Ring of Bright Water

I saw this when I was a child and enjoyed it, then ran into it unexpectedly on TV not long ago, and was delighted. I'm not a fan of "Born Free," the more famous Travers-McKenna starrer, with its self-importance, travelogue nature photography, sentimentality ... and that awful Andy Williams vocal at the end. Perhaps this has something to do also with the rather insistent way the move was flogged as "wholesome family fare" at a time of change and - some of us would say - maturity in the commercial film industry. Nevertheless, I wasn't prepared for much on the second viewing of "Ring of Bright Water." I was wrong. Jack Couffer, a veteran of Disney's True Life Adventures, turns out to have been a real filmmaker who knew how to create an ambiance that at times approaches a kind of poetry. The atmosphere seems to proceed out of the characters, not just the settings (from London to western Scotland). The cinematography is lovely (Couffer got his start as a DP). The animals - especially Midj - are not sentimentalized but are endearing and empathetic. The story isn't pumped up with any crude comedy. The (human) performances are nicely low-key. The burgeoning romance between the writer and the doctor is predictable but not oppressively so.

Altogether, Couffer's film has a "naturalness" that almost all other family-nature flicks completely lack. "Ring of Bright Water" has little or nothing to do with the social and political changes happening at the time it was made, nor with current trends in film. It could have been made in almost any year. And it will no doubt continue to provide a strong measure of pleasure for some time to come.

Absolutely one of the films that defined a generation - Ring Of Bright Water was a huge success worldwide and is considered by many to be the best animal film.

The true story of a divorced insurance actuary who trades London and the 9-5 for Scotland because he bought an otter from a pet shop is simply brilliant. Based on Gavin Maxwell's excellent autobiography it translated very successfully to film.

Director Jack Couffer already a long career making classic animal films for Disney and had obviously never heard W C Field's famous line about never working with animals of children...here he adapted to a British sensibility and we end up with a film that is not sappy but rather genuinely magic. The cinematography by Walter Suschitsky is outstanding. Suschitsky went on to film the original Get Carter (....And not a lot of people know that ) The humans are great, but the otter (and other wildlife: the geese!) are truly amazing and lift this from ordinary to extraordinary. Maxwell actually bought the otter back from Iraq and it was discovered to be new subspecies which named by the London Zoological Society in his honour Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli.

If you vaguely remember seeing this first time round you'll definitely want to see it again, if you haven't I promise you'll see something you won't easily forget - it is charming in the best sense with Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna at their understated British best. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking: it is the otter and the beautiful settings that you'll remember.

One of our favourites ever.

I saw this in grade school with our entire school in our hall. Although the movie is a delight for the most part especially falling in love with Mij. However, I'm 56 years old and have never rewatched this film or showed it to my kids when they were small. I must have been 8 and was deeply affected by the ending of this movie.

The plot of "Ring of Bright Water" is a simple one. Graham Merrill, a London-based civil servant, one day, on impulse, buys an otter which he sees in a pet shop window. It soon becomes clear that a London flat is no place in which to keep a pet otter, and this persuades Merrill to put into effect a plan which he has had in mind for some time, namely to escape from the rat-race and move to the Scottish Highlands in order to write a book. Once there, he takes up residence in a dilapidated old cottage by the shore and becomes friendly with Mary MacKenzie, the local doctor.

Although a romance develops between Graham and Mary, their love-story has to take second place to the love-story which is really at the centre of the film, that between Mij the otter and the audience. Mij, who takes his name from an Arab sheikh whom Graham met during his travels, is one of the most entertaining and engaging creatures in the history of the cinema, and virtually the whole of the film is centred upon him and his adventures- the havoc he wreaks during a train journey from London to Scotland, his growing friendships with Mary's dog Johnnie and with a family of young geese which Graham also adopts, and Graham's efforts to catch a shark in order to provide him with food. (Mij, predictably enough, decides that shark steaks are not to his liking).

The human stars of the film, Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, were husband and wife in real life, and both were well-known for their support for animal welfare and conservation. Three years earlier they had starred together in "Born Free", a film with a conservationist message, and "Ring of Bright Water" can perhaps be seen as more of the same. Here that message is rather underplayed, except perhaps during the poignant ending, but there are some occasional neat touches such as the scene where Graham, on a visit to London, sees an otter-skin coat in a shop window.

This is not a particularly deep film, but it is a charming one, its charm being helped by a catchy theme song (another similarity to "Born Free"), a fine musical score and some equally fine photography of the Scottish Highland scenery. This is perfect Sunday afternoon viewing for the family, and perfect for all nature lovers. 7/10

I have no idea how some people give this film low marks, everything from the scenery to the interaction between cast and animals is breathtaking. I was enthralled throughout this emotional roller-coaster thanks to the trainers of Mij the otter and the acting of the two lead roles, i watched seven samurai the night before this, so it had a lot to live up to, and it was one of the first films in ages where i didn't look at the time once, i was so happy watching this man and otter co-exist that i didn't want it to end.

There are emotional extremes in this film, moments of tearful joy and moments of terrible sadness, so be careful if watching with kids. For a 1969 production, I cannot recommend this enough, i watched a free copy with a newspaper, and i will be buying the full DVD very soon and I'm 24! Thoroughly impressive editing & acting makes this a film that will stay with me till the day i die. And dammit, i want that otter !!