Original subtitles

(alarm rings)

- Tough Guy, again?

- I'm afraid so.

(water splashes)

Here he comes.

He's going towards the gate.

He's going to try to break out again.

- The Navy's got over a million dollars

in this research project and it all hangs on him.

He's got to be cured.

- Commander, I have tried everything.

(dolphin squeaks)

Nervous breakdown or whatever it is,

I haven't been able to diagnose it.

Oh Tough Guy, don't.

(intense music)

It's all over, he's worn himself out.

- I'd say bring in a specialist

if the Navy had one who knew any more

about dolphins than you do.

- Commander,

maybe a non-scientific practical approach.

Ranger Ricks at Coral Key,

his boys has had a pet dolphin for years.

- Maybe out of their experience, a lead, something.

- Commander, let's call them.

- Alright, let's go.

You two men stay close by.

(dramatic music)

(playful music)

J1 They call him Flipper

J1 Flipper, faster than lightning

J1 No one you see, is smarter than he

J1 And we know Flipper lives in a world full of wonder

J1 Lying there under

I! Under the sea

(dolphin squeaks)

(playful music)

(dolphin squeaks)

- Alright Flipper, now when I give you the signal.

(dolphin squeaks)

- Well, we'll be very happy to, Commander,

if you think we'll be of some help.

Roger and out.

Bud, how'd you like to visit the Navy?

- Do you mean that Navy project that Ulla is working on?

- That's right.

- You bet!

Hey Flipper, Sandy thought it was a big deal going

on a campout, we're going to visit the Navy.

- Hang on.

- Come on, Flipper.

(water splashes)

(soft music)

- Alright, here he comes now.

This is Tough Guy, one of the research tests

before he got these attacks.

The first thing the Navy wanted us to find out

is whether the dolphins depend on their eyes to guide them.

Now, see his eyes are open.

- Flipper uses his eyes underwater and on top.

- We're convinced now that dolphins

use more than their eyes.

See, those patches cover his eyes completely

but he goes right through the hoops just as fast.

- Gee whiz, how does he do it?

- We think they have a built-in sonar system.

That's why the Navy's interested.

- We're convinced they can teach us a few things.

- Judging the amount of time I've spent with Flipper,

I'd say he's got the intelligence.

- As you know, the dolphin has a high potential

as a work animal.

Now, here's Tough Guy in harness.

He's opened our eyes to new possibilities for communication.

- We were getting him ready for other experiments

when he got sick.

He has the necessary intelligence, all right.

Here's one of the tests he passed.

The apparatus there at poolside is a sort of a vending machine,

it's stocked with fish.

- You mean if he presses the right button, he gets a fish.

- [Ulla] We didn't make it that easy for him.

He's given several different signals

and only one is the right one

and he had to learn which one would get him the food.

- If he answers the right signal, then he gets a fish.

- [Ulla] We made it even harder.

He had to respond to the right signal

within five seconds by pressing the lever.

There!

He did it again.

- How long did it take him to learn to do that?

- It took us three weeks to build the apparatus

and him about two minutes to learn how to operate it.

- This temper tantrum he's having,

have you got any idea what's causing it?

- We don't really know, Porter.

Sometimes, like this morning for instance,

it just happened without warning.

- What we do know is that five hundred thousand dollars

of our procreation goes down the drain if we don't cure him.

- Dad, do you remember the time

that Flipper lost his temper with me?

- Right, Bud.

- And then we found out that the day before it happened,

some kids had been teasing him.

Well, maybe that's the trouble with Tough Guy.

- Well, we were allowing Sunday visitors

until he started to have these attacks.

- I've got an idea.

Why don't we introduce him to a new face,

someone he's not familiar with?

And see what kind of reaction that causes.

- What do you think?

- I've got my diving gear in the boat.

- Let's try it.

If anyone knows dolphins, it's Porter.

. Okay-

(soft music)

(water splashes)

- Alright, here I go.

- Hold on a minute.

What about the danger?

Now I know that Tough Guy's never attacked anyone but...

- Dolphins never attack a human being, sir.

Flipper wouldn't, I know that.

- I gotta go along with Bud.

It's against their nature to attack a human being.

- Alright but be careful.

Remember Tough Guy isn't Flipper.

Easy now, easy.

(suspenseful music)

(dolphin squeaks)

- Alright, Tough Guy, you're not so tough.

Nobody's gonna hurt you.

Take it easy boy.

Take it easy.

(dolphin squeaks)

- Look out, Porter.

(intense music)

(playful music)

(intense music)

" Dad!

- Ricks, get out!

- I'm alright, now everybody just settle down.

Alright, now take it easy Tough Guy.

- For awhile there, I thought you were a goner.

Dolphins have killed even sharks by ramming.

- Well, Tough Guy could've hit me but he didn't.

(dolphin squeaks)

- Dad, Dad, look!

I think Flipper made him quiet down.

(dolphin squeaks)

- Did you say that Tough Guy

was having some sort of a nervous breakdown?

- Yes.

- You know some doctors recommend

a change of scene for that condition.

- What do you mean?

. Dad?

Do you mean that we should take Tough Guy to our pen

and let Flipper play with him and help him?

- That's what I've got in mind, Bud.

- Well, we haven't been able to do him any good here.

(dolphin squeaks)

(soft music)

(dolphin squeaks)

(dolphin chatter)

- Here, let it down right here.

- Let's lower the ropes.

Let me have your ropes, Mr. Ricks.

- Alright.

- There we go.

- Thank you, gentlemen.

- Dad, now can I go in?

- Alright Bud, go ahead.

(dolphin squeaks)

Now, the idea here is to let Tough Guy

see Bud and Flipper playing.

- When you see affection, you want affection.

- Let's hope.

(dolphin squeaks)

(dolphin squeaks)

Tough Guy seems interested.

(Flipper squeaking)

(water splashes)

- Hey Dad.

How about letting Flipper feed Tough Guy?

That'll make 'em friends.

- That's a good idea, Bud.

Come on up.

- You are going to give Flipper the fish

and he's going to give 'em to Tough Guy?

- Sure.

Here you are, Bud.

Here's a fish.

Now watch this.

- Flipper.

Now here, I want you to give this to Tough Guy, understand?

(dolphin squeaks)

Hey, I said Tough Guy, not you!

(dolphin squeaks)

Now Flipper, give this to Tough Guy.

I'm not fooling.

Hey Flipper, I won't play with you for a whole week

if you don't give it this time, understand?

Now come on, Flipper.

- I don't believe it.

(dolphin squeaks)

- How about that?

- Now if this doesn't convince Tough Guy

that Flipper's his friend.

Dad, do you suppose we could put Flipper

in the pen with Tough Guy?

- What do you think?

It's your dolphin.

- Well, they seem friendly enough.

(dolphin squeaks)

But let me get Tough Guy away from the gate.

- Alright.

- Here Tough Guy.

Tough Guy, come on.

(water splashes)

- Alright Bud, open the gate.

- Come on, Flipper, come on through.

Through the gate.

(playful music)

(dolphin squeaks)

(Flipper squeaking)

- Bring the harness.

I'm going to try to put in on him.

Two weeks ago I tried to and he refused it

but if he lets me do it now,

I'll know being here is good for him.

(dolphin squeaks)

Alright boys, let's go.

(dolphin squeaks)

I'm going to tell the Commander

that I am sure we are on our way to a cure.

(dolphin squeaks)

- Well good, you can use our telephone if you want.

Bud, you get washed up and we'll have lunch.

(suspenseful music)

(dolphin squeaks)

- Dad, dad, Tough Guy's broken out.

(dramatic music)

- We have just lost the dolphin worth a half million dollars

to the United States Navy.

- A half a million dollars?

Dad, what are we going to do?

- Bud, we're going to find that dolphin

and bring him back if we can.

- Flipper'll help, won't you, Flipper?

J1 Everyone loves the king of the sea

J1 Ever so kind and gentle is he

J1 Tricks he will do when children are near

J1 And how they laugh when he's near

J1 They call him Flipper

J1 Flipper, faster than lightning

J1 No one you see is smarter than he

J1 And we know Flipper lives in a world full of wonder

J1 Lying there under, under the sea

(lion roars)