Le jour du dauphin

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.