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Les enfants de l'eau

Original title: The Water Babies
  • 1978
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Les enfants de l'eau (1978)
This children's fantasy tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who discovers a complex underwater world where young children are held prisoner by an evil shark and an eel.
Play trailer1:41
1 Video
3 Photos
Fairy TaleSea AdventureAdventureAnimationFamilyFantasyMusical

This children's fantasy tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who discovers a complex underwater world where young children are held prisoner by an evil shark and an eel.This children's fantasy tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who discovers a complex underwater world where young children are held prisoner by an evil shark and an eel.This children's fantasy tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who discovers a complex underwater world where young children are held prisoner by an evil shark and an eel.

  • Directors
    • Lionel Jeffries
    • Miroslaw Kijowicz
  • Writers
    • Michael Robson
    • Charles Kingsley
    • Lionel Jeffries
  • Stars
    • James Mason
    • Bernard Cribbins
    • Billie Whitelaw
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Lionel Jeffries
      • Miroslaw Kijowicz
    • Writers
      • Michael Robson
      • Charles Kingsley
      • Lionel Jeffries
    • Stars
      • James Mason
      • Bernard Cribbins
      • Billie Whitelaw
    • 39User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:41
    Trailer

    Photos2

    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast37

    Edit
    James Mason
    James Mason
    • Mr. Grimes…
    Bernard Cribbins
    Bernard Cribbins
    • Mr. Masterman…
    Billie Whitelaw
    Billie Whitelaw
    • Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby…
    Joan Greenwood
    Joan Greenwood
    • Lady Harriet
    David Tomlinson
    David Tomlinson
    • Sir John…
    Tommy Pender
    • Tom
    Samantha Gates
    • Elly…
    Paul Luty
    Paul Luty
    • Sladd…
    Jon Pertwee
    Jon Pertwee
    • Salmon
    • (voice)
    • …
    Olive Gregg
      Lance Percival
      • Terence the Sea Horse
      • (voice)
      David Jason
      David Jason
      • Cyril the Walrus
      • (voice)
      Cass Allan
        Liz Proud
          Una Stubbs
          Una Stubbs
            Ignacy Machowski
            Ignacy Machowski
            • Grimes
            • (polish version)
            • (voice)
            Tadeusz Plucinski
            Tadeusz Plucinski
            • Foreman
            • (polish version)
            • (voice)
            Jerzy Tkaczyk
            • Sir John
            • (polish version)
            • (voice)
            • Directors
              • Lionel Jeffries
              • Miroslaw Kijowicz
            • Writers
              • Michael Robson
              • Charles Kingsley
              • Lionel Jeffries
            • All cast & crew
            • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

            User reviews39

            6.11.5K
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            Featured reviews

            temo

            Oh my...

            I can't tell you how much I loved this movie when I first saw it in 1981. The cable went all fuzzy and I watched the last 20 minutes through squiggles. I was heartbroken because I could barely make out the happy ending.

            I was so excited to see it on DVD and was thisclose to buying it. But money is tight, and I discovered my library had a VHS copy, so I restrained myself. Yeah me.

            Cuz this is one rotten movie. All kinds of rotten. I think a grown woman was dubbed in over Tom. The 'special effects' aren't special or effective, mostly stupid. The animation is dull. The acting is bad. The songs overwhelmingly forgettable. The dialog and pacing are painful.

            Who knew I had such bad taste when I was eleven? Learn something new every day!
            7tarasharif-01951

            Weirdest movie my grandma had on VHS

            My childhood was never the same. He was but a simple chimney sweep and then these whistles kept going off & women kept winking at him until it all got to much for him & he jumped in a river & became a cartoon.& things got even more wavy.
            tiburon0134

            Brings back childhood memories

            I remember the first time I saw this movie I fell in love. My parents taped it for me so that I could watch it over and over again. I actually still have a copy of it on an old BETA tape. Unfortunately, I watched it so much that I ended up pretty much wearing the tape out. Okay, so compared to the animation and acting of today, it can't compare but it was made in '78, what do you expect? Animation and film have come a long way since then it's not going to be like the films of today. All I have to say is that it's a good family movie that I will always enjoy. If you like classic movies, I would recommend this one.
            7jbangel78

            Does anyone know where I can find a copy of this?

            I absolutely LOVED this movie as a child. I can't seem to find it anywhere! I was mentioning it to some friends just the other day, and not a single one of them remembers it! Can anyone help me out? My older sister vaguely remembers it. There was also another movie I remember that was half live action and half animation, but I can't remember the name of it. The characters were animated and the background was real...I seem to remember it being about a kangaroo, and I believe the setting of the film was in Australia. I'm going out of my mind trying to obtain copies of these films that were such a memorable part of my very enjoyable childhood. Edit: I searched IMDb for this other movie and found out it's called Dot and the Kangaroo! All I had to do was type in "kangaroo" in the search bar under characters, and the name of the movie in the list was like a bell going off! MAN, I love IMDb! Thanks!
            10gypsycaine

            A memory from childhood

            I was wandering through my local library, browsing VHS tapes, when I saw a movie that made my mouth drop--Waterbabies. I have been hoping to see this movie again--it's been over 22 years since I saw it (cable-movie channel around 78-79). I had recalled a good many of the details--Grimes in particular. My son, who is 4, and I watched it.

            He agreed with me that Grimes was "Not nice", and the best way for me to describe it was that he didn't love Tom. He accepted that. It was amazing that I still recalled some of the songs, too! They had stuck in my head for 22 years--which means they had to have some memorable-ness, eh?

            It's a good child's movie, with parental guidance in case of questions about what children had to go through that were not nobility/society in the time-frame. This is what all the children faced daily (except for a few lucky ones), and while we try to Disney-coat movies, making them more pc for children these days, it doesn't mean that cruelty didn't exist--or even still doesn't. I enjoyed the animation. It wasn't Disney, no. I don't think Don Bluth touched a paintbrush on this movie.

            There's a lot going for it, though. David T plays two roles! (I really like him!) James M does too. The waterbabies themselves are cute. You feel sorry for Tom, and root for him. Then Billie herself is extraordinary in the multi-role part she's playing--it's as if her eyes ARE magickal! I'm a huge fan of WoO, TLW&TW, and company (AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HP!), and I filed this along with those kind of movies. Yes, he jumps in the water, but not because of suicide. He jumped because he trusted the lady in black--she'd been appearing to him all along.

            I think it's a good movie! If you have kids, pick up a rental copy. If you happen to locate a buy-able copy, let me know where! Ian liked it! :)

            Dee

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            Storyline

            Edit

            Did you know

            Edit
            • Trivia
              The film was released about 115 years after Charles Kingsley's source novel of the same name, first published in 1863.
            • Goofs
              When Tom and the lobster are singing "High Cockalorum" for the first time, Tom's mouth is opening and closing when he is not actually saying anything. Likewise, his mouth is shut when he is saying something.
            • Quotes

              Tom: [running back and forth on the roof] Me brush! Where's me brush! I'll get clouted if I can't find me brush!

            • Crazy credits
              The movie's opening credits summarizes in illustrations of "A Story of a Little Chimney Sweep in the Year 1850". While the chimney sweeper is climbing:
              • The live-action cast members is portrayed in oval picture frames.
              • For the "animated sequences" credits, it shows the design of Tom ( Tommy Pender ), in his underwater design, and the design of the Otter.
              The credits end at the top of the chimney, in which it cuts to the real chimney for the opening shot.
            • Connections
              Referenced in Le retour de Mary Poppins (2018)
            • Soundtracks
              The Water Babies
              Music by Phil Coulter

              Lyrics by Bill Martin

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            FAQ20

            • How long is The Water Babies?Powered by Alexa
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            • What does "High Cockalorum" mean?

            Details

            Edit
            • Release date
              • July 13, 1979 (France)
            • Countries of origin
              • Poland
              • United Kingdom
            • Language
              • English
            • Also known as
              • The Water Babies
            • Filming locations
              • River Wharfe, Yorkshire, England, UK(on location)
            • Production companies
              • Ariadne
              • Studio Miniatur Filmowych
            • See more company credits at IMDbPro

            Box office

            Edit
            • Budget
              • $2,000,000 (estimated)
            See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

            Tech specs

            Edit
            • Runtime
              • 1h 34m(94 min)
            • Color
              • Color
            • Sound mix
              • Mono
            • Aspect ratio
              • 1.66 : 1

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