stancym-1 Both of those caricature films are courtesy of Mel Gibson, but what is the excuse here? The English family here are just so awful! Dumb, although wealthy enough to have a yacht and therefore supposedly well educated. They are mistrusting and clueless beyond belief. The elder daughter actually thinks a dolphin is a 'sea monster" --this is in the early sixties! She seems just as stupid at the end of the film as she does at the beginning, and not sorry for anything she has said or done, like hacking away at Flipper when he tried to help. Even toward the end she still wants to get away from him. None of the English family seems resourceful, brave, bright, or particularly grateful to Sandy and Flipper when they turn out to be saviors. As for Sandy, the kid with the beloved pet Flipper, he originally takes off without much food or water, without protective clothing, and how far does he think he is going to GET before he needs these things? He doesn't come across as any genius either....the only one worth watching in this disaster is Flipper. And as for the corny music, PLEASE. Really sappy music and lyrics. Sorry!

wrxsti54 I discovered the existence of the two Flipper movies quite by accident after a childhood of Flipper TV re-runs. It has been a pleasant discovery.The first Flipper movie tells us how boy and dolphin became friends. That bond became the foundation of the popularity of the Flipper franchise. In this the sequel movie, we see further evolution of the family structure that was not finalized until the Flipper TV series was filmed in the summer of 1964. Flipper's New Adventure (FNA) was filmed due to the success of the first Flipper movie only one year later in 1963 but was held back for release in the early summer of 1964 as an intro to the TV series that was screened in the fall of 1964. Whilst the first movie featured all of the Ricks family members and was a little slow in getting to the dolphin rescue story, FNA quickly zeros in on the two stars of the first movie (Luke Halpin as Sandy Ricks and the dolphin - actually dolphins as Flipper). The producers were keen to cash in on Halpin's emerging teen idol status (he was 16 when FNA was filmed) as he grew up and so Sandy is the central character in FNA as opposed to a major character in the first movie. Halpin wore nothing more than just a pair of cut down blue jeans shorts for 90% of FNA cementing his signature look that became an integral part of the TV series and defined Halpin permanently (ultimately to the detriment of his post-Flipper career). The Flipper/Sandy bond is now front and center - first with Sandy running away from his Florida Keys home when a family friend advises of an intended forced removal of he and his pet dolphin. This is no ordinary running away - it is a potentially life threatening journey in a small skiff across the Atlantic to the Bahamas. Flipper of course saves the day.The bond continues as Sandy's paradisaical island retreat is soon visited by fleeing murderers and then a well-to-do British family on a sailing voyage. When the crooks cast ashore the mother and daughters, they are helped by the Sandy/Flipper duo - sometimes in ways that defy reality. The crooks are all gradually captured by the guile and tactics of Sandy and Flipper. Unlike the first movie, the sequel moves at a much quicker pace and involves action more likely to appeal to older children and early teens.As touching as the first Flipper movie is, FNA was voted as more enjoyable by an extended family group of children aged 5 to 11 that we showed both to over a family reunion weekend. It more easily commanded their attention despite being the longer movie. Sandy's consistent loyalty to Flipper, the beauty of the Caribbean island, the budding romance between Sandy and the youngest English castaway and the determination he had to both help them but prevent outsiders from finding him and Flipper all add together to make this a halfway decent kids movie.Halpin comes across as more confident and independent, his underwater skills are superb and he handles the vagaries of girls and a foreign accent with all the puzzlement you'd expect of the 13/14 year old boy he is acting as. His penultimate scene with the injured Flipper is quite moving. FNA also transitions to the family dynamics seen in the TV series by replacing the more austere Chuck Connors with the friendlier telegenic Brian Kelly as the father Porter Ricks. The FNA Porter Ricks is now a Park Ranger (in training) and no longer a fisherman and the mother/wife has now died.Some trivia arising from FNA: 1 - Right after the final scene in FNA was shot in 1963, MGM had NBC shoot a pilot episode for the TV series that would follow in 1964. In the pilot, Tommy Norden makes his first appearance as the younger brother Bud. This pilot became Episode 3 (SOS Dolphin) in Season 1 and wasn't screened until quite a few months later in the midst of the other Season 1 episodes filmed in 1964. The age gap is quite noticeable in the case of Luke Halpin. 2 - The on-screen romance between Sandy Ricks and Penny Hopewell had a sense of realism to it because it had become a real life romance between Halpin and the well known English actress Pamela Franklin complete with Halpin later traveling to England to visit what he admitted to an interviewer when he was in his early 20's was his first girlfriend. 3 - Before FNA was released and just days before Halpin's 17th birthday, he appeared on the famous "To Tell The Truth" TV show. The producers would try to hide someone of rising fame with two other decoys leaving the celebrity panel of four to ask a series of questions of all three contestants in an attempt to uncover who was the real person. During the questioning, Halpin revealed that he was closer to the main dolphin in the first movie (Mitzie) than he was to the main dolphin in FNA (Suzy) describing Mitzie as more affectionate.Since showing the movies to my kids, they are thoroughly enjoying the TV series on Hulu. FNA cemented the Sandy/Flipper bond and neatly transitioned the franchise into the popular TV show that remains in syndicated re-runs some 50 years later.

wes-connors Luke Halpin (as Sandy Ricks) is home alone when he's informed said home is going to be taken away by the state of Florida; apparently, the state has let the land to the Ricks family, and they need it back. Mr. Halpin's father Brian Kelly (as Porter Ricks) is away, and mother Martha has passed away since the original "Flipper" (1963). Halpin is majorly concerned, because losing the home means losing the shore where he lives with pet dolphin Flipper.Halpin and Flipper run away from home; incredibly, they find an isolated island nearby, and take up residence. AND, wouldn't you know it? - kidnappers are also nearby; they snag a British father, and let his wife Helen Perry (as Julia) and daughters Pamela Franklin (as Penny) & Francesca Annis (as Gwen) drift to Halpin's island paradise. Ms. Franklin performs well as Halpin's emerging co-star. Halpin's performance is touching; he and Flipper carry the film.With all of the newness and nuances gone, this sequel is certainly not up to the original. The story is so wildly implausible, Flipper should have shouted, "RE-WRITE!" Just for starters, Ms. Perry and "Gwen" must have very poor vision, hearing, and critical thinking skills not to figure out about Halpin. And, the songs are awfully lush. The ending holds some excitement, if you last. Halpin is still cute - older by a few years, due to the first "Flipper" being on the shelf for a few years. Flipper is still cute, too; and, TV father Brian Kelly is on board, replacing Chuck Connors as father Ricks. **** Flipper's New Adventure (6/24/64) Leon Benson ~ Luke Halpin, Pamela Franklin, Brian Kelly

The_Light_Triton (Note: This comment has been re-written as of Feburary 4th, 2009) If anyone thinks this film is bad, they're wrong. Sure, it might not stack up to the original, or the TV series, but i'd rather go pop the 1990 VHS restored version into my VCR and waste 2 hours on a movie I can damn near recite line-by-line, Than waste 90 minutes watching a 16 year old girl in a bikini free captive dolphins to die in the open ocean.So 15 year old Sandy ricks spends his time at home, alone with only his dolphin. the 2 are inseparable, and this is tested when he has to leave home for a place with his aunt, leaving flipper behind. To avoid being separated, Sandy escapes with flipper to a deserted island.When he arrives at this island, it is his home. but little does he know that a British mother and her 2 children will be dumped off at this island by 3 murderers who recently escaped Prison. It will take all of his and flipper's wits and abilities to help the helpless family and to thwart the killers' plans.This movie will forever stick to my heart like glue. I've been watching it since i was 4 years old. the music is good, no matter how old and out of style it may be. even if i'm taking a girl out for a walk, the song "Imagine" sometimes pops into my head.Another cool thing to comment on is that there is Advertising inside of the movie. How is that? the characters talk about the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty" Which is a real MGM film. they also Talk about "Showdown in Samoa" but that's not a real film, perhaps it was a project MGM was working on, but abandoned halfway through.Bottom line, this movie is worth your money, and 2 hours or so of your time. I Give it 9/10