User reviews

George C. Scott stars as a scientist who has trained dolphins to speak and understand English. Naturally some bad guys find out and want to use the dolphins in an assassination attempt.

One of the many ecological "message" films of the 1970s. The plot is, technically, pretty silly but they pull it off. It has a great director (Mike Nichols) and Scott and Trish Van Devere are very good--but this just misses the mark. It's not a BAD movie just not a great one and I personally had some trouble taking it seriously. It was supposed to be a big hit and cost quite a bit to make. Unfortunately it was a HUGE bomb and disappeared quickly. That's too bad because it's actually pretty good. It's well done and the voices of the dolphins are (at first) frightening but you get used to them. Also it does have an ending which had me crying. I defy anyone to sit through that and not be moved.

So, despite the scientific improbabilities, a pretty good movie that deserves a wider recognition.

With some generous financial backing marine biologist George C. Scott has trained two dolphins to actually speak some rudimentary English. The dolphins are Alpha and Beta and they refer to Scott and wife Trish Van Devere as Ma and Pa. To all intents and purposes they are parents of the porpoises.

Pure scientist Scott as he describes himself has never given a thought as to his backers and their generous financial backing. But when he and Van Devere are lured off the island they work on and Alpha and Beta are taken, it's up to Scott to find them as he considers them as like his children.

Scott usually the most intense of actors is rather subdued in his part here. He has trouble comprehending why anyone would want to put such creatures in harm's way. Make no mistake it's in harm's way they are going.

I couldn't quite figure out Paul Sorvino's role in this film. He's first with the bad guys and then defects and gives Scott a voice of common sense that he desperately needs.

The dolphins are the real show, the true innocents in a corrupt world. To an extent they mirror their ma and pa.

The Day Of The Dolphin got Oscar nominations for sound and for the music score. It's an interesting and absorbing film even today.

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.

Early planned to be a Roman Polanski picture it fell apart after Sharon Tate's death, then this bold project was adressed to Franklin J. Schaffner, no deal, so it fell in the hands of Mike Nichols that had one movie to fulfill the contract with producer Joseph E. Levine, Buck Henry was assigned to make the draft for an upcoming screenplay of Robert Merle's complex novel "Un Animal Doué de Raison" about talking Dolphin.

Actually far different from the movie due the mammal had an advanced and sophisticate language to the extent to talk the meaning of God, also in the novel the dolphin is designed to put the bomb in a Chinese aircraft carrier, instead displayed in the movie the target had changed to US's president yacht, moreover Buck Henry had to wiped the far-fetched book to adapt on the big screen properly, as expected George C. Scott was a pain in the ar.se, often suggesting a screenplay change like as a Circus kidnaping the talking dolphins.

The Day of the Dolphin flopped in box-office and hard beaten by the critics, Mike Nichols left Hollywood for eight years backing on stage, anyway the story is really unbelievable thus the failure is thoroughly explained, fine soundtrack and cinematography and easy to watch!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 1990 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.

Jake Terrell (George C. Scott) and his wife Maggie are trying to train their dolphin Alpha "Fa" to communicate in English. They bring in a female dolphin for companionship. The problem is that the foundation funding the research has different objectives for the dolphins.

Despite the weirdness of talking broken English with a dolphin, I try to take this movie seriously on its own level. It is certainly sincere in creating this world and its people. I appreciate the ultimate message. The problem is that I don't get why the foundation is funding the dolphin to talk English. It makes no sense. They don't need to discuss philosophy with the dolphins. They just need it to carry stuff. Ultimately, the movie does not make sense in its central premise.

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."

The Day of the Dolphin is a real oddity. It's a cinematic time capsule of a goofier time that might be accused of lacking any real sense of porpoise. An atypical mix of ecological drama and political thriller, the film is truly ridiculous but works because of the values it celebrates: communication and love. Despite their material, Director Mike Nichols and George C Scott have given us a film that reminds us what love and care can do not so much for the object of affection, but for the person who tenders it. Scott, usually the most intense of actors, is rather subdued in his part here. To observe him betray moments of stricken regret is truly touching to see, all the more so for his typical appearance of such unshakable gravitas. He carries this film on his shoulders. Having trouble comprehending why anyone would want to put such creatures in harm's way, to that extent, the dolphins are the real show, the true innocents in a corrupt world. They are positively impossible to hate. The other major point of contention is the hauntingly beautiful musical score by Georges Delerue, lilting and graceful, moving through the air the way the dolphins move through the water. You may laugh at The Day of the Dolphin, but you'll feel just as guilty simultaneously, one that has you suffer utterly irreparable heartbreak.

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.

Throughout the motion picture business there is many a thespian who truly believes in their role. Some more than others and is why a few become exceptional. The original script called " The Day of The Dolphin " was delivered to several actors, prior to the film's inception. When the principal actor read the interesting dialog between himself and his subject called Alpha, he was not only intrigued, but anxious to begin. The story centers around a Research Scientist named Dr. Jake Terrell (George C. Scott) and his wife Maggie. (Trish Van Devere) Their secret island project concerns a special Dolphin, whom they have raised since birth. In an amazing feat of Phonetic science, laboring on the cutting edge and years of patience instruction, they have taught their unique Dolphin to speak English. However, their financial benefactors are not men with lofty ideals like Dr. Terrell or his staff. Indeed their primary goal is to use the amazing oceanic mammal to swim underwater undetected to a secured location where the President of the U.S. is vacationing and eliminate the Chief Executive. Although it's Harold DeMilo (Fritz Weaver) the C.E.O. of the funding institute who plans on subverting Dr. Terrell's innovative project, it's a strange, mysterious and uninvited visitor, Curtis Mahoney (Paul Sorvino) whom they suspect is behind the theft of their special Dolphin and a midnight murder. Trust is not inherent between the characters, indeed the audience is in for a surprise or two. However it's this very element which gives the film it's dramatic texture. The cast is incredible and delivers a dynamite performance which as a result allows this film to become a Classic. Excellent movie. ****

The barest semblance of a plot, which doesn't actually kick in until about 3/4 of the way through the movie. Otherwise, it's training a talking dolphin. I kind of felt bad for George C. Scott having to have entire dialogues with a dolphin, with one syllable words. But he pulls it off admirably.

Some very nice cinematography and something about the film stock makes me think it was shot by the same person who did Jaws.

In the picturesque Florida Keys, ambitious and brilliant marine biologist George C. Scott (as Jake Terrell) teaches a dolphin to speak English. Their vocabulary includes use and meaning of words like "shark", "love" and "liar". It does not comprehend the hypothetical "if". As he is assisted by beautifully bronzed wife Trish Van Devere (as Maggie), Mr. Scott feels the dolphin Alpha (aka "Fa") would be happier and more productive with a mate. Consequently, the researchers are joined by Beta (aka "Bea"). Sexually gratified, the dolphin couple is very happy. But there is an adjustment period, while the new dolphin assimilates into the family. They call Scott and his wife "Pa" and "Ma" with childlike affection. When sneaky humans like Paul Sorvino (as Curtis Mahoney) are informed about Scott's smart dolphins, we must consider using them in a nefarious plot...

This is a strange collaboration between director Mike Nichols, actor Scott and writer Buck Henry. It is nicely staged, and lovingly photographed by William Fraker. Among many other classics, Mr. Fraker held the cameras for Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" (1968). Mr. Polanski was slated to direct "The Day of the Dolphin" in 1969, but left after the murder of his wife Sharon Tate and others by the (Charles) "Manson family"...

The musical soundtrack, by Georges Delerue, is another strength. However, the story doesn't really come across very well. This is strange because the concept and evil plot are essentially good. By now, dolphins may actually be communicating with humans; probably, there are words and meaning they understand. It might have been more believable if Scott and his team understood their sounds, but having them "speak" is easier. While the concept is fine, the sound and demeanor of the dolphins is silly (rather than childlike, if that was the intention). Additionally, the manner in which dastardly characters arrive and execute their nasty plan is wearisome and unexciting...

Interestingly, the Scotts kept loyal and attractive young assistant John David Carson (as Larry) for their next film project, "The Savage Is Loose" (1974), which turned the camera on human mating.

***** The Day of the Dolphin (12/19/73) Mike Nichols ~ George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Paul Sorvino, John David Carson

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.

The adaptation is quite OK, of course nerfed to fit into two hours run time, and with much less political aspects of government involvement. But the premise is well exposed in a solid scenario, and the characters are relatable and well played.

Zoologist George C. Scott, working on a foundation grant to study the behavior of dolphins, has trained two dolphins born in captivity to speak in a parrot-like version of English; after they're stolen, Scott has an idea who's behind it, but not what the ramifications are. Screenwriter Buck Henry (of all people), adapting Robert Merle's novel, doesn't create human characters to interest us, and director Mike Nichols apparently didn't encourage him to do so. What we're left with is beautiful footage of the dolphins (handsomely photographed by cinematographer William A. Fraker) working against a very contrived plot about the inescapable corruption of the species. It might have worked on a "Flipper"/family movie level had Nichols only picked up the pace a bit. The film is curiously austere and blandly smooth, with only a flicker of suspense in its plotting but with no interest coming from the actors. *1/2 from ****

George C. Scott stars as a marine biologist who has taught two dolphins to communicate with humans in english. His project attracts the notice of a shadowy corporate sponsor, who then kidnaps the dolphins to perform an assassination-at-sea. The film is divided in two parts, both exploring the ethics of man's meddling with nature. Stunning photography, excellent supporting cast, superlative effort from Scott, whose deep personal investment in the film's subject is easily sensed.

I saw this film in the theater in 1973 and thought it was one of the best I'd ever seen. I wasn't expecting a period action film or a potboiler-thriller and was pleasantly surprised to get neither. This is a thinking person's film, a modern-day Frankenstein which is made even more tragic because of the creator's love for what he has created. The conclusion of this film is uncompromising, and calls into question all animal experimentation. One of the best, and most important films to come out in my lifetime. See it.

In my opinion (for what it's worth), one of the greatest actors of the second half of the 20th century was George C. Scott. Despite not being a handsome man, he managed to establish himself as a first-rate actor...and Oscar-winning one at that. Well, "The Day of the Dolphin" is proof that even a great actor can make a terrible film...and it really is pretty terrible.

The plot is insane if you think about it. A scientist (Scott) has been training dolphins and has even taught them to talk and think. This might be seen as a wonderful thing...but the folks funding the research plan on using his dolphins for evil So it's up to the remaining dolphin and the scientist to try to stop this.

An evil plot to use dolphins as assassins. Doesn't this pretty much say it all?! A dumb film and one which wastes a great actor's talents. Good for a laugh....but not much else.

Don't shy away from this film just because it isn't an action film. It does advance at a very slow pace, and is often overlooked because of this . . . unfairly. This film is truly designed for the animal lover. Anyone who has not shared a profound relationship with an animal will probably have a difficult time relating to this film. It is a slow paced, and beautifully scored experience for a more sophisticated movie lover. George C. Scott delivers his usual, inspiring and powerful performance as the dolphin's trainer. The filming of the dolphin's, alone, makes this film worth watching. Bring along a box of tissues, and don't miss it if you love the art of movie making.

They're trying to kill the president (again!) and this time they're using dolphins. No kidding. Whoever thought that getting Buck Henry and Mike Nichols together to make an action film hopefully lost their job, as The Day of the Dolphin is silly and boring, to boot. Dolphins were all the rage in the seventies (they're really intelligent, they can read minds, they can talk) and now that most of those theories have been debunked we're left with this curio.

The underlying problem with The Day of the Dolphin is fundamentally how underwhelming it is. George C Scott stars as a marine biologist teaching his dolphins how to talk and the 'sinister mysterious organization/government guys' are laying plans to take them or something like that. Its impossible to be very invested in any of it or take it seriously. And that talking dolphin is really hokey. Scott and Michael Dolphins are the kind if talent who can bring you through this dolphinphillia drudgery at least to an extent. The movie is so odd its mildly interesting for a while but the trick gets old before long.

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.