Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973)

11% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
65% of users liked it
(420 ratings)

Hal Bartlett co-wrote and directed this film curiosity, based on Richard Bach's best-selling fable, featuring an overbearing music score by Neil Diamond. The story begins as a flock of seagulls are pecking at the garbage left by a boat that has dumped a bunch of fish heads in the surf. One of the… More Hal Bartlett co-wrote and directed this film curiosity, based on Richard Bach's best-selling fable, featuring an overbearing music score by Neil Diamond. The story begins as a flock of seagulls are pecking at the garbage left by a boat that has dumped a bunch of fish heads in the surf. One of the seagulls, Jonathan (voice of James Franciscus), would rather leave his life of garbage-picking and fly high in the sky to see other parts of the earth. Jonathan leaves the flock and flies around the world. He travels so far that he reaches an aviary heaven, where he meets Maureen Seagull (voice of Juliet Mills). Maureen introduces Jonathan to new experiences, and Jonathan returns to the flock to tell them the news. The other seagulls scorn him, but then they take notice when he heals a seagull that has died. Then the entire flock greets him as "the Son of the Great Gull." ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: G, 1 hr. 54 min.
Directed By: Hall Bartlett
Genres: Drama, Animation, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Oct 23, 1973 Wide
On DVD: Oct 2, 2007

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Now there's nothing wrong with uplift, except that exhortations customarily are banal. That is, the end is nearly destroyed by the means.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This has got to be the biggest pseudocultural, would-be metaphysical ripoff of the year.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Visually uneven, this film captures only partially the spirit of the best seller upon which it is based.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
The cinematic equivalent of that girl you might have met circa 1973 who insisted that the dog that just evacuated his bowels on your sidewalk was 'expressing his creativity.'
Shane Burridge, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Bartlett's background as a documentary film-maker is an advantage for a film that doesn't require any actors but a liability when it comes to adapting Bach's fiction
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Truly one of the most boring pictures ever done but with enough attractive photography to merit your brief attention.
Bill Gibron, DVD Verdict
If you can tolerate the touchy-feely foundation of (Richard) Bach's backwards belief system, and then Zen hit maker Neil Diamond's sonic take on same, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a stunning experience.
, Time Out
Richard Bach's best-selling parable for freshmen becomes on screen a very spelled-out allegory, complete with flat voice-overs and pretentious Neil Diamond soundtrack.
Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
Pulllease fly away, and take your book with you!

Read all 9 critic reviews

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Randy T

Hall Bartlett's attempt to bring this beloved novel to the big screen misses the mark. I fully expect Pixar to take a stab at this someday, hopefully with much better results.