The Day of the Dolphin

source: The Day of the Dolphin

This is a horrible movie. The plot is so fantastic and absurd, that talking dolphins is one of the more plausible aspects of it. I normally like George C. Scott - but not even he could save this turkey. The movie can't decide if it is an environmental morality play, a cloak-and-dagger thriller, or a farce. If had gone all out with farce, it may have succeeded, but it takes itself far too seriously. The "bad guys" are so wooden, the Sorvino character morphs around from one kind of character to another - just like that with no explanation, a ridiculous killing thrown in for no apparent reason, with extra effort to make it even more improbable. Some of the moments that the other reviewers liked, for me fell flat. Example - GCS's caressing of the dolphin in the tank creeped me out and seemed to suggest sexuality. I almost cried out - UNHAND THAT YOUNG LADY - uh, I mean dolphin. The whole idea that a dolphin could be a witness to a crime (thus causing the criminal to undertake ludicrous measures) is so flat out idiotic, I don't know what is any more far fetched. Do yourself a favor and watch one of the really bad movies from the last decade or so, if you want to watch something really idiotic. At least the hair styles and lapels won't add to the hilarity.

And given the quality of this movie, no, I don't feel guilty about that joke. Apparently Roman Polanski had been working on this project years before, if only the studios had just let it die. It's terrible and tough to sit through, but interesting as a major car wreck. Mike Nichols seemed to be attempting a more simple and direct approach than in his flashy, counter culture hits- but the film is flat, the timing is off on just about everything. The music is terrible. It's just a wildly misguided project. Mike Nichols would have hits, but his days as an interesting director (and counter culture hero) were over. Scott would never give a great performance (as in "The Hospital") again and basically returned to TV.

One of my favorite films that really brings out your emotions especially in the end also accompanied with a great musical score. One of George C. Scott's many great portrayals and just simply beautiful.

Our family hadn't seen this movie for a long time and so I decided to get my taped copy out (aired on Showtime in 1989) and was surprised to see the excellent film quality -- even though the tape was recorded in SLP. We enjoyed the movie very much. The beginning is a little slow but rest of the movie more than makes up for it. I loved the dolphins, I wish I knew more about how they made the movie -- I was looking for any trivia here at IMDb.com but didn't find any. I think children would really love the parts that involve the dolphins interacting with the "owner"/ humans (and fascinating) but this movie is NOT for children as there is violence toward humans and dolphin as well and it would be frightening for young ones. I feel it has a lot of different things to like. I can't say more without spoiling the story but I wish there was closed captioning for some of the dialog. We viewed this in Full Screen but the 2003 & 2006 DVD releases come in Wide Screen: 2.35:1 aspect ratio and I am sure the beautiful scenery benefits by it.

You may think that the best-loved, most memorable thing about this minor effort are the dolphin protagonists, but it's the lovely music score by Georges Delerue owning up in that category. This is actually quite a decent cinematic version of a really stupid bestseller of the times, so if you think this film is ludicrous, don't even bother with the book. Maudlin is the term I'd use to describe those moved by the dolphin antics in this lackluster thriller, because the minute they start "Fa La La'ing", keeping a straight face becomes quite difficult; my praise to George C. Scott for managing that so well! This one is now available on DVD from Image Entertainment and they've delivered a wonderful anamorphic widescreen print, which wisely delivers the original 3-track stereophonic sound of the original theatrical prints and beautifully preserves composer Delerue's work.

George C. Scott plays Dr Jake Terrell, who has been training a pair of dolphins for many years, has had a breakthrough. He has taught his dolphins to speak but they have a limited vocabulary. the dolphins are abducted by some sinister government agency who want to use the mammals in an assassination attempt. what follows is a beautifully shot race against time to thwart the attempt. 'The Day of The Dolphin' is nothing short of brilliant in it's acting, it features some excellent cinematography by William Fraker, the underwater scenes are excellently lensed ,it is essential to see this in it's original aspect ratio. it is also nothing short of amazing as when one looks at this film which is thirty seven years young, it is all filmed for 'Real' if this was remade today there would be an over reliance on rubbish digital animation to depict the leaping and talking Dolphins.

Even though starring the great George C Scott this film is a bit of a non-starter. However I have to admit that it is the only film that I have seen in all of my 40 yrs that has managed to reduce me to tears. I challenge anyone to watch the final scenes and not be at least a little moved. Although the story is very simple and does little to encourage Scott-or any of the cast- to 'act their heart out', it shows both humans and dolphins as they are. Humans as sly and cunning and dolphins as naive and trusting, and this is what hurts at the end of the film, when................. Well why spoil it, it may be shown on t.v again, one day. If anyone knows how I might get a copy of the film (for my kid's-honest), please could they contact me through the e-mail supplied. Ta Ta. (Or is that 'Ka Ka'?) Bob O'Sullivan. Southend-on-Sea, England.

Marine biology scientist Dr. Jake Terrell, his wife Maggie and a crew of ecologists for the last few years have been financed by an organization to study confined dolphins on a distant Florida island. They've conditioned a male and a female dolphin to say "fa," "ma," "pa" and other basic vocabulary, and to comprehend English sufficiently enough to have simple dialogue. But Alpha can't be trained to think in English. He can merely mimic, until Jake teaches him a lesson about loss. He introduces a female dolphin, Beta, watches Alpha fall for her, then splits them up until Alpha can demand her, in English. The wholesale sequence showing Alpha swimming frantically around, thrashing his tail on the enclosure that divides them, is heartrending. Jake is like the classic father of the baby-boom bracket, unwavering in teaching valuable lessons even when he feels his child's anguish, in this case a dolphin who loves him like a father. When Alpha at last begs for Beta by name, it's an intensely gratifying moment, exemplifying the identity-related idea of language as a conciliation intuited out of loss. And, much to our grief, Alpha is now disposed to all kinds of anthropomorphic cognizant suffering. And naturally, trouble lies ahead in the form of a thriller plot true to the pinnacle era of conspiracies and rogue government. Initially, a young Paul Sorvino's slippery pollster blackmails his way onto Dr. Terrell's island, and before long, a sinister regime faction is revealed to intend to use the newfound capacity for communication in these dolphins to their advantage by abducting them for function in a presidential assassination, of all things. In training Alpha and Beta to verbalize, Jake destines them for humanity, initiating them into ceaseless yearning and unlocking the floodgates to advantage being taken of them. In due course, with the purpose of thwarting Alpha and Beta more exploitation, Jake must make a decision that is inconceivable to the living, beating heart. Pure as they are, dolphins comprehend mere absolutes. How can you make a dolphin understand not only that humans can be both good and bad, tell lies and kill their own, but that rejection, abandonment can still mean undying love, ultimate sacrifice? "Men are bad," he tells them, hardly suppressing his utterly irreparable heartbreak, and ours. "All men bad."

I agree with the assessment that the movie points out how we, as caretakers of the Earth, tend to abusiveness and misunderstanding. I agree also that it is a hokey telling of that theme, but still effective. I might venture that a contributing factor in its effectiveness is the beautiful music created by George Delerue. It is lilting and graceful, moving through the air the way the dolphins move through the water. I was very affected at the end of this film.