Storm Boy (1976) User Reviews

Aussie film that deserves a wider viewing community

[tonypeacock-1 · 7/10 · 18 May 2020]

Family film isn't usually a genre you would associate with my back catalogue viewing history of horror, war and Western but I thoroughly enjoyed this film and believe it enjoys greater recognition.

The film is based on the wetlands of the mouth of the Murray River in South Australia. A habitat not normally seen in Australian film and a welcome change from the hot, arrid landscapes more usually the backdrop of Australian cinema.

The film follows the story of Mike (Greg Rowe) who lives in a ramshackle beach hut with his miserable father Tom (Peter Cummins).

Mike befriends an aboriginal character Fingerbone (renowned aboriginal actor David Gulpilil) and spends his spare time helping his dad fishing and trawling the wetlands.

One day he rescues pelican chicks and nurses them quite literally to fully grown birds.

Here the film is like the celebrated British film, Kes (1969) although I found the wetlands far more appealing than Barnsley, and pelicans replace the kestrel.

The cast give good performances. The wetlands provide good photography opportunities. The musical score is appropriate for the sad nature of the story that develops around Mike and his quite educationally deprived upbringing. A very different side of Australia and a good story.

found casually

[elvinjones · 8/10 · 12 July 2003]

i've found casually in an obscure local tv "Stormy boy" and in the same moment i went in my youthness. This is a very delicate and intriguing movie. And i've rewiewed the boys, the wear, and a tipical manner of realization movies for children of the '70. i love the photography of this movie and his simplicity. Goodbye mr. Percival 8/10 my rating

Brilliant classic cinema

[mcdonellbrf · 7/10 · 11 January 2004]

This is such a classic. I saw it first as a child and then the other night as an adult and I just thought it was magnificent. The way the aboriginal is portrayed remains modern even after a few decades. It is brilliant stuff.

extremely successful family film

[ptb-8 · 6 August 2004]

STORM BOY was a major cinem success in Australia and some other countries in the mid 70s and deserves to be an enduring hit anytime it is shown. Sensitive and heartfelt, this glorious film about a 12 year old boy and his Pelican sea bird reflects those Belgian - French - camargue films of the 60s but in a very Australian way. Filmed on the windswept desolate beaches of South Australia in full wild force of Summer Antactric winds and with a true young Actor, STORM BOY nowdays should be a staple of any family movie channel and dvd outlet. The Aboriginal teen in the film is David Gulpilil, one of Australia's most celebrated Actors, recently seen in Rolfe Heer's awesome film THE TRACKER.

Most of this classic has aged well and deserves another look

[manders_steve · 7/10 · 23 June 2019]

I recall this film very fondly from my late teenage years and was keen to revisit it, partly in preparation for a stage play adaptation we will be seeing shortly. I had studied the book at school and saw this film once in 1976 or 1977 in its first release.

I found it remarkably fresh and almost as captivating as back then. Greg Rowe as the young Mike (Storm Boy) and David Gulpilil as Fingerbone, the Aboriginal youth who befriends him is his lonely isolation were just as convincing. Somehow Peter Cummins's 'Hide away Tom Kingley still didn't quite ring true, despite the obvious challenges in such a reclusive role. I'm not sure the school scenes worked as well as they could have done either. But Tony Allison's national park ranger portrayal is wonderful, with the challenging handling of the same issues rangers face today.

But it does shows what telling the story truly, without trying sugar coat the darker bits can be so effective and provides lasting impressions.

The photography and locations are just brilliant, as are the pelicans. In fact, the capturing of these locations as they were in the mid 1970s is probably even more important now, given the environmental degradation the Coorong has suffered over the 40 years since then, with greatly reduced water flows into the lower Murray and probably declining water quality as well.

Kids' Favourite

[gcd70 · 6/10 · 20 April 2010]

This heart-warming, fun-loving flick will be a kids' favourite. Concerns the adventures of Mr. Perciville, brother to Mr. Proud and Mr. Ponder, he is an orphan pelican who is raised and nurtured by a ten year old boy who lives a lonely life with his hermit father in the remote coast land of South Australia.

The movie touches on the issues of parenthood, responsibility and friendship, but it is really just a simple tale of a young boy and the pelican he loves. Lovely scenery compliments the film. David Gulpilil made his movie debut as 'fingerbone' Bill.

N.B. Based upon Colin Thiele's book.

Saturday, May 22, 1999 - Video

Marvellous

[rickgodson · 9/10 · 28 February 2009]

I saw this film just after I left school in 1981. To the best of my knowledge, it hasn't been broadcast on British television since. I recently had the pleasure of watching this wonderful film for the second time, after it was finally released on DVD in the UK.

Although essentially a children's film, I think adults will find this an engaging movie - particularly Greg Rowe's endearing performance in the title role. Hard to believe it was made so long ago.

Message to any Australians reading this thread - Has there ever been a dramatisation of the Beaumont Children case?

http://www.beaumontchildren.com/

Perfect exploration of a child connecting to the world

[lawofthebicycle · 10/10 · 21 June 2003]

There are so few opportunities these days for children to feel connected to their natural surroundings. The magically natural setting for "Storm Boy" lifts the soul and heightens the emotional responses to the issues of growing up, connecting, letting go. This film is an absolute treasure chest of discovery for children and former children alike.

Lovable

[recluse2 · 10/10 · 9 November 2014]

A touching, very human movie that is a great story. The natural Austarlian coastline locales are stunning. It seems to be usually not very sunny which adds to the mood (and the visual beauty of the place as well; I think the weather is a necessary ingredient in making this such an excellent film.) This is the most real movie (maybe) I've ever seen. A ten-year-old boy lives with his father in a shack-y, though cozy, small hand-built house located right near the beach. Father has a very small fishing boat. We don't see him actually fishing, but on the dock preparing to go out, or coming back in. He puts food on the table and seems to do a good job caring for his son, who loves him. The boy is not in school and this becomes an issue as the story progresses. The boy meets a young Aborigine man (in his early 20s) one day when he is out on his own, as he tends to be, sailing on his tiny homemade raft, and after encountering each other a second time they become friends. While they are together, they find three baby orphan pelicans, which Storm Boy adopts. (Storm Boy being the nickname given to him by his Aborigine friend.) I don't want to tell anymore so as not to ruin it. Let it suffice to say that drama ensues, in various ways, as the story goes on, and it is all moving, and as I said, very human. It will definitely touch your emotions. I think this is a story everyone could relate to.

Fantastic poignant film about life

[martin-mayhew206 · 10/10 · 12 February 2019]

I think this film excellent with the cinematography. Greg Rowe was excellent, he wasn't schmaltzy, he played it straight and not over sentimental. The stubbornness and respectful approach to his strange, overly quiet dad. The pelicans were fantastic. There was very little CGI used in 1976, all the pelican shots were real. So sad about the inhumanity towards animals, and the shooters. It showed a true side of Aboriginal culture and they do have their owns laws for people who break them. Fingerbone was a good man, who had broken aboriginal law. For people who wish to see this film, it is available online on Google Movies or the DVD is available to be purchased on Amazon

Amazing Timeless Classic Oz Film

[jkdigitaldesigns · 9/10 · 2 January 2009]

This timeless classic Australian masterpiece did not disappoint in the slightest. The cinematography is brilliant, the acting is great (remember this was 1976 Australia) - especially from child actor Greg Rowe (who is now all grown up and living with his wife and two kids in Canada). David Gulpilil also provides a wandering Aboriginal man mysticism to the film and he looks quite younger than in Australia but it's like he is playing the same character. A character well suited to him. The area in which it is set is just beautiful and while Storm Boy battles with his needs to see the greater world and gain an education - all I wanted to do when watching was to swap places with him. The film supplies a lot of themes about nurturing, growing, the circle of life (thankyou Lion King), isolation, friendship and the morality of right and wrong. The battle between life in general and the life the rest of the population says we should be living.

The film is funny at times, touching, sad and inspiring and will make you want a pet pelican!!!

Try and get to see this one - I know Target has them for $7- and you can probably pick up at most places for same price - or rent it. One disappointing thing about it - the DVD is a straight copy of an older print - it is not remastered, but somehow to me this added to it's age and quality - like a fine port on film.

A touching coming of age film, from a part of Australia few people get to see

[cadwallon1969 · 9/10 · 20 October 2015]

A very moving and personal film, set on the windswept coast of South Australia. In many respects it could be anywhere in the world - as the cold and the wind and isolation are far from the public image of Australia. I first saw this film when I was seven with school at the cinema - and bawled my eyes out. The alienation from his father than Storm Boy feels is ameliorated by the connection to the land and the the animals via a local Aboriginal man Fingerbone - thereby making it a very spiritual film for many. I've since showed it to my own son who enjoyed it but then...inconsolable - said "why did you show this to me?!" Think Ring of Bright Water, or Old Yeller by way of animals bringing out the best in us...

Amazing movie

[nazlfrag · 10/10 · 2 December 2008]

A touching story about living in the Coorong, a hundred kilometre stretch of beautiful windswept dunes where the mighty Murray river meets the sea. Against this backdrop is the tale of a boy and his father living in isolation from the modern world. The story while fairly simple is very moving, and appeals to the child in all of us. The film moves at a leisurely pace, yet this enhances the feeling of vastness and remoteness, the tranquility and solitude of the setting. The star of the show is Mr. Percival, one of the pelicans the boy befriends as well as Fingerbone, an Aboriginal also living in the wilderness who gives a brilliant performance. Simply put, it's a masterpiece of both storytelling and cinematography.

Lovely film, extraordinary pelicans!

[janejermyn-71085 · 9/10 · 9 April 2015]

I found this film on youtube after seeing a few clips on BBC2's 'Coast Australia'. I have just been to Australia and to the Coorong in particular, so was delighted to find the film, for all sorts of reasons.

The cinematography was very atmospheric, making the best of the scenery and the weather. The young boy - Mike or Storm Boy - a name given to him by Fingerbone, an Aboriginal man he befriends, was excellent in the part. By the way it has been wrongly stated in other reviews that this was David Gulpilil's film debut - it was not - he played the young aboriginal boy in "Walkabout" some years earlier. Gulpilil is always a fine actor.

The pelicans were a delight - I had no idea they could be trained like that and watching them and the interaction with Storm Boy was extraordinary. It might be classed as a film for children, but many adults would enjoy it - I certainly did.

Fantastic Sweet film experience

[Borg222 · 10/10 · 24 November 2012]

saw this on TV back then. Luckily I recorded it...For sure somebody should do a quality DVD. Seems to me it would be a hit. Also read comment that =David Gulpilil made his movie debut as 'fingerbone' Bill." really, did not realize that. Have a good time. See my list for similar movies. BT NOT want to spoil the experience but seems IMDb requires 10 lines so I might mention the Pelicans. Truly amazing how they got them to grow and preform. Really really cool. . Yeah it is slow paced but what a nice pace. Pretty much a family movie. Got some good points, actually can be interpreted with some moral / spiritual issues . phew got the 10 lines........

Great Australian Movie

[tigerwarsaw · 10/10 · 19 July 2002]

This is a wonderful film that kids will love. It would be hard to get a copy these days but if you can then you shall not regret it. 9 outta 10! I would have given it 10 but i just hate sad endings