A Ring of Endless Light (film)
Encyclopedia
A Ring of Endless Light is a 2002 Disney Channel Original Movie based on the Madeleine L'Engle
book of the same name
filmed on location in Australia, and starring Mischa Barton
in the main lead role. It is one of two Disney adaptations of novels by Madeleine L'Engle, the other being A Wrinkle in Time
. In the U.S. it was aired on August 28 , 2002.
, her sister Suzy and little brother Rob visit their grandfather on Seven Bay Island, Vicky faces several unexpected challenges. Her beloved grandfather, retired Reverend Eaton, seems to be seriously ill, but tries to pretend that nothing is wrong. Vicky met the rich but emotionally troubled Zachary Gray
the previous summer, and he reappears to renew the acquaintance. Another boy, 17-year-old Adam Eddington
, recruits Vicky to help him with a research project, working with a dolphin called Basil. Vicky discovers she can communicate telepathically
with the dolphin and his mate - and possibly with Adam as well.
Vicky copes as best she can with the increasing stress placed on her by her grandfather's illness, especially once he admits to her that he is dying of leukemia
. In turn, Reverend Eaton tries to encourage Vicky with his gentle wisdom and appreciation of her talents, especially her writing, in marked contrast to her parents' long distance expectations that she study science.
A rivalry develops between Zach and Adam, which becomes an uneasy alliance as the three teenagers seek to expose the illegal use of drift nets, which trap and kill dolphins, by a ship owned by Zach's father. Eventually they succeed, saving their dolphin friend (and Adam himself) from the deadly net just as Vicky's grandfather arrives with the Coast Guard
. The excitement is too much for Reverend Eaton, however, who dies soon afterward. He leaves behind a new blank book for Vicky in which to write her poetry. Vicky decides to follow her heart and her talents rather than her parents' plans for her.
. In the book, a family friend has just died while trying to save the life of Vicky's troubled friend Zachary Gray. Shortly thereafter, a baby dolphin dies, a marine biologist of Vicky's acquaintance is nearly killed in an accident, and a sick girl suffers a seizure and dies in Vicky's arms. In the film, Vicky's grandfather is dying and some dolphins are threatened by illegal fishing nets, but that is about the extent of the death and impending death Vicky sees around her. The fishing nets storyline, which does not appear in the novel, is standard Disney fare in that it involves young characters behaving heroically in an adventure setting. Its climax, in which one of the major characters is tangled in a net and nearly drowns, echoes a similar scene in the Disney Channel movie The Thirteenth Year
.
Vicky's on screen love life is also substantially different from what appears in the book. In the film, Zachary does not try to commit suicide, and his negative behavior has been toned down. Instead the film shows Zach involved in positive activities, most notably joining forces with Adam to expose the illegal fishing methods. In the book, the character Leo Rodney competes with Zachary Gray for Vicky's attention, while Adam tries to avoid forming a romantic attachment with her because of a negative experience the previous summer. In the film, Adam and Zachary are rivals, and Leo does not appear.
Family relationships in the film have been similarly changed and streamlined. Vicky's parents are absent for most of the film, whereas they are very much present in the novel. In the film, Vicky's parents expect her to study science, while in the book, they encourage Vicky to choose her own path. Vicky's older brother John is not mentioned, and his interest in astronomy is given to Suzy instead. In the novel, Vicky's grandfather is completely honest about his illness and from the beginning, Vicky understands that her grandfather will not be alive at the end of the summer. In the film the extent and nature of his illness is a secret that is only gradually revealed.
, was nominated for the 2002 Directors Guild of America
Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs for A Ring of Endless Light".
Madeleine L'Engle
Madeleine L'Engle was an American writer best known for her young-adult fiction, particularly the Newbery Medal-winning A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time...
book of the same name
A Ring of Endless Light
A Ring of Endless Light is a 1980 novel by Madeleine L'Engle. The book tells of a girl named Vicky and her struggle to understand life and significance in the universe as she deals with her dying grandfather, while at the same time finding love....
filmed on location in Australia, and starring Mischa Barton
Mischa Barton
Mischa Anne Marsden Barton is a British-American fashion model, film, television, and stage actress, best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the American television series The O.C..-Early life:...
in the main lead role. It is one of two Disney adaptations of novels by Madeleine L'Engle, the other being A Wrinkle in Time
A Wrinkle in Time (film)
A Wrinkle in Time is a television film based on the children's fantasy novel of the same name by Madeleine L'Engle.In 2003, a television adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time was produced by multiple Canadian production companies to be distributed in the United States by Disney. The TV movie was directed...
. In the U.S. it was aired on August 28 , 2002.
Plot
When 15-year-old Vicky AustinVicky Austin
Victoria "Vicky" Austin is one of Madeleine L'Engle's most frequently-used fictional characters, appearing in eight books and referred to in at least one more. She is the main protagonist of the Austin family series of books...
, her sister Suzy and little brother Rob visit their grandfather on Seven Bay Island, Vicky faces several unexpected challenges. Her beloved grandfather, retired Reverend Eaton, seems to be seriously ill, but tries to pretend that nothing is wrong. Vicky met the rich but emotionally troubled Zachary Gray
Zachary Gray
Zachary Gray is a fictional character in the young adult novels of Madeleine L'Engle...
the previous summer, and he reappears to renew the acquaintance. Another boy, 17-year-old Adam Eddington
Adam Eddington
Adam Eddington III is a major character in three young adult novels by Madeleine L'Engle. A marine biology student, he is the protagonist of The Arm of the Starfish , and a reluctant love interest for Vicky Austin in A Ring of Endless Light , a relationship that continues in Troubling a Star...
, recruits Vicky to help him with a research project, working with a dolphin called Basil. Vicky discovers she can communicate telepathically
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
with the dolphin and his mate - and possibly with Adam as well.
Vicky copes as best she can with the increasing stress placed on her by her grandfather's illness, especially once he admits to her that he is dying of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. In turn, Reverend Eaton tries to encourage Vicky with his gentle wisdom and appreciation of her talents, especially her writing, in marked contrast to her parents' long distance expectations that she study science.
A rivalry develops between Zach and Adam, which becomes an uneasy alliance as the three teenagers seek to expose the illegal use of drift nets, which trap and kill dolphins, by a ship owned by Zach's father. Eventually they succeed, saving their dolphin friend (and Adam himself) from the deadly net just as Vicky's grandfather arrives with the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
. The excitement is too much for Reverend Eaton, however, who dies soon afterward. He leaves behind a new blank book for Vicky in which to write her poetry. Vicky decides to follow her heart and her talents rather than her parents' plans for her.
Cast
- Mischa BartonMischa BartonMischa Anne Marsden Barton is a British-American fashion model, film, television, and stage actress, best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the American television series The O.C..-Early life:...
- Vicky Austin - Ryan MerrimanRyan MerrimanRyan Earl Merriman is an American actor. He began his acting career as a child actor during the mid-1990s and has appeared in several feature films and television shows.-Background:...
- Adam Eddington - Jared PadaleckiJared PadaleckiJared Tristan Padalecki is an American actor. He grew up in Texas and came to fame in the early 2000s after appearing on the television series Gilmore Girls as well as in several Hollywood films, including New York Minute and House of Wax...
- Zachary Gray - Scarlett PomersScarlett PomersScarlett Noel Pomers is an American actress and singer/songwriter who works in television, film, theatre and music. Her most recognizable roles have been as Naomi Wildman on Star Trek: Voyager and Kira Hart on the television series Reba...
- Suzy Austin - Soren FultonSoren FultonSoren Fulton is an American teen actor, best known for playing Rob Austin in A Ring of Endless Light, Caleb Cottrell in Saving Sarah Cain, and Fermat in Thunderbirds. He also voiced the character Mordred in Justice League. He starred in the television pilot of The Oaks, playing Young Dan...
- Rob Austin - James WhitmoreJames WhitmoreJames Allen Whitmore, Jr. was an American film and stage actor.-Early life:Born in White Plains, New York, to Florence Belle and James Allen Whitmore, Sr., a park commission official, Whitmore attended Amherst Central High School in Snyder, New York, before graduating from The Choate School in...
- Grandfather - Theresa Wong - Dr. Zand
- Penny Everingham - Cecily
Comparison with the novel
The television adaptation is considerably "lighter" in tone than the novel A Ring of Endless LightA Ring of Endless Light
A Ring of Endless Light is a 1980 novel by Madeleine L'Engle. The book tells of a girl named Vicky and her struggle to understand life and significance in the universe as she deals with her dying grandfather, while at the same time finding love....
. In the book, a family friend has just died while trying to save the life of Vicky's troubled friend Zachary Gray. Shortly thereafter, a baby dolphin dies, a marine biologist of Vicky's acquaintance is nearly killed in an accident, and a sick girl suffers a seizure and dies in Vicky's arms. In the film, Vicky's grandfather is dying and some dolphins are threatened by illegal fishing nets, but that is about the extent of the death and impending death Vicky sees around her. The fishing nets storyline, which does not appear in the novel, is standard Disney fare in that it involves young characters behaving heroically in an adventure setting. Its climax, in which one of the major characters is tangled in a net and nearly drowns, echoes a similar scene in the Disney Channel movie The Thirteenth Year
The Thirteenth Year
The Thirteenth Year is a 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie. It was released May 15, 1999 and is a mix of comedy and fantasy. The film was directed by Duwayne Dunham, who has directed other children and Disney movies, including Little Giants and Halloweentown...
.
Vicky's on screen love life is also substantially different from what appears in the book. In the film, Zachary does not try to commit suicide, and his negative behavior has been toned down. Instead the film shows Zach involved in positive activities, most notably joining forces with Adam to expose the illegal fishing methods. In the book, the character Leo Rodney competes with Zachary Gray for Vicky's attention, while Adam tries to avoid forming a romantic attachment with her because of a negative experience the previous summer. In the film, Adam and Zachary are rivals, and Leo does not appear.
Family relationships in the film have been similarly changed and streamlined. Vicky's parents are absent for most of the film, whereas they are very much present in the novel. In the film, Vicky's parents expect her to study science, while in the book, they encourage Vicky to choose her own path. Vicky's older brother John is not mentioned, and his interest in astronomy is given to Suzy instead. In the novel, Vicky's grandfather is completely honest about his illness and from the beginning, Vicky understands that her grandfather will not be alive at the end of the summer. In the film the extent and nature of his illness is a secret that is only gradually revealed.
Award nomination
The film's director, Greg BeemanGreg Beeman
Greg Beeman is an American director and producer best known for his work on television series Smallville, JAG, and Heroes. As well as numerous comedy films.- Career :...
, was nominated for the 2002 Directors Guild of America
Directors Guild of America
Directors Guild of America is an entertainment labor union which represents the interests of film and television directors in the United States motion picture industry...
Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs for A Ring of Endless Light".