A pair of children befriend an eccentric old man, who lives isolated on the far shore of their island home. But it turns out that the old man knows a terrible secret about the island and the whales who sometimes come. Meanwhile WWI is making life hard in the village.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Paul ScofieldThe Birdman | The Birdman |
 David ThrelfallJack Jenkins | Jack Jenkins |
 Helen MirrenClemmie Jenkins | Clemmie Jenkins |
| HHelen PearceGracie Jenkins | Gracie Jenkins |
| MMax RennieDaniel Pender | Daniel Pender |
 David SuchetWill | Will |
 Jeremy KempMr. Wellbeloved | Mr. Wellbeloved |
 John HallamTreve Pender | Treve Pender |
 Barbara EwingMary Pender | Mary Pender |
 Dexter FletcherBig Tim | Big Tim |
 Nicholas JonesVicar | Vicar |
| JJoanna BartholemewMiss Tregarthen | Miss Tregarthen |
 Barbara JeffordAuntie Mildred | Auntie Mildred |
| FFergus ReesThe Birdman as a Boy | The Birdman as a Boy |