Blood "N" Bubbles
The History of Diving In the Movies.
In this month's Diver Magazine readers are asked to identify the movie pictured below. George C. Scott isn't auditioning dolphins for the next Flipper movie. The still is from a hit movie that was released in 1973. Directed by Mike Nichols and starring Scott, Trish Van Devere, Paul Sorvino and a talking porpoise this movie was a box office smash and brought to light the abuse of dolphins in military research project.
This is a movie that was made when conspiracy theories were all the rage (my how times never change). Scott's dolphin was drafted by the group of right wing radicals to help assassinate the President. Do you know the name of the movie?
Answer
The movie is the 105 minute long THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN and was directed by Mike Nichols. Released in 1973 by Avco-Embassy, the film starred George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Paul Sorvino, Fritz Weaver and Jon Korkes.
The Day of the Dolphin was made in the early seventies. It was a time when the United States of America was immersed in conspiracy theories (Kennedy and King to name just two) and as a result, Oscar winning director Mike Nichols (Five Easy Pieces) pits the world of marine science against the desires of the dark side of Right Wing America.
George C. Scott fresh from his award winning performance in Patton takes on the role of Dr. Jake Terrell, a marine scientist who is a leading expert in the behavioural patterns of dolphins. He has taught a dolphin to speak English. A secret group of politically powerful, rich conservative radicals want to use 'his' dolphins to plant an underwater bomb on the president's boat. Forget the dated hooky storyline, but, watch this film for the footage of the dolphins. You'll learn a lot about the air breathing mammals and what footage there is underwater makes one want to jump in, swallow whole live fish and then race the waves with these sleek moving guys!
Rating - 2 Bubbles