AaronCapenBanner
Robert Lansing plays marine biologist Hank Donner, who befriends an Orca who won't leave his cove after some fishermen shot and killed its mate. Named Namu, the whale proves himself to be intelligent and playful after Hank, and a local woman and her daughter(played by Lee Meriwether and Robin Mattson) gain its trust. Those same fishermen are determined to get Namu out of the cove, by any means they can... Fine film is suitable for the whole family, being quite warm and respectful toward nature. Despite being subtitled "The Killer Whale", DVD is subtitled "My Best Friend", which is certainly nicer! Compare this with later film "Orca"(1977) to see what I mean...
Bruce Spencer
I first watched Namu when I was about 12 - the lesson it teaches has stuck with me all my life ... don't destroy nature just because you don't understand it or because you can. Namu is the "first" killer whale move, but it's also one of the first movies to take a naturalist point of view, that all creatures behave by the laws of nature
except man. Namu is a great film for kids to help them go beyond assumptions and try to see life from multiple points of view. Robert Lansing played the character of the marine biologist just right – intelligent, slow, deliberate, and even when angry he held back, not lowering himself to the level of characters that were blinded by prejudices – the character is sometimes reminiscent of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.
whpratt1
This is an outstanding film about a killer whale named Naumu who is being protected by an oceanographer, Robert Lansing,(Hank Donner) and has a very hard time trying to tell the local towns people that this whale is not harmful. John Anderson, (Joe Clausen) is more worried about his salmon business and does not want a whale eating up his profitable business. There is a little boy and girl and Hank Donnear who even communicate with the whale and ride on his back in a row boat all around in circles. There is Comedy, Drama and excellent photography and the background music flows throughout the entire picture. Lee Merriweather, (Kate Donner) is a shop owner in town and has some secrets that she keeps to herself until the time is necessary to tell Hank Donner. If you are an animal lover and enjoy a good fish story, this is the film for you.
abralive
This beautifully remarkable movie was produced in 1966 and provides any family member a chance to enjoy the interaction between benevolent humans and a creature considered a threat. It pits an ignorant, small town against an oceanographer (Robert Lansing) and a shop keeper (Lee Meriweather) in working to educate the local township that Namu is not a threat, but a lonely animal needing attention. The scene in which Lansing and Meriweather engage in play with Namu inside the lagoon is priceless and the background music is equally so. Moreover, when Namu miraculously rescues the very man (John Anderson) who tried to kill him, makes this movie unbelievably precious. Mandatory viewing for everyone.