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Ring of Bright Water
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Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Find all by MGM (Video & DVD)
Directed By: Jack Couffer
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Theatrical Release: December 3, 1969
Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Retail Price: $14.98
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Starring: Bill Travers, Virginia McKenna, Peter Jeffrey, Jameson Clark, Helena Gloag
Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, the husband-and-wife team who starred alongside Elsa the Lion inBorn Free, now share the screen with Mij, a delightfully mischievous otter who'll enchant viewers of all ages in this bright, wholesome (Cue), captivating and endearing (Video Hound's Golden Movie Retriever) film! Middle-aged bachelor Graham Merrill (Travers) has a nice, quiet life in London, but his fun-loving new roommate Mij is about to change everything! Curious and playful, this otter has better things to do than sit around a stuffy apartment, so Graham decides tomove to the coast of Scotland where Mij can frolic to his heart's content. Once there, they meet Mary (McKenna), and the unlikely trio begins an incredible journey of friendship and discovery that will transform each of their lives forever!
User Submitted Ring of Bright Water Reviews
October 29, 2008
Enjoying playful, beautiful otter until disgustingly shocked!
I have been looking for good old movies from my 1960's childhood lately. Well, I had never even heard of this movie until I saw it offered here. Being an animal lover and especially fond of otters, when I saw the adorable otter on the cover I immediately ordered it.
Well, I was so upset when that sweet, innocent otter was killed in that horrible way by a very STUPID man!
I would never suggest a child or an adult see this movie! I wish that they would revise it and take out that part up to the end. That was so uneccessary, I cannot even believe that someone thought to put that in this movie, because the movie was so enjoyable up until that shocking, disturbing moment! This was the most disturbing movie, because there was no reason for it. As bad as the Yearling or Old Yeller made me feel, they were bad enough, at least there was some reality lessons in them.
October 12, 2008
ring of bright water
This movie is a classic.
Wonderful to watch by all ages.
Get it an denjoy it as much as I did.
October 11, 2008
A family-friendly animal/nature film with EDGE
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 liveable. 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.
PERSONAL GRADE: B+
September 24, 2008
Great, just cut before the shovel drops
Hey, I agree with you all. I saw it in the theaters as a child and still carry the pain of Mij's untimely demise. But can't we just stop the DVD prior to that moment? It was a gratuitous (if true) moment in the film, and only seems to have traumatized a generation of nature loving children at the turn of the decade (60/70's). So, parents, just watch along with your children and skip or cut before the inevitable chop. Cause if Mij frolicking in the tanks his human friend makes is just as memorable as his gritty death.
July 15, 2008
Horrible ending!
I was a kid. My mom took us to the movies. I can recall a fairly charming picture until the horrible death scene at the end. It destroyed any other good memories from the story and my little sister and I wouldn't go to another movie for months. Just a brutal, sad ending that destroyed the movie. Not for children!!!!!!!!
June 23, 2008
Terrible.
Some of the other reviewers here are right about this movie being the subject of a horribly misleading marketing campaign. Even right here on Amazon's site it says, "an ideal world of simple happiness"--yeah, until the star of the movie gets his head bashed in.
I don't see how anyone can describe this film as 'wonderful family entertainment' in light of the string of stories of traumatized children crying themselves to sleep. The message left by the film is not uplifting in any way, it just says that despite your best efforts your world can come crashing down at any moment.
Stay far away from this one.
March 1, 2008
Most Perfect Pet
I've seen this movie many,many years ago.
Midge is an otter with a great fun loving personality.
Most of the movie is a joy to watch as we see the antics of Midge and the love of the guy who owns her.
After seeing this film,I became enamored with otters. They seemed altogether so enjoyable and lovable. After seeing this movie, I've never forgotten it. I sort of fell in love with the otter.
If you have seen it, I recommend another viewing. If you haven't seen it,you must!
No matter how old the movie is, it's timeless.
Yes the end is sad, but it's life and reality and you'll gain an admiration for otters and all wild creatures that will really move you to tears.
Have you seen the famous "Otters Holding Hands" clip? If not you may really choose it as a youtube favorite.
It's a movie reminiscent of "Born Free" and if you liked "Born Free", you'll also treasure this.
January 24, 2008
A great movie
As a child I enjoyed this movie and have for many years wanted to purchase it. After watching it as an adult I was again touch by the innocence and beauty.
Further to the above, I watched this movie for the first time with my boyfriend (per the above comment). I loved the movie. My mom had read the book when she was at school and I can't wait to watch the movie again with her. I am sure it will touch her as much as it did me.
Many thanks for keeping the older movies in stock... what would we do without fond memories!
December 19, 2007
Great Film, Full of Life, Love and Heart
I saw this film many times in a TV edit when I was young, and loved the film very much.Even with the heart break and the hurt that the arc of the film travels through, I think its a great gateway to two superb books, the original RING OF BRIGHT WATER and THE ROCKS REMAIN THE SAME; both of these books detail much that is not shown in the film.And whilst I know its not an exact replica of the book, the film has some great moments, with nary a time that drags or lapses due to the beautiful photography.
I am a little ambivalent about the much mentioned scene that hints at Midges death; its not explicit, but it is clear that Midge has been killed.But wether or not a child should watch this is a parental decision, since I know that some kids will deal with it, and yes they will cry at the scene, any human with heart will cry at that scene, so do we keep some Adults away from the film? Its all a matter of if the person watching can deal with the issues. The key for me, in my view, is that the Film should inspire the watcher to delve into the books. I know that for me, I loved the first book, which the film is based on, and I found that I loved the 1963 British edition very much, and tried successfully in many cases to get good copies as gifts. Gavin Maxwell gave us much in his books, and the inspired legacy of the film is just part of what he did, and I for one am grateful for a masterpiece like this existing, one that warms the heart as much as it may break it; Gavin Maxwell gives us a taste of his life.
July 19, 2007
So it wasn't just me?
I was taken to this film as a child when it first came out. I remember being entranced by the beauty of Scotland and the cuteness of the otter, but the senseless and brutal killing of the animal at the end shocked and disturbed me, and left a lasting bad memory. I later thought I was maybe a bit sensitive, but these other reviews confirm that it left the same impression on other viewers. I now have small children of my own. They will not be watching this (otherwise excellent) movie.
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