[1] Hank Donner is a marine biologist camping and studying the underwater fauna near a Northwest Pacific fishing town.

Hank seals off the cove with a net barrier strung across the entrance and then sets down to study the orca, who is dubbed "Namu" in the film's song.

One of the boys, Nick, viciously stuffs a hooked float into a piece of fish, making Namu go wild with pain when he swallows it.

The sight of the two swimming with Namu finally disperses their prejudice, but then Clausen, who has separated from the mob, opens fire from a boat beyond the net barrier.

The fictional story was filmed on location in the San Juan Islands and at Rich Cove near Port Orchard, Washington.