DVD Break: Flipper (1963)

Flipper - (1963) - (DVD) - (own)
 This DVD collection features four films with the theme "boy and animal".  We have never seen this movie before.  I'm actually surprised that I haven't seen this but there you go; I haven't ever seen the TV series or any of the various remakes either.  The movie does show its age both in positive and negative ways.  The stereotypical roles of male and female, but also the freedom and responsibilities of the 12-year-old.  The first comment my son made was the question "When is this supposed to be happening?" to which I replied "about the late 1950s".  The dolphin footage was wonderful, even if they used some of it over and over again.  I think this would have been a fairly "exciting" concept at this point in time.  Ds enjoyed these parts the best.  His next comment about half way through the movie was, "This isn't much of an adventure is it?" and with that he sums up the movie.  It is a pleasant diversion but in all reality, quite boring.  The daily interactions of the boy and the dolphin as they fall in love, the stress of the father making him get rid of it, the dolphin ends up saving his life but all of this is taken in its stride.  There is no great suspenseful climax or anything and the cheesy theme song is annoying, but if you like 50s commercial ditties it might be your thing.  So, we were pleasantly diverted for an hour and a half while we watched the movie but wouldn't recommend it or ever watch it again.  Not exactly bad, but not exactly good either.  The DVD had a bonus feature of a Tom and Jerry cartoon from the late 1940s which we watched and enjoyed extremely. I love the old T&J because neither of them win.  First Tom will get Jerry, then Jerry will get Tom and so on until the end where they are both a little worse for the wear.  I forget the title of this one but in keeping with the "Flipper" theme it took place on the beach and was 7 mins. long.