IMDb > When the Whales Came (1989)

When the Whales Came (1989) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   169 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 30% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Clive Rees
Writers:
Michael Morpurgo (novel)
Michael Morpurgo (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for When the Whales Came on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 October 1989 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Plot:
A pair of children befriend an accentric old man, who lives isolated on the far shore of their island home... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
3 wins more
User Comments:
A glorious fairy tale more (6 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Paul Scofield ... The Birdman
David Threlfall ... Jack Jenkins

Helen Mirren ... Clemmie Jenkins
Helen Pearce ... Gracie Jenkins
Max Rennie ... Daniel Pender
Jeremy Kemp ... Mr. Wellbeloved
John Hallam ... Treve Pender
Barbara Ewing ... Mary Pender

Dexter Fletcher ... Big Tim
Nicholas Jones ... Vicar
Joanna Bartholemew ... Miss Tregarthen
Barbara Jefford ... Auntie Mildred
Irene Wilson ... Molly Woodcock
Fergus Rees ... The Birdman as a Boy
Kerra Spowart ... Margaret Pender
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
100 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Fujicolor)
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Iceland:L | UK:U | USA:PG
Filming Locations:
Bryher, Isles of Scilly, England, UK more
Company:
Golden Swan more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful.
A glorious fairy tale, 21 September 2005
10/10
Author: aberlour36 from United States

This is a superb film, designed for the entire family. A fascinating script, first-rate acting, glorious scenery (shot on location in remote islands off of England), and memorable music help make this film a classic. It is set in 1914, and World War One plays a role in the story. But the time is basically irrelevant; the place is not. The story is about a legendary curse, a man who survived it, and an opportunity to lift it, focusing on the destruction and preservation of an extremely rare form of whale.

At its conclusion, I asked my wife, "How could a film like this be made today?" I still don't know. But let us give thanks that we still have enough imagination and basic decency to film a fairy tale with messages that are eternal. It remains an incredible artistic scandal that a movie of this quality has not appeared on DVD.

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Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Drama section IMDb UK section Add this title to MyMovies

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