Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a 1973 American drama film directed by Hall Bartlett, adapted from the 1970 novella of the same name by Richard Bach.

The film tells the story of a young seabird who, after being cast out by his stern flock, goes on an odyssey to discover how to break the limits of his own flying speed.

As the film begins, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is soaring through the sky hoping to travel at a speed more than 60 miles per hour (100 km/h).

Jonathan pleads to stay and claims that he wants to share his newfound discovery with everybody, but the Elders dismiss him as an outcast, and he is banished from the flock.

Director Hall Bartlett first read the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull in a San Fernando Valley barbershop when he impulsively decided to call the publisher, Macmillan, and then author Richard Bach, to buy the film rights.

Bartlett suggested that the story needed to be told simply, without animation or actors, and acquired the property for $100,000 and fifty percent of the profits.

He granted Bach final approval rights on the film and all advertising and merchandising "gimmickry.”[3] During production, Bartlett declared, "I was born to make this movie.

She played a role in hiring cinematographer Jack Couffer (who was later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work) as well as aerial cameraman Jim Freeman.

The suit was dismissed without a trial, petitioned on the grounds that extensive public school and cultural use of the film had robbed it of common-law copyright protection.

"[13] Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times called it "a very beautiful and ingenious movie to look at" but noted, "The line between a fitting solemnity and outright farce is very, very thin and it is here rudely violated again and again.

"[14] Gary Arnold of The Washington Post wrote, "Try as he may, Bartlett cannot put Bach's words convincingly into the beaks of even trained seagulls.