The Day Of The Dolphin. (PG.)
Directed by Mike Nichols. 1973.
Starring George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, John Korkes, Fritz Weaver, Edward Herrmann and Paul Sorvino. Limited Edition Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator. Available from July 26th. 105 mins.
This month I have been inconsolable because Powerhouse (or Indicator they answer to both) has been forced, due to unspecified legal reasons, to cancel their Blu-ray release of the infamous Warren Beatty/ Dustin Hoffman flop Ishtar. Quite possibly the years haven't been kind to Elaine May's homage to Road To movies but I remember the first ten minutes being hilarious and it contains one of the late Charles Grodin's finest performances and I was really desperately keen to give it another go. Instead, I get this thrill-an-hour film about talking dolphins forced to become assassins directed by May's former improv comedy partner, Mike Nichols.
The initial question raised by watching growly George C. perched over the poolside talking to the chatty dolphin Alpha, answers to Pha, is why did anyone think this was a good idea? After delving into extras, the question is why did everyone think this was a winner? It is taken from a best selling French novel and, prior to this, it was at various times going to be directed by Roman Polanski and Franklin J. Schaffner (Planet of the Apes, Patton) and star Jack Nicholson. What did they see in it?
One person who didn't see much in it was screenwriter Buck Henry. Usually associated with comedy, in a marvellously droll interview on the disc he describes ditching most of the credibility stretching elements of the book's plot: the dolphins attaching bombs to a Chinese aircraft carrier to start World War Three and speaking in perfect English. Sound choices but he doesn't find much to replace it. It is insanely dull. We see Scott and his wife (Devere) with their team of young helpers hard at work training Alpha to talk on their island base off Miami. (These scenes suggest that this must have been an influence on Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic.)
Scott is a prickly character who doesn't like the Foundation that funds his research trying to find out what he's up to. Sinister baddie Paul Sorvino lurks around and is clearly up to something. About an hour in something happens but not much comes of it. It's supposed to be a thriller but most of the screen time is taken up with dolphins doing flips and swimming around. Which is nice enough, but isn't going to lure you out to the edge of your seat.
I don't think anything works in this film. The casting of Scott is counter intuitive. Great, great actor but not exactly Mr Warmth. We first see him lightly based in sweat as he delivers a tutorial on dolphins to an unseen audience and he looks shifty. I suppose he is the cranky naturist who spends so much time away from humanity that he grows to despise his own species, but even so, there should be some quality of empathy in him that the dolphins can respond to. As it is, you rather look down on them for extending their affection to this grouch.
Extras
4K restoration
Directed by Mike Nichols. 1973.
Starring George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, John Korkes, Fritz Weaver, Edward Herrmann and Paul Sorvino. Limited Edition Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator. Available from July 26th. 105 mins.
This month I have been inconsolable because Powerhouse (or Indicator they answer to both) has been forced, due to unspecified legal reasons, to cancel their Blu-ray release of the infamous Warren Beatty/ Dustin Hoffman flop Ishtar. Quite possibly the years haven't been kind to Elaine May's homage to Road To movies but I remember the first ten minutes being hilarious and it contains one of the late Charles Grodin's finest performances and I was really desperately keen to give it another go. Instead, I get this thrill-an-hour film about talking dolphins forced to become assassins directed by May's former improv comedy partner, Mike Nichols.
The initial question raised by watching growly George C. perched over the poolside talking to the chatty dolphin Alpha, answers to Pha, is why did anyone think this was a good idea? After delving into extras, the question is why did everyone think this was a winner? It is taken from a best selling French novel and, prior to this, it was at various times going to be directed by Roman Polanski and Franklin J. Schaffner (Planet of the Apes, Patton) and star Jack Nicholson. What did they see in it?
One person who didn't see much in it was screenwriter Buck Henry. Usually associated with comedy, in a marvellously droll interview on the disc he describes ditching most of the credibility stretching elements of the book's plot: the dolphins attaching bombs to a Chinese aircraft carrier to start World War Three and speaking in perfect English. Sound choices but he doesn't find much to replace it. It is insanely dull. We see Scott and his wife (Devere) with their team of young helpers hard at work training Alpha to talk on their island base off Miami. (These scenes suggest that this must have been an influence on Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic.)
Scott is a prickly character who doesn't like the Foundation that funds his research trying to find out what he's up to. Sinister baddie Paul Sorvino lurks around and is clearly up to something. About an hour in something happens but not much comes of it. It's supposed to be a thriller but most of the screen time is taken up with dolphins doing flips and swimming around. Which is nice enough, but isn't going to lure you out to the edge of your seat.
I don't think anything works in this film. The casting of Scott is counter intuitive. Great, great actor but not exactly Mr Warmth. We first see him lightly based in sweat as he delivers a tutorial on dolphins to an unseen audience and he looks shifty. I suppose he is the cranky naturist who spends so much time away from humanity that he grows to despise his own species, but even so, there should be some quality of empathy in him that the dolphins can respond to. As it is, you rather look down on them for extending their affection to this grouch.
Extras
4K restoration
- Two-channel stereo and three-channel stereo audio tracks
- Selected scenes commentary with academic and film historian Sheldon Hall (2021, 33 mins)
- Days of My Life (2021, 44 mins): actor Jon Korkes details the eventful production of The Day of the Dolphin
- Moon Over the Bahamas (2021, 40 mins): in-depth discussion of the film by the second assistant director, and long-time Mike Nichols collaborator, Michael Haley
- Archival Interview with Buck Henry (2003, 13 mins): the screenwriter looks back on his adaptation of Robert Merle’s novel
- Archival Interview with Leslie Charleson (2003, 7 mins): the actor chats about her first major feature film role
- Archival Interview with Edward Herrmann (2003, 13 mins): the actor recalls working with Nichols and George C Scott
- Original theatrical trailer
- Larry Karaszewski trailer commentary (2016, 4 mins): a short critical appreciation
- TV spot
- Radio spots
- Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
- New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Neil Sinyard, extracts from interviews with director Mike Nichols and producer Joseph E Levine, an archival interview with actor Trish Van Devere, an extract from the Robert Merle novel, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
