Mermaid

The only mermaids in the TV-movie are the ones on the balloon and in the book, but the story is based on a real event.

Very loosely modeled on Hans Christian Andersen's original "The Little Mermaid" (not the Disney version), the film depicts in fanciful fashion the attempt of a small girl to communicate with her dead father in heaven by attaching a note to a balloon with a mermaid pictured on it. The balloon is carried on the wind from California to St. Edward's Island in Canada, and the people who find it respond to the girl's message. The cast is well-chosen and the film is touching without being mawkish.

It is pleasant to imagine that mermaids and angels exist in the light beyond death.

A warm, touching movie that has a fantasy-like quality.

Ellen Burstyn is, as always, superb.

Samantha Mathis has given many great performances, but there is just something about this one will haunt your memory.

Most of all, you've got to see this amazing 5-yr. old, Jodelle Ferland. I was so captivated by her presence, I had to buy the movie so I could watch her again and again. She is a miracle of God's creation.

Judging by the high IMDB rating, I'm not the only one who was mesmerized by this young actress.

It is interesting to see the film and the creative license the took in making it. My mom is the secretary for the crop dusting service owned by "papa Quaid"...not his real name and has been for many, many years....including when this really happened. I also know the pilot in the Steve Stutz.

In real life the crop dusting service is not at a little shed at an airport but at their own airstrip with many buildings. The broken down old biplane is also not true. They have used new round motors but at the time also used single wind turbine power thrush and their own design of biplane turbine power aircraft.

The flaggers in the pictures are also a bit of a stretch. In the real world the had a flagger at each end of the field it a huge flag on a long pole....many years ago they did away with the flaggers and use GPS. They crops they dusted in the film are also not around here in large numbers. Corn is not grown in Yuba City nor is summer wheat...Winter wheat, rice and tree crops such as walnuts, peaches, prunes and almonds are.

Also the area is portrayed as a cowboy type of town....this is also not the case. While it is farm country the town of Yuba City itself has about 60,000 people in it. The town of marysville which is over the bridge from Yuba City has about 35,000 to 40,000 residents.

Despite the "Hollywood touches" the film does portray an accurate depiction of the events that happened. I think the film would have been better without the Hollywood touches but that is a personal opinion. One thing they got very right was that anyone who has lived in Yuba City hates the fact they moved back to the area after leaving it!

this movie has a great message,a impressive cast, ellen burstyn, samantha mathis, jodelle ferland( was 4 years old when she made this movie) ellen burstyn and jodelle ferland have both been nominated for best actress in a tv drama at the up-coming emmy awards in new york, peter masterson-director- has been nominated best director tv drama at the emmy awards also. april 1, 2001, jodelle ferland 'Won', best actress in a tv drama, at the young artist awards, in studio city, ca. i can see why they have 3 nominations. mermaid is a true story, during the cridits they have the real family on the set, something you don't see often. you can find mermaid at all blockbuster video stores. do watch it,you'll be glad you did.

What are the odds of a "Mermaid" helium balloon traveling from Yuba City, Ca.(on Nov 8th,1993) and landing 4 Days later,(on Nov. 12) in MERMAID, Prince Edward Island, Canada.(Approx. 4000 miles). This is a great movie. It is based on a true story. This movie helps not only children cope with losses, but older people as well. Hope everyone will enjoy it!!! Rhonda