply lovable creature.

Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna (both married to each other at the time)are fantastic. They seem as a part of the stunning scenery as Mij himself and I was hooked at watching two actors NOT perform, but just let the camera capture their devotion and delight at all things wild and natural.

For those of us living the city life, the unspoilt scenery of the west coast of Scotland is nothing short of breathtaking and it's very easy indeed to relate to Bill Travers's character as he questions his quality of life, before he quits London to live a more fulfilling life. More interestingly, the film is far more relevant today than it was then as our hi tech digital world makes the London of its day seem almost antique and charming.

The film surprised me most because my taste in film veers towards more radical fare and it was only to please my girlfriend that I sat down and watched; within twenty minutes I was totally hooked -and by the end I have to admit that I was crying as much as she was.

A must see for any animal lover or city dweller who even remotely appreciates the simple and unrivalled beauty of nature.

Especially recommended for children and nature lovers...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 18 March 2012]

A family film starring BILL TRAVERS and VIRGINIA McKENNA (the "Born Free" couple), in which most of the action takes place in a ramshackle Scottish cottage on a hillside overlooking the sea.

The story of a man who takes an otter for a pet while he works on his novel in the countryside, is beautifully filmed and all of the rapport between the otter and the stars of the film is extremely well captured. The Technicolor photography is beautiful, especially for the scenes of a shimmering sea under the sun or the moon.

But it would take someone with enormous patience, not to mention naivety, to think he could buy an otter in a pet shop and take him to live in his London apartment. And when the pet makes a shambles of his city surroundings, the owner is forced to look elsewhere for lodgings. The rest of the tale deals with his locating a rustic cottage by the sea and his interaction with a lady animal doctor who soon forms a warm friendship with him.

Children more than adults will appreciate the antics of the lively otter whose curiosity knows no bounds, especially when he gets loose aboard a train and creates havoc. But the story is slow and plodding, moving at a snail's pace through a series of uneven scenes without any dramatic highlights to heighten any tension as to the final outcome.

Travers and McKenna, real-life husband and wife, are excellent in the leads but the script tends to be on the weak side with content not compelling enough for most adults but of special interest to nature lovers.

A truly wonderful film!

[jessewillis · 9/10 · 24 April 2000]

Ring of Bright Water is a truly wonderful film. This story of an englishman and his otter reminded me of a wonderful childhood oddessey I experienced myself. On a waterborne journey along the british columbia coast we stopped at a fjord that had a house very much like that of Graham Merrill's. They themselves must have been great fans of Gavin Maxwell's book as they too had a free ranging pet otter. It was astonishing and wonderful to swim with one of these little mammals. I hadnt heard much about the film before I watched it so it was a wonderful surprise. I'd heartily recommend it for children and adults. It has some suprisingly realistic scenes but nothing that a child wouldnt understand. It is a very touching story. I plan on listening to the audiobook of the book the film was based upon immediately.

Sweet, emotional film

[grantss · 7/10 · 25 December 2021]

Graham Merrill is working in a dead-end job in London when he adopts an otter, Mij, as a pet. He soon realises that his small apartment is not the ideal place to keep an otter and figuring it is time to work on that book he always intended to write he quits and moves to a small cottage in an isolated village on the Scottish west coast. The change makes for some great adventures with Mij and also causes Graham to meet the beautiful town doctor, Mary MacKenzie.

One of the first films I remember seeing as a child and one that left a lasting impression on me. Rewatching it 40 or so years later and it seems no less sweet and emotional.

Starring (real-life husband and wife) Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna of Born Free fame plus two trained otters as Mij the film is a wonderful adventure, mixing the trials and tribulations of Graham as he shifts location and focus and makes new friends with the sweet joy, naughtiness, innocence and cuteness of Mij the otter.

The adventure culminates in a very poignant climax but the conclusion is uplifting and very emotional.

A movie for all ages, as my liking it at very young age as well as 40 years later will attest to.

Fantastic wildlife, brilliant scenery, wonderful music

[frankiehudson · 10/10 · 5 January 2007]

This is a lovely little film by Jack Couffer and Bill Travers (not-to-mention the delightful Virginia McKenna as the blond, animal-loving love interest) about a bloke who leaves London to go and live with his otter in the remote Scottish Highlands.

There are some delightful shots of late-1960s London, all red buses, Fitzrovia and suchlike, showing the commotion and pollution that drives Graham Merrill (Bill Travers) to seek solitude and nature in the Highlands, like a latter-day Emerson or Thoreau. The naturalism in both the cinematography and theme is superb. So relaxing.

The music, by Frank Cordell, is equally brilliant, reminding me a bit of the signature tune to Robinson Crusoe, that black and white version from the 1960s/70s (which they used to show on BBC2 after school).

They must have some animal trainer in this film because the otter, known as Midge, behaves beautifully, as does his friend the cocker spaniel. The scenery is a delight, all white sandy beaches and dark green hill-sides. Brilliant.

A man and an otter named Mitch - anyone? anyone?

[ccutrona · 6/10 · 23 August 2005]

I have been trying to figure out this movie for a long time. For some reason I thought the otter's name was "Mitch" and the name of the movie was "Mitch" - Turns out it's Mij, and I'm way off on the title! I remember many nights at my grandparents watching "Family Film Festival." I think this was one of the films that aired on this show, although I could be mistaken.

I've only seen this movie once, but from what I remember it is a very sweet, simple movie about an man and an otter. It was impressionable enough to stick in my brain many, many years. I probably saw it when I was 6-8?

Now that I know the title, I am going to find a copy and watch it again...

Haunted

[princesshickory · 3/10 · 7 June 2012]

For years I was haunted by a movie I saw as a child, a movie where an animal was killed by a shovel. I thought it was a seal, perhaps...but how could a seal be killed by a man wielding a shovel?

Finally, I found THIS was the movie that has haunted me for forty years. I remember loving it up until the time Mij was murdered. And then the ending was so very weak. How could Mij's offspring make up for the death of Mij? I remember being so very shocked and angry. And it's for that very reason, to this day, that I never enjoy movies where animals get hurt or injured.

I want my movies to move me, yes. I want to enjoy movies. Seeing animals maimed, injured or murdered is not enjoyable. Never has been, never will.

Up until the last fifteen minutes, the movie was great. When you see Bill Travers leave and leave Mij in the hands of the female doctor, and you see her romping around with her dog and then walking back to town, RUN AWAY. And save yourself from the trauma.

Yes, trauma. I saw this when I was SIX YEARS old, and it has stayed with me ever since. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Sorry for venting. When you've been haunted by a movie for forty years, and finally get some closure, it is necessary. =========== I got closure today; I re-watched it for the first time in 42 years, and I'm glad I did, to dispel the images I had carried in my head for so long. I thought it was a bit weak in places, and contrived. Yes, the scenery was beautiful. That was about it, though.