Like Moses being sent down the Nile in a basket of reeds, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is delivered to the doorstep of his aunt and uncle when he is an infant. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris), Professor Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith) and the nine foot tall Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) make the delivery in the dead of night. They hint that there will be great things ahead for the infant. An ominous scar on the baby's forehead teases the uninitiated with a mystery to be solved.

      Flash forward 11 years. Harry lives in the cupboard under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house. The mistreated youth has a lot in common with Cinderella. His obese cousin takes pride in stomping down the stairs in the morning, dropping dust onto poor Harry. One day a letter, delivered by an owl comes addressed to Harry. His uncle destroys it. The letter continue to arrive and Harry's horrid foster parents continue to prevent him from reading them. They go as far as to move to an island whose only structure is a lighthouse. Finally the family has a night visitor. It is the giant Hagrid. He delivers the letter which turns out to be an invitation to enroll at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry's aunt was his mother's sister. Harry discovers that his parents were a renowned witch and wizard. They were mysteriously killed. For those who (like me) haven't read the book, I'll reveal no more of the plot other than to say that Harry gets to Hogwarts and begins to discover just who he is and where he came from.

      The three child stars of the film shine among a huge cast of classically trained British actors and actresses. Daniel Radcliffe was a perfect choice for the lead. He conveys wisdom beyond his years. The early scenes with his abusive aunt and uncle are very telling as to Mr. Radcliffe's talent. He looks at his family with the eyes of God. He sees them for what they are. His helplessness comes across in cold stares of vulnerability and (surprise) pity.

      Among the veteran actors Robbie Coltrane steals the show as Hagrid. The simple giant is a source of comfort, amusement and awe in the children of Hogwarts. No matter how old Maggie Smith gets, she never loses the ability to convey the youth of spirit. Richard Harris is so-so as Dumbledore.

      The one fault I found with "Harry Potter" had to do with the special effects in three scenes. These goofs kept me from giving the movie 4 stars. There are a couple of CGI effects involving a giant troll on the prowl and Hagrid's puppy, Fluffy. Fluffy is a 20 foot tall, 3 headed guard dog. The creatures look like nothing more than CGI effects. It is a shame because they came close to being on the money. My biggest disappointment involved the giant chess match. In teaser trailer Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) are shown trying to cross a giant chess board. As they approach a row of pawns, the gamepieces come to life and block the kid's path with sabers drawn. I saw the teaser and looked forward to seeing the entire scene. Surely they wouldn't put the only good part of the scene in the trailer! Well, they did. The rest of the chess match is unimaginative and poorly conceived. Where is Ray Harryhausen when you need him? The bottom line about my complaints is that the target audience won't mind or notice these cinematic defects.

      The bottom line is whether you see "Harry Potter" at a bargain matinee or pay full price in the evening, you will get your money's worth. Coming home from the theater, my son tried to tell me the plots of the second and third books. I told him to hush. I want to be surprised when the sequels come out. If they are of the caliber and quality of this first film, we may have a new movie series to rival Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

Rusty White, 2001