The Legend of Johnny Lingo
Santa Monica, CA – Oscar-winning producer Gerald Molen (Hook, Jurassic Park, Minority Report, Rain Man) debuts his latest critically acclaimed, family-friendly action adventure – The Legend Of Johnny Lingo – on DVD and VHS on May 11th from MGM Home Entertainment. Winner of the Film Advisory Board’s 2003 Award of Excellence and the Parents Television Council’s 2003 Seal of Approval, this G-rated, live-action film recounts the life of an orphan boy in the South Pacific who befriends a wealthy tradesman named Johnny Lingo, inherits his fortune, spirit and namesake and learns the importance of love and friendship.
The Legend Of Johnny Lingo opened theatrically in select markets in Fall 2003 to rave reviews. The film has been touted as “gorgeously shot and unapologetically wholesome” by The Salt Lake Tribune, “ideal family entertainment” by The Dallas Morning News and “a wonderful family film full of tender moments, exciting adventure and good old-fashioned values!” by the Christian Broadcasting Network’s “The 700 Club.” The Legend Of Johnny Lingo was transformed from a 1962 short story written by late novelist Patricia McGerr into a film by one of Polynesia’s most accomplished screenwriters, Riwia Brown (Once Were Warriors). The Legend Of Johnny Lingo will be available for the suggested retail price of $25.98 on DVD and the suggested dealer price of $27.50 on VHS and will include a photo gallery, TV spots and the original theatrical trailer.
Far away on a tropical island, an orphan boy named Tama is “cursed” by his tribe and finds comfort in a fellow outcast: Mahana, a feisty girl shunned for her ragged appearance. When Tama sails off in search of a new life, he promises a tearful Mahana to return for her someday. But Tama’s journey leads him to Johnny Lingo, a wealthy trader who makes Tama his apprentice and heir. Now, as Tama embraces his new life, he must learn that the measure of a man is not in his possessions but in love, friendship and – in Tama’s case – honoring a promise from the past.