The Secret of NIMH poster

1982·83 min·Released

The Secret of NIMH

“Right before your eyes, and beyond your wildest dreams.”

Adventure
Animation
Drama
Family
Fantasy
Mystery
Science Fiction

A widowed field mouse must move her family -- including an ailing son -- to escape a farmer's plow. Aided by a crow and a pack of superintelligent, escaped lab rats, the brave mother struggles to transplant her home to firmer ground.

7.4(954 votes)

Popularity3

Videos

Original 1982 Trailer

Cast & Crew

Elizabeth Hartman

Elizabeth Hartman

Mrs. Brisby (voice)

Derek Jacobi

Derek Jacobi

Nicodemus (voice)

Arthur Malet

Arthur Malet

Mr. Ages (voice)

Dom DeLuise

Dom DeLuise

Jeremy (voice)

Hermione Baddeley

Hermione Baddeley

Auntie Shrew (voice)

Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty

Teresa (voice)

Wil Wheaton

Wil Wheaton

Martin (voice)

Jodi Hicks

Jodi Hicks

Cynthia (voice)

Ina Fried

Ina Fried

Timothy (voice)

John Carradine

John Carradine

Great Owl (voice)

Peter Strauss

Peter Strauss

Justin (voice)

Paul Shenar

Paul Shenar

Jenner (voice)

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RealZero

Written on 1/3/2026

This is still one of my favorite animated movies. It combines so many different emotions so well: a cute and loving family, the urgency and danger of fleeing (/moving) your home with dangerous and action-filled scenes, and dark and scary moments involving cats and owls, clearly some of a mouse's biggest fears. Mrs Brisby herself is an absolutely lovely, beautiful character. Right from the start you see and feel how she's a loving mother, polite and shy. But due to adversary she has to rise about her gentleness and fear and really shows the strength you can develop when fighting for your loved ones. The music is really nice and fitting and I'm happy they just re-released an extended soundtrack. But maybe even more impressive is the visual style. As one came to expect from Don Bluth movies of that time, everything is beautiful, each single background of each scene a gorgeous painting even outside the movie's context, one thing I really miss in modern animation, as much as I enjoy modern stuff as well. Some added, beautiful sparkle effects on things like her medallion or the shiny lights in the rat's hideout, just lovely!! All voice actors do a great job, but I especially love Mrs Brisby herself, the loving warmth in her voice, the gentle tone when asking for help and especially how she still tries to stay gentle and polite when obviously irritated by Jeremy again. I can certainly recommend this movie! I want to support this lovely single mother and hug her and her kids so much! - If you like the movie and don't mind reading books, I also really recommend the book it is based on. The book has no magical items, no clear antagonist (Jenner is only mentioned) and describes much more of what happens around NIMH, so, even if you know one, watching/reading the other still puts a new spin on it.

Media

"In the beginning we were ordinary street rats"

"In the beginning we were ordinary street rats"

A WAY TO GO HOME: An Interview with director Don Bluth Excerpt

A WAY TO GO HOME: An Interview with director Don Bluth Excerpt

Masters of Cinema Unboxing Video

Masters of Cinema Unboxing Video

"Are you Nicodemus? I need help!"

"Are you Nicodemus? I need help!"

Original 1982 Trailer

Original 1982 Trailer

Masters of Cinema Trailer

Masters of Cinema Trailer