Totem Problem Opening Files

[allan miller]

I just installed Ubuntu with no problems except one.  When I try to run
totem and play a file, I get the following error message (exaple:
opening /home/amiller/vid.mpg):

Totem could not play 'file:///home/amiller/vid.mpg'.
Failed to open; reason unknown

File operations for all other applications I've tried work fine.  I've
tried opening different types of files in different folders and get the
same error message.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

Thanks!