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Free Willy
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Free Willy
Free Willy is a 1993 family drama film, directed by Simon Wincer, produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Jennie Lew Tugend, written by Keith Walker and Corey Blechman from a story by Walker and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures under their Family Entertainment imprint. The film stars Jason James Richter in his film debut, Lori Petty, Jayne Atkinson, August Schellenberg, and Michael Madsen with the eponymous character, Willy, played by Keiko.
The story is about a 12-year-old orphaned boy named Jesse who befriends a captive orca, Willy, at an ailing amusement park. When he discovers that the park owner has been planning to dispose of Willy, he hatches a scheme to break Willy out of captivity.
Released on July 16, 1993, the film received positive attention from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $153.7 million from a $20 million budget. It grew into a small franchise, including an animated television series, two sequels, and a direct-to-video reboot in addition to inspiring the rehabilitation and release of Keiko. The film marked Keith Walker's only film as screenwriter, and last project before his death on December 30, 1996.
On the Pacific Northwest coastline, a pod of orcas is tracked down by whalers. An adolescent male orca is captured and separated from his family and sold to the Northwest Adventure Park.
Months later, Jesse, an orphan abandoned by his estranged mother six years ago, fled from Cooperton with his fellow orphans and spends three days roaming Portland, begging for money and stealing food. To evade police in pursuit later that night, he and Perry break into the adventure park's observation area unaware that they triggered an alarm. While doing graffiti on the walls and its water tank, Jesse comes face to face with the orca before getting caught by the police. Dwight informs Jesse that his new foster parents, Glen and Annie Greenwood, would be happy to take him in. Jesse, who hopes to be reunited with his mother, begrudgingly goes to live with them in Astoria.
To avoid being sent to juvenile hall if he flees again, Jesse is allowed to make up for his vandalism by cleaning and repainting the observation area. He forms a bond with the orca, named Willy, when he takes a liking to Jesse's harmonica playing. With probation ending, and his job almost up, Jesse sneaks out of the house to visit Willy and falls in the tank. He nearly drowns but Willy saves and brings him to the surface. Randolph and Rae, Willy's respective caretaker and trainer/veterinarian, notice that Jesse is the only human normally ill-tempered Willy responds to, and eventually, Jesse is offered a summer job. He also starts to warm up to the Greenwoods.
Park owner Dial sees Jesse and Willy's talent in hopes of finally making money from the orca, who has thus far been a costly venture for him. On opening day, however, he refuses to perform due to being antagonized by children in the observation area. Jesse, unable to get him to do tricks while dealing with pressure from spectators except the Greenwoods and Dwight, tearfully storms off. Willy cracks the tank with his stress-induced rage, having had enough of the children's constant banging. Jesse plans to find his mother despite Dwight affirming that she does not want him. He sneaks out to stop by the tank to say goodbye to Willy. Before leaving, something responds to Willy's calling again. Jesse follows the responses and realizes Willy is communicating with his pod. The discovery is interrupted when park manager Wade and some colleagues sneak into the observation area to deliberately damage the spot where Willy smashed the tank so that the water will leak out.
Randolph explains to Jesse that Dial plans to kill Willy and collect the million-dollar insurance. Jesse hatches a plan to return him to the ocean, with Randolph and Rae joining in. They use a forklift to transport Willy from tank to Glen's pickup truck Jesse and Randolph stole. Dial launches a search when he is informed by Wade about Willy. When the truck gets stuck in the mud on Old Forest Road, Jesse uses the truck's CB radio to call Glen and Annie for help. Both of them arrive and Glen is reluctant to assist but relents when Jesse pleads with him. After a brief stop at a car wash to wet Willy more, Glen drives the truck to Dawson's Marina, where Dial, Wade, and their men have assembled at the gates to halt them. Glen's truck smashes through the gate and backs Willy into the water.
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Free Willy
Free Willy is a 1993 family drama film, directed by Simon Wincer, produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Jennie Lew Tugend, written by Keith Walker and Corey Blechman from a story by Walker and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures under their Family Entertainment imprint. The film stars Jason James Richter in his film debut, Lori Petty, Jayne Atkinson, August Schellenberg, and Michael Madsen with the eponymous character, Willy, played by Keiko.
The story is about a 12-year-old orphaned boy named Jesse who befriends a captive orca, Willy, at an ailing amusement park. When he discovers that the park owner has been planning to dispose of Willy, he hatches a scheme to break Willy out of captivity.
Released on July 16, 1993, the film received positive attention from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $153.7 million from a $20 million budget. It grew into a small franchise, including an animated television series, two sequels, and a direct-to-video reboot in addition to inspiring the rehabilitation and release of Keiko. The film marked Keith Walker's only film as screenwriter, and last project before his death on December 30, 1996.
On the Pacific Northwest coastline, a pod of orcas is tracked down by whalers. An adolescent male orca is captured and separated from his family and sold to the Northwest Adventure Park.
Months later, Jesse, an orphan abandoned by his estranged mother six years ago, fled from Cooperton with his fellow orphans and spends three days roaming Portland, begging for money and stealing food. To evade police in pursuit later that night, he and Perry break into the adventure park's observation area unaware that they triggered an alarm. While doing graffiti on the walls and its water tank, Jesse comes face to face with the orca before getting caught by the police. Dwight informs Jesse that his new foster parents, Glen and Annie Greenwood, would be happy to take him in. Jesse, who hopes to be reunited with his mother, begrudgingly goes to live with them in Astoria.
To avoid being sent to juvenile hall if he flees again, Jesse is allowed to make up for his vandalism by cleaning and repainting the observation area. He forms a bond with the orca, named Willy, when he takes a liking to Jesse's harmonica playing. With probation ending, and his job almost up, Jesse sneaks out of the house to visit Willy and falls in the tank. He nearly drowns but Willy saves and brings him to the surface. Randolph and Rae, Willy's respective caretaker and trainer/veterinarian, notice that Jesse is the only human normally ill-tempered Willy responds to, and eventually, Jesse is offered a summer job. He also starts to warm up to the Greenwoods.
Park owner Dial sees Jesse and Willy's talent in hopes of finally making money from the orca, who has thus far been a costly venture for him. On opening day, however, he refuses to perform due to being antagonized by children in the observation area. Jesse, unable to get him to do tricks while dealing with pressure from spectators except the Greenwoods and Dwight, tearfully storms off. Willy cracks the tank with his stress-induced rage, having had enough of the children's constant banging. Jesse plans to find his mother despite Dwight affirming that she does not want him. He sneaks out to stop by the tank to say goodbye to Willy. Before leaving, something responds to Willy's calling again. Jesse follows the responses and realizes Willy is communicating with his pod. The discovery is interrupted when park manager Wade and some colleagues sneak into the observation area to deliberately damage the spot where Willy smashed the tank so that the water will leak out.
Randolph explains to Jesse that Dial plans to kill Willy and collect the million-dollar insurance. Jesse hatches a plan to return him to the ocean, with Randolph and Rae joining in. They use a forklift to transport Willy from tank to Glen's pickup truck Jesse and Randolph stole. Dial launches a search when he is informed by Wade about Willy. When the truck gets stuck in the mud on Old Forest Road, Jesse uses the truck's CB radio to call Glen and Annie for help. Both of them arrive and Glen is reluctant to assist but relents when Jesse pleads with him. After a brief stop at a car wash to wet Willy more, Glen drives the truck to Dawson's Marina, where Dial, Wade, and their men have assembled at the gates to halt them. Glen's truck smashes through the gate and backs Willy into the water.