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      The Secret of NIMH

      1982, Kids & family/Fantasy, 1h 22m

      68 Reviews 5,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      The Secret of NIMH seeks to resurrect the classical style of American animation and succeeds, telling a mature story with rapturous presentation. Read critic reviews

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      The Secret of NIMH  Photos

      Poster Art The Secret of NIMH (1982) The Secret of NIMH (1982) The Secret of NIMH (1982) The Secret of NIMH (1982) The Secret of NIMH (1982) The Secret of NIMH (1982) A scene from the film THE SECRET OF N.I.M.H. A scene from the film THE SECRET OF N.I.M.H. A scene from the film THE SECRET OF N.I.M.H. A scene from the film THE SECRET OF N.I.M.H. A scene from the film THE SECRET OF N.I.M.H.

      Movie Info

      Mrs. Brisby (Elizabeth Hartman), a widowed mouse, must move her children out of their home in a field before the local farmer starts plowing. Unable to leave because her son is ill, Mrs. Brisby seeks the help of nearby rats, who have heightened intelligence after being the subjects of scientific experiments. She receives an unexpected gift from the elder rat, Nicodemus (Derek Jacobi). Soon Mrs. Brisby is caught in a conflict among the rats, jeopardizing her mission to save her family.

      • Rating: G

      • Genre: Kids & family, Fantasy, Animation

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Don Bluth

      • Producer: Gary Goldman, Don Bluth

      • Writer: Don Bluth, Will Finn, Gary Goldman, John Pomeroy

      • Release Date (Theaters):  original

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

      • Production Co: Aurora, Don Bluth

      • Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround

      • Aspect Ratio: 35mm, 1.66:1, Flat (1.85:1)

      Cast & Crew

      Elizabeth Hartman
      Derek Jacobi
      Dom DeLuise
      Shannen Doherty
      Edie McClurg
      John Carradine
      Wil Wheaton
      Peter Strauss
      Norbert Auerbach
      Hermione Baddeley
      Lucille Bliss
      Charles Champlin
      Ian Fried
      Tom Hatten
      Jodi Hicks
      Dick Kleiner
      Joshua Lawrence
      Arthur Malet
      Aldo Ray
      Paul Shenar
      Don Bluth
      James L. Stewart
      Rich Irvine
      Mel Griffin
      Don Bluth
      Jerry Goldsmith
      Bill Butler

      News & Interviews for The Secret of NIMH

      Critic Reviews for The Secret of NIMH

      Audience Reviews for The Secret of NIMH

      • Oct 12, 2013

        A time less and extremely underrated kids movie masterpiece. Not only does the colors of the background blend so surprisingly well, but until the Rescuers Down Under (ANOTHER underrated film) only Don Bluth could tell a tale about talking mice that respects its audience and just sounds like real life. A lot of what went in to this movie was more than Disney was putting into their films at the time, so it deserves ample credit for that.

        Super Reviewer
      • Sep 11, 2013

        The Secret of NIMH is creative, clever, and a joy to watch. I loved the world created by Bluth and his team here. They especially succeeded with the animation, which is fantastic throughout. However, this film did have some shortcomings, like what I felt was a weak villain. Also, sometimes the plot felt too complicated with the combo of a rat revolution, government conspiracy, sick child, and more. However, even with these problems, the movie is still a lot of fun.

        Super Reviewer
      • Aug 20, 2013

        This is a hotly debated film--some love it, some hate it. I feel that it gets kind of a bad rap because it was released during an age where children's movies were generally comical or musicals. They had their dark moments, but in the end, things work out. This film on the other hand, is dark all the way through. It's just a very dark movie, from the way it's animated to the characters' behavior to the message of the storyline itself. That being said, while I believe it's a decent film, it's not very enjoyable to watch. I acknowledge that this movie has serious quality, but it's honestly just stressful to watch. So I'm not really a fan of it, but that's just my opinion. I know a lot of people feel quite differently, on both sides.

        Stephen S Super Reviewer
      • Aug 16, 2013

        The Secret of NIMH features gorgeous, detailed animation and a delightfully dark nature. It is well constructed, occasionally thrilling, visually dazzling---and also mysterious and haunting (rare for an animated film). What really makes the film a triumph is its ability to perfectly convey O'Brien's masterful work--especially via the expressive characters--and fully capture our attention and wonder as we willingly follow Ms. Brisby along her exciting adventure. Where it falls short is in its slow beginning, abrupt ending, and some moments that drag. However, these flaws--while keeping it from being a perfect masterpiece--are then undone by the beauty that makes up most of the film.

        Super Reviewer

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