Good movie but grossly overrated

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Yes. Indeed. Everyone loves Flipper, the smartest (and cutest) dolphin in the whole, wide world.This entertaining, clean-cut, wholesome, family-oriented series was first aired on television back in the mid-1960's.All of its action took place at Coral Key Park which was a "picture-perfect" location on the east coast of sunny Florida.It's here that no-nonsense Ranger, Porter Ricks, his 2 sons, Sandy and Bud, and, of course, Flipper keep this beautiful marine-life sanctuary a safe and crime-free environment for all to enjoy.Filmed in living colour - This 8-disc set contains all 32, half-hour episodes from the 2nd season of "Flipper" (1965-1966).One of this program's strongest points was that it featured plenty of underwater photography, showcasing all of the diverse sea-life found in this ideal setting.

Anyone who grew up in the 60's, 70's or 80's remembers watching this on television. I remember my family watching this every day on the CBN. This is just a wholesome show with no cussing or sex and plenty of mischief! While Bud, the younger of the two Ricks children gets him and Flipper into all kinds of trouble; the older brother, Sandy usually finds himself right in the middle of it as well due to Bud's pleadings. Many times, Porter Ricks is right there with them - but since he's the dad, he usually does the punishing.What ever happened to the days when an entertaining dolphin, two mischievous boys who practically live with the fish, and an old- fashioned widowed father who still believes spanking his kids can get a point across will fill our entertainment needs?Though season two is available, it is a lot more expensive then the first season. Season three isn't available at all. Every few months I check back to see if we'll be in luck to get these last to seasons at a reasonable price, but so far no go...Though this show is based on the movie with Chuck Connors, there are a lot of differences. Porter Ricks lives in a different house and closer to the ocean. Though the bird and Flipper are still in existence, the mother is not. Sandy now has a brother. Even Porter Ricks has undergone a personality change. The father is more loving. Though he may be as stern, he seems to be stern in a different type of way.Until I'm able to get the last two seasons, I'll continue enjoying the one season I have!

Was there anything that good old Flipper couldn't do? That is in the water and salt water at that. Dolphins have to be in the ocean or they drown. I do remember an episode where Flipper put himself in harm's way by swimming upstream in a channel where the water gradually turned fresh. But when you're man's best sea friend, that's what you do.Luke Halpin who played the older Ricks son Sandy was with Flipper from the gitgo. He co-starred with Chuck Connors in the movie Flipper when it started. Luke also had a mother in Kathleen Maguire.He did two subsequent movies however Connors and Maguire were dropped. Connors was a commercial fisherman and I guess producer Ivan Tors thought there were more story possibilities with him being the son of a park ranger. Brian Kelly starred with Halpin in two subsequent Flipper films and was a widower. But for the television series Kelly stayed a widower and a younger son was added, little redheaded freckle-faced Tommy Norden, a poor man's version of Ronny Howard. When I watched reruns of the show, I never realized how annoying Norden was. Kelly was a good father figure though and Halpin was a model kid, he might have been the role model for Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher. He also was enormously popular among the teenage adolescent girl bubble gum set. He definitely had appeal there and I can personally add also among young gay males. I guess for the show to work though someone usually had to get in harm's way and by seniority and naiveté, Norden was usually the one. But somehow Flipper affected the rescue.The series ran its course after about four seasons. Andy Devine was on for comic relief for a while and Swedish actress Ulla Stromstedt was brought on as an oceanographer to give a little romantic interest for Kelly.Sadly Brian Kelly suffered some career ending injuries in a motorcycle accident in 1971. I guess Tommy Norden couldn't compete with Ronny Howard for the same parts and he left acting. And Luke Halpin went into the service after Flipper was canceled and when he came back he couldn't really get his career back on track.Flipper was a nice show however, a nice likable family and episodes with a strong moral content. It would be nice to see them again.

My,My,My..........All Those years ago!!!!!!!!!! Its amazes me that this show isn't shown anymore on either of the cable networks. The last time it shown was for one back in the mid 90's on the kids channel Nickelodeon,then was seen on The Family Channel,and then later on Animal Planet. Nowadays,it is being shown on one of those Discovery Kids channels if it ever comes on. Do I remember singing the theme 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 of wonder,finding them under,under the sea".For one,you had two kids who were living in paradise. Their pet was an highly intelligent dolphin who was the kids family pet,and by the way,any kids dream pet!Second,there was no mom around,so it was up to the father who looked after the kids,who was the park ranger of a Florida park and coral reef who was responsible for looking after the kids and Flipper. Third,you had Bud(played by Luke Halpin)who was the oldest and you had the youngest one Bud(played by Tommy Norden)and their father(played by Brian Kelly). Also the show was very exciting to watch since it had some breathtaking underwater photography that was ever seen and in some of the episodes it was fascinating to look at all shot in color! And action? Lots of it including some very famous guest stars that were on the show like Andy Devine,Marshall Thompson and a young looking Burt Reynolds.Fourth,the series ran for three seasons on NBC-TV(from 1964-67),and after which when the series went off the air,actor Brian Kelly was in a terrible accident,which to this day was never heard from again,until 30 years later in a new version of the series which came out in 1995.Finally,this was a great kids show and also for adults as well. My,so many years ago.