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Flipper (1963)
[Man] I've lived all my life
on the sea. So did my father. So will my son. I've seen the giant creatures of the deep, the great whales, making their passage to northern feeding grounds, and the last herds of the sea elephant. I've watched the cunning maneuvers of killer whale... As they leaped into the air... And hit the sea with the sound of a Cannon shot, frightening the sea elephants and sea lions into the water, where they would become easy prey. The shark, lacking this cleverness, prowled for what smaller fish he could find. The giant octopus, fearsome-looking but timid, has many a time avoided my boat. But the dolphins, the dolphins always seemed to come right up to the Fisherman's boat and ride the bow wave with the speed of a torpedo. Curiously, they seemed at times to be talking to each other and to be looking at us. I used to watch them for hours, studying them, thinking and remembering the stories I'd heard about them. But I didn't really know the dolphins until my son, a child, as in the Bible, led me to an understanding of their kind. It was a few years ago when the red plague destroyed almost all edible fish in the Florida keys. Like the fishermen above, the surviving creatures below were hungry. Even the swift dolphin was able to find no food. The fish were poisoned by the plague. Their lifeless bodies were spread throughout the sea. Pa, maybe this time the fish will be alive. Maybe the red tide didn't come out this far. Maybe. But we're going to find fish if we have to go 2o Miles out and clear to the bottom. They're dead. Well, let's get rid of them. Used to be you'd throw out an anchor, you'd hit a fish. Pa, look! Dolphins. They're sure making time. They're probably looking for fish the same as we are. It shouldn't be as hard for them. [Thunder] What's the matter, pa? [Wind howling] Is something wrong, pa? Hazel must have changed her course. The weather station this morning said she was headed west. She's coming north now. Amplifier's gone. I should have carried a spare tube. You're not scared, are you? No, pa. Lash down everything loose. We're going to make a run for home. Message block, son. Good boy. Read it. "Return to port. "Coast guard patrol boat will intercept you. "Hurricane hazel now heading north. Winds increasing up to 8o knots." But you knew that already. I should have known it an hour ago. Hold fast. [Boat horn honks] You Porter ricks out of coral key? That's right. We've been trying to raise you. Radio's out. You heard from Nick velakis, another boat like mine? Just had him on the radio. He says he can make it in all right ahead of the storm. I can't take you a-tow. Do you want to come aboard? Risk my boat? No, thank you. We'll make it. Pa, are we going to make it? I promised your ma we'd be home before dark. Come on, Zack, hurry up. It's terrible outside the channel. I haven't seen your folks go by yet. You better go and get them. Mr. l.C. Porett, you old fool. Stop nagging that boat and get on up there to the post office. And leave mirabel? I'd rather leave my wife. There's Porter. Porter ricks' boat. Come on, Porter! Come on, mirabel! Porter, where the halifax you been? Nick velakis come in yet? I ain't seen him. Come on! Everybody's going in and heading for the post office. Sandy, if your mother's not already at the post office, you get home and help her, you hear? Ok, pa. Give me that line. Where the blazes you going now? I'm going to put that boat up at willow creek. She'll be safe there. You ain't got time. Give me that line! This boat's my living! Kim. Gee, I'm sorry. Where have you been? The whole town's been worried about you and your father. Is my mother inside the post office? No. I was just going to see if-- you go back inside. I'll get her. Gee, you're lucky. A hurricane on your first visit. Son! Ma! Where's your pa? He's taking the boat up willow creek. Ma, what about Pete? Can I take him? Everyone's allowed one luxury. Go get him. Pete! Pete, where are you? Pete! Pete! [Bird squawks] Pete, come down here. We got to get to the post office. Pete, I'll whale the tar out of you unless you come down here! Pete, come down here. We got to get to the post office. Your ma all right? Ma's ready to go. Get Pete and come. Come on down here, Pete! Porter! You didn't worry? I did. Will it be here when we get back? The boat's safe. We can always build another house. Dang-blast you, you stubborn old bird! Come on, Sandy. Pete won't come. We can't wait. He'll be killed. Pelicans have lived through more hurricanes than we'll ever see. Come on! Can I bring my boat in, miss hettie? No, sir, Mr. l.C. Porett. You can come in, but you can't bring the boat. I can't leave mirabel out here. She'll blow away. "Parcels in any post office of the United States "shall not exceed 1oo inches in length and girth combined." Section 135.32, postal laws and regulations. I don't want to mail mirabel anywhere. The same applies to holding in storage. Are you coming in? Not without my mirabel, I ain't! I'm pretty sure we got ahold of everybody that didn't go inland, except Nick velakis. His boat's still out. Well, if the phone goes out, we've still got the radio. Yes, well, we're fairly comfortable here. If the water level don't rise, think we'll make it all right. [Baby whimpering] Nick must have run with the wind, put in at one of the other keys. He would have called me. The phone lines might be down. When he's safe, I feel it. Stella, he has to be all right. Nobody knows the sea like Nick. The sea, it kills even those who know it. [Thunder] I'm not worried about myself. I just hope my father and cousin aren't trying to come out from the mainland. The state police don't let anybody on the causeway once the hurricane warning goes up. Well, I bet he's sure worried about me. What? With you staying with hettie? You know what she says. Uh-uh. No hurricane would dare blow down a U.S. post office. [Pounding on door] Miss hettie? [Pounding] Miss hettie? Miss hettie? It's still no, Mr. l.C. Porett. Don't make no difference, miss hettie. Mirabel just blew away. Oh, Mr. porett, come in. Oh, Mr. l.C. Porett, you poor, dear man! [Ring] Post office. Who's calling? Who? Parker? Oh. He wants you. Miss hettie white speaking. Yes, Mr. Parker. I'm looking at her this very moment, safe, high and dry. Aren't you, Kim? Now, don't you worry, Mr. Parker. As soon as hazel leaves, you come right on out. Of course, we'll take good care-- hello. Hello? Hello! Well, line's down. [Crash] That means the water's over the causeway. Yeah, we could have water in here, like in '58. Winds to 12o. Gusts to 16o. Barometer is still falling. Waterspouts reported in the area. Full Gale warnings have been posted. [Baby whimpering] Pa, what about Pete? [Thunderclap] My fish house! It's on fire! My fish house is on fire! Mr. Abrams! If it's not there, what do we do? Build it again. That's right, son. Let's find out. It's still there! Pete? Pete? Isn't it beautiful? You sure are. Thanks for not crying. Pa, taken him with us, pa, we should have. You haven't even looked for him. Maybe he's under the house. Let's go see. Oh! [Squawking] Well, let's take a look. Old hurricane Pete. You get him untangled, son, he'll be all right. Maybe we'd better look inside. Pete, you old... You gave me all that trouble last night, and you're gone, you old... Sandy, your house is ok! I thought I'd come and see. Yeah, but this bird isn't. Hey, it's Pete! Yeah, and just as big a pest as ever. Hi, Mr. ricks. It's kind of damp inside, but it's not too bad. You going to see about the boat? Right now. Want to come along? Yeah. Sure. Come on. Pa, she's wrecked. No, not wrecked, just swamped, but there might be some damage. Here, son. You bail out the dinghy while I take a look here. A shark! Where? Over there! It's a dolphin. You hurt or scared? Just scared, I guess. Good. You better start bailing. Mr. l.C. Porett's going to have to help me get the boat out. Drive shaft's broken. Lay to, northern star. Lay to, baby. Anytime your Jack is ready, Mr. l.C. Porett. Aye, aye, Porter. 1/3 ahead, northern star. 1/3 ahead. Easy as you go. Gee, it's so pretty up here. Look! There he is again! Pa? Ever see anything like that before? Most dolphins do like that every now and then. Little right rudder, northern star. Do they really, Mr. ricks? Well, there are lots of stories about dolphins. One old one that Nick velakis... That Nick tells about a Greek poet named arion, who lived some 3,000 years ago. Once when he was sailing home to Greece from sicily, robbers took his money and threw him overboard. Well, a dolphin who was following the ship swam to him, lifted him up and carried him safely to shore. You believe that, pa? Well, I believe dolphins are very special animals. Animals? Sure. A dolphin isn't a fish. They breathe air and have eyelids and have babies, just like people. The dolphin jumped right out of the dinghy? Like a bucking bronco. No, like a dolphin. I was yelling, "shark! Shark!" [Knock on door] Oh, hello, sid. Would you like a cup of... What is it? Porter, I thought you ought to know. He was your friend. Nick velakis? We found his boat, but not his body, and we searched all day. "He is not dead. "He doth not sleep. "He hath awakened from the dream of life. He has outsoared the shadow of our night." Unto almighty God, we commend the soul of Nick velakis, who might not have been of our faith, but was in spirit a brother to us all. We commit his body to the deep. Amen. Nick velakis was killed by the sea, but he wasn't defeated by it. His life and his living came from it. When the red tide came and took the fish away, he kept looking for new places to find them as food for all of us. Nick, I'll keep searching. In there, young man. Put it in there. Oh, Porter, knew I'd catch you on the way back. Sorry I couldn't attend, but the living come first. Lou germain sent you a wire from ocala. He...Well, read it yourself. It's really to you. Thanks, hettie. Come, now, a little bigger... I wonder what's on Lou's mind. Sandy, my father's on his way with my cousin. Is he bringing his new boat? Uh-huh. We'll all go fishing. Ok. Sandy, you've got a lot of chores and repair work at home. Yes, sir. See you later. Fishing. It's nice of Lou germain to offer to help. Truth is, I was going to ask him. It's going to take a good $300 worth of credit-- a new drive shaft, engine parts, a new plank. Pa, have you thought again about doing what Lou did? Go onto the mainland, I mean. Open a boat agency, or some inland job we talked about? At least there would be no red plague or hurricanes. There might be other things. I guess. Well, if you're going to truck the boat into ocala in the morning, let's go to bed. Would you want to live on the mainland? I just don't know anymore. Leave those till morning, sweetheart. Oh. I don't want to forget this. Do you expect him to get all those chores done before you get back? He ought to. I'll be gone at least a couple of weeks. [Squawking] Dang you, Pete. Don't you think this is heavy enough? Beat it. Mom? Mom, could I please-- thanks, ma. Tired? Dragging tired. I think you've done enough for one day. [Boat horn honks] It's Kim and her father. They've come for me. Ma, can I go? Of course. Hi, Sandy. Hi, Kim. Dad, this is Sandy ricks. Coming with us? Oh, yes. Sir. With the red plague and the hurricane is there any fish out there? Oh, yes, sir. If you know the spots. You're the pilot. Cast off the line. The plague hasn't left very many fish, but sometimes there's one or two. Sandy, you remember, I told you my cousin was coming with dad. Bill jamison, Sandy ricks. Ah! Come on, Sandy. Be careful. Hey, let's go find bill. [Dolphin screaming] He's hurt. What was it? A dolphin. Go get your pa. Over there a little bit. Sandy! Doc barnett will know what to do. He's taken care of just about everybody. It's a slight concussion, but he's going to be all right. Sandy, I can't thank you enough. If bill's ok, could we go back to silver cove now? Silver cove? What for? That dolphin, sir. It has a spear in its side. What could we do for it? My pa taught me to put a dog or a cat or any animal out of its pain, especially a dolphin, because they beach themselves before they die. But, Sandy, I've got to call bill's mother and tell her what happened. She may want me to take bill in to see the family doctor. It won't take long, dad! Please, sir? Dad? Kim, it's not that I don't want to. Bill's mother would never forgive me. Please! Sandy! Ma! Ma! Ma! [Cocks gun] [Uncocks gun] [Dolphin screeches] [Screech] [Moan] Hey, go ahead. You're free. I cut you loose. Swim! Are you hurt that bad? Please move! Just a flipper or something? I can't leave you here to die. Can't you move at all? [Screech] [Moaning] [Squawking] Sandy? Hi. Where did you go? Nowhere. What did you do? Nothing. Supper will be ready in a minute. Didn't you go out with Kim and her father? Oh, sure, mom. Well, that's nice. Mom? Yes? Mom... Sandy, you been up to something? Oh, no, ma, only... Sandy, what? I've got an 8-foot dying dolphin in the fish pen. An 8-foot dolphin? You know how long that cabinet is? About 8 feet. Now, you go wash up for supper. Sandy, I think I'll have a look. Sandy! That's what I told you, ma. He got speared. Oh, that poor thing. What'll we do, ma? Same thing I'd do for any animal. Get me the kitchen knife and the iodine. And then I just towed him home. Where did you go? What did you do? Nowhere, nothing, huh? I think it'll be supper and a good night's rest for you. [Screech] [Screech] Sandy! That water's freezing! You want to catch your death of cold? Back to bed. Yes, ma'am. I just wanted to see how flipper was doing. Flipper? Yes, flipper. I named him flipper. Don't you think that's a good name, ma? I think you should go back to bed. Go on, now. Ok. [Moan] Poor flipper. My cousin says he's awful sorry. Daddy took him home this morning. Ma, is he going to die? It's a very bad wound. But you fixed it. He needs strength to recover. He needs food. In the ocean, he'd have a chance-- in the ocean? Ma, the first shark that saw him would kill him. He's so weak! He'll die here, too, without food. Couldn't we... Somehow... Can't I... Your pa told you how much fish a dolphin eats. About 15 pounds a day. With the red plague, where would you find it? Some days up at silver cove, there's a lot. Not every day. He'd be well in a few days, then we could... Please, ma? Please? Well, you try it, but just today. Come on, Kim! Sandy, don't go down anymore. You'll make yourself sick. But only two little fish? Please. There just aren't any more. I guess you're right. [Screech screech] I guess he doesn't like those kind of fish. What are we going to do? I don't know. [Screech] You don't feel you owe me nothing for a whole day's fishing? [Different man] You owe us a day's fishing. 50 Miles out and 50 back. Our deal was for marlin. All we get is a bunch of trash fish. Don't expect to see us back again either. Mr. lake, sir, could I have some of the fish? Take them all. To get them, clean my boat. Clean it of the smell of fish, every board and seam. From now on, this is going to be a coral reef sightseeing boat. The devil with fish! Yes, sir. [Squawk] [Flipper cries out] [Chattering] Ma! Ma! Ma! Hey, ma! Sandy, come out! Sandy, don't do that! Sandy, come out! Don't do that! Please, Sandy! What's the matter, ma? I think we better go in the house and talk this over. Still, even if, um... Flipper. Even if flipper is as gentle as a dog, how will you feed him? There aren't any fish, not even at silver cove. Mr. Abrams is bringing in fish from the other keys to sell here. Mr. Abrams is not going to feed your dolphin. I'll do chores for him. He needs help to rebuild his fish house. What about your own chores? I'll do them both. Mine, too. Please, ma. Let me try. Well...You can try for a while, but you'd better get at that fence first thing in the morning. Ok, ma. [Chattering] [Calling] [Calling] Hungry again, huh? All right, it's a deal. You're hired. A dollar an hour. In fish? In fish. Start nailing up the boards. [Barking] Hi, Rick. Hi. Hi, Roy. Hey, Kim Parker says you got a porpoise at your place that does tricks. Dolphin. You're a bigger liar than she is. I've been out to your place a couple of times. It don't do no tricks. I can prove I'm not a liar. How? Tomorrow afternoon, bring all your friends, but everybody's got to bring a ticket. Ticket? One fish. Each kid has got to bring a fish. Ok. Hi, Charlie. Watch him get it. Take a seat right over there. Hi. & everyone loves the king of the sea & & ever so kind and gentle is he & & tricks he will do when children appear & & and how they laugh when he's near & & they call him flipper & & flipper, faster than lightning & go get this, flipper. & no one, you see, is smarter than he & & and we know flipper lives in a world full of laughter & & flying there under... & flipper, go get these. & ...Under the sea & & look at the sky when rainbows appear & bring this back to me, flipper. & you can be sure that flipper is near & & call him by name, alas and alack & & he'll give you a ride on his back & & we know our flipper, flipper knows every answer & & no one can be... & flipper, come on, dance. Flipper, dance. Come on. & and we know flipper lives in a world full of wonder & & flying there under, under the sea & flipper, do you love me? [Barking] Do you love me, flipper? & many a night way down in the deep & [dog barking] & oysters make beds so flipper can sleep & & happy and gay when he comes along & & they all start singing this song & & they call him flipper & & flipper, faster than lightning & & no one, you see, is smarter than he & & and we know flipper lives in a world full of wonder & & lying there under, under the sea && po telephoned. I say, po telephoned. He'll be in tonight. Say, that boy of yours sure has a way with critters, ain't he? Po figures to be in about midnight. Thank you, Baxter. [Children laughing] [Bird squawking] It seemed like 1o weeks. It sure did. That's why I didn't stop to put the boat in the water. [Squawking] What is it, po? Oh, maybe it's not right keeping you out here, but, Martha, 1o days in ocala decided me all over again. I couldn't trade this for jammed sidewalks, auto smoke, all that hurry... Unless you said you wanted to. I don't want to. Why, none of the work's been done...Martha? Well, po, the day after you left, it so happened that a dolphin-- this'll take a while. We better go inside. Pa, watch this! [Screeching] Come on out, son. I want to talk to you. [Barking] Pretty good, huh, pa? I've never known anybody who's seen anything like it. It's like the old stories Nick used to tell about. But your mother tells me you expect to keep the dolphin. You'll figure some way, won't you, pa? Where? The boat's ready. I'll need the pen. Couldn't we dig another, maybe? It took a month and $500 to blast that one out of the coral. Sandy, the dolphin's well again. Let him go free. Pa, he's come to be my friend. I'd lose him. I couldn't do that. He's a friend who's kept you from your work. Not one thing finished in the 10 days I was gone. I'll do my work, honest. How'll you feed him? Doing chores for Mr. Abrams. What about your own chores? I'll do them, too. Son, you've tried that before. It just didn't work out. I couldn't let him go, pa. I've gotten to love him. Do you remember Stella velakis at the funeral? Didn't she love her husband? Sandy, for you, this may be the first time. I know it hurts. Open the fish gate. Can't, pa... Can't. Pa, please don't. [Barking] Flipper, don't go. Flipper...Come back. [Church bell ringing] I sure hope we find flipper. I never prayed so hard in my life as I did this morning. [Motor starts] Flipper! Flipper! Nothing again? Nothing. Have you thought about what I said the other day? About losing things and--and people you love? Uh-huh. Like flipper and Nick velakis. Like everybody. Everybody? Not you and mom. In time, everybody, son, but that's not to think about now. What we've got to make up our minds to is to find fish. Look ahead to better days, new friends, and, for you... School, come September. How come the hurricane hit everything but the schoolhouse? Flipper! Boy, am I ever glad to see you! You say something? Uh, no, sir. Stay down. Pa doesn't think you're a good influence. Sandy! You'll fall overboard! Hey, where are you going? [Screeching] Flipper, where are you going? You want us to follow you? You see something? I thought I saw some fish jumping, toward shore. Well, that's green point. I don't see anything. I thought I did. Well, hang on. Sandy! Come here! Pa! Look! Healthy, live pompano. What made you try off green point? Well, Sandy saw them jumping. Well, I didn't exactly see them... Tomorrow I'll be back there at first light. And, Martha, tomorrow I'm bringing back a boatload. Son, by the way, when I'm gone, will you fix that wire? Ok. [Tap tap tap] [Tap tap tap] [Barking] Flipper! Where have you been? Sure missed you! [Barking] You didn't have to stay away that long. [Barking] [Screech] Flipper, come here! Flipper, come up here! Flipper, don't do that! [Squawk] Hey, where are you? [Screeching] Flipper, no! Flipper, no! [Screeching] You ate all of pa's pompano! [Screeching] That's pa coming now. [Barking] [Screeching] All of them. Every last one. That dolphin got every last one of them. Pompano's selling in ocala for better than $1.00 a pound, and you let a dolphin into the fish pen. What have you got to say for yourself? Pa, the fish you caught today, couldn't I help you get them into the pen? There were no fish at green point. Yesterday's catch was just an accident. Yes, sir. What's wrong with you, boy? How old are you, 12? Almost in your teens? Or are you 9 or 7 or 5? A child who doesn't have the sense to know what his next meal depends on? Answer me! The fence, the yard, the nets-- not one of your chores done, and now this! Are you growing up or down? Aren't you getting any sense of responsibility, of obligation, discipline? Or are you hanging on to a "feed me, dress me, blow my nose" childhood? Answer me! Are you-- I'm sure he would... If he could. Sandy, you better go to your room. One more thing. Tomorrow you'll go out by yourself. And by yourself, you'll find the fish to replace what that dolphin ate. And you'll keep going out every day till you've replaced every pound of them. Yes, sir. Why? Because it was the truth. But you were too rough. He's just a boy. Well, he's got to grow up. Nevertheless, he is a boy. He's hurt. He's crying. He still has to be told the truth. The way you told him? Shouting? Nearly taking his head off? Well, you should have stopped me. I did. Look, Martha, I love that boy-- then why don't you tell him? Men just don't talk that way. Maybe they should. Maybe. Look, sweetheart... I grew up with the sea. The sea is never soft. And he is a Fisherman's son. [Screeching] Flipper! [Barking] Flipper! Where are you going? Is it for me? [Splash] Can you get me another one? [Screech] Oh, flipper! [Screech] Near Kingman reef, huh? There's never been fish there. What made you try? I...I just had a feeling. Well, never mind why. Let's go back and see. [Motor starts] Pa, will they be alive this time? Only one way to find out, son. Pa! Wow. This could mean life for coral key again. We'll stop at the wharf and tell them, then we'll go home. Only this time, I'll make sure the fish gate stays closed. But flipper was the one that-- flipper can find his own fish. Easy, folks. There's enough for everybody. Here's a big, fat one. Hold out your sack, there. Sandy, you keep it going with Mr. porett, will you? Keep them coming, lad. Well, what do you think? Good as it ever was, but for commercial, there has to be tonnage. Is there tonnage? There's never been any at Kingman reef before. Well, there is now. Maybe it has to do with the red tide or it could be a new current through Kingman channel. Baxter, you and I could sample the whole area in one day. I'll be at your place at 7:00 in the morning. Mmm! Smells good. Ahh! Lord, whose bounty sustains us, we ask thy favor. Unite our hearts in family love. Strengthen our will to serve thee in peace. We thank thee, o lord, who bringest forth food from the sea for us all. Amen. Pa, when the lord brings forth food, he gets help sometimes, doesn't he? Well, the lord helps those who help themselves. I mean, the lord, for instance, would ask one man to help another? Of course. Well, sometimes wouldn't the lord ask dolphins to help people? What's on your mind, Sandy? It was flipper who led me to Kingman reef. Flipper, huh? Yes, pa. Well, maybe you saw the same dolphin, and maybe you didn't. Doesn't matter. Try to understand, son. If the dolphins come, they tear our nets. They eat our fish. They chase the rest away. Now, they may be your friends, but when the fish are scarce, they're a deadly enemy. If they come, we'll kill them. We have no choice. Even flipper? Even flipper. [Screeching] [Motor starts] Flipper! Flipper! Where are you? [Whistles] [Whistles] [Whistling] We ought to be getting pretty close now. Dolphins. Hundreds of them. If we kill a few, maybe the rest will run. Look, po. There's one that got inside. I'll get him. [Cocks gun] Wait, Baxter. See something? Sandy! And so, after flipper killed the shark, he lifted me up and brought me back to you, just like you told us about arion, the Greek poet. You believe me, don't you, pa? I saw it. And, pa, there are lots of fish, millions and millions of them. And it was flipper who led me to them. Aren't there plenty for all of us? I think it was written for us today to share with the dolphins, not to kill them. & everyone loves & the king of the sea & & ever so kind and gentle is he & & tricks he will do when children appear & & and how they laugh when he's near & & they call him flipper & & flipper, faster than lightning & & no one, you see, is smarter than he & & and we know flipper lives in a world full of wonder & & flying there under, under the sea && |
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