***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** I'm suprised no one bothered to comment on this movie.They just let the ratings speak for themselves,which they shouldn't.As I said,I don't want to see this again.I'll get into that much later.This movie came out in the early eighties,and I haven't seen it for many years So I'll do my best,on what the story is about.Its about a young boy and his family,who live, I think on an island or the marine land.He doesn't seem to have many friends,as there are no children that he hangs out with.Maybe,there are no other children?Anyways,his only friend is a german sheperd,whos just given birth to puppies.The puppies however,contracted a deadly virus,which kills them.If that wasn't bad enough,the mother dog catches the same virus,which also kills her.The boy is now alone without any friends.The only other people on the island are all fisherman.This all changes one day,while going with his dad on a fishing trip.Its his job to haul in fish,if you were confused.The boy looks down in the water,when suddenly something gold colored jumps by.He tries to tell the others, who think it was just a fish.The old man,however tells him about the legend of the golden seal,a mythical sealion with golden fur.The boy later on one day, finds the same said seal in his shed.He is very shocked to see this animal,I can't repeat what he said.It was pretty funny.Well,he thinks it's sick with the virus that his dog had,because it seems to be in pain.He wraps it in cover,and leaves it in there,until the next morning.When he checks on it,he discovers it had given birth to a seal pup the same color.Some how something passes between them,and the female seal instantly becomes his new friend.How and why this happens,is never explained.He then starts swimming and playing,her as if they had been friends forever.He decides to keep her a secret.But,somehow the cat is let out of the bag,and the fun and games have to end.(Warning, Spoilers Ahead)!!!A bunch of greedy,feedstore yahoos get together to hunt her down.They can make more money with her pelt,than the amount they get from shrimping,and fishing a year.A bounty is placed on her head,that way whoever kills the seal first;will recive a very large reward.The boys dad unfortunetly,decides to join in on the hunt.When he finds out this,he tries everything to keep the seal hidden from veiw.He confronts his dad,before he has a chance to shoot her.Vicious painful,war of words are exchanged between father and son,making this one of the hardest scenes to watch.I think the person who played the dad over did it with the yelling and cussing in that scene.The dad then sees his son's P.O.V,and realizes the harm hes doing to him.He then tries to stop the other hunters,but not without getting into a knockout, dragout fist fight.Personally,I thought the vicious fighting wasn't really necessary.But the damage has already been done.The motherseal and her pup decide to leave for good.No place is safe for them now.The boy tries to get her to stay,but the dad says he'll just try to kill her.Heartbroken,he is forced to let her go.Then,he says one of the worst lines I've ever heard"Want a Pop"?What no,"Gee son, I'm really sorry.Lets go to the petstore or pound,and get you a new friend"?I mean come on,no cheap peice of candy is going to heal the mental,emotinal,and psychological damage caused by his dad.Or those selfish people.Anything done by parents like that in real life,would cause serious issues of mistrust.The child would never open up to his parents for anything again.He wouldn't trust them with anything either.Plus the boy will have to see those people again,and remember what they had done.They should've had a follow up,where the trust between the dad and son has been severed, and he won't talk to him hardly.The seal comes back and helps them somehow, mend the relationship.Now you know why I don't like this movie, and don't want to see it again!:[
Review of The Golden Seal
