The Day of the Dolphin (1973)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Buck Henry (screenplay)
Robert Merle (novel)

Release Date:

29 March 1974 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Unwittingly He Trained a Dolphin to Kill the President of the United States

Plot:

Dr Jake Terrell, who has been training a pair of dolphins for many years, has had a breakthrough. He...

Plot Keywords:

Dolphin | Assassination | Exploding Boat | Mine | Compassion

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

George C. Scott	...	Dr. Jake Terrell
Trish Van Devere	...	Maggie Terrell
Paul Sorvino	...	Curtis Mahoney
Fritz Weaver	...	Harold DeMilo
Jon Korkes	...	David
Edward Herrmann	...	Mike
Leslie Charleson	...	Maryanne
John David Carson	...	Larry
Victoria Racimo	...	Lana
John Dehner	...	Wallingford
Severn Darden	...	Schwinn
William Roerick	...	Dunhill
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Mrs. Rome
Phyllis Davis	...	Receptionist
Pat Zurica	...	First Mate
Willie Myers	...	Stone
Julie Follansbee	...	Woman at Club
Florence Stanley	...	Woman at Club
Brooke Hayward	...	Woman at Club
Pat Englund	...	Woman at Club
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Johann Benét	...	Boy in Park (uncredited)
Buck	...	Alpha aka Fa (uncredited)
Ginger	...	Beta aka Bee (uncredited)
Buck Henry	...	Man standing outside ladies club (uncredited)
Robert Lydiard	...	Fa the Dolphin (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Nichols

Writing credits
Buck Henry		(screenplay)
Robert Merle		(novel "Un Animal doue de raison")

Produced by
Dick Birkmayer	....	associate producer
Joseph E. Levine	....	executive producer
Robert E. Relyea	....	producer

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
William A. Fraker

Film Editing by
Sam O'Steen

Casting by
Alan Shayne

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Angelo P. Graham		(as Angelo Graham)

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Anthea Sylbert

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	makeup artist
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist
Dorothy Byrne	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Tim Zinnemann	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Haley	....	second assistant director
Al McCabe	....	second unit director
Alan McCabe	....	second unit director
Thomas J. Schmidt	....	assistant director
Frederic W. Brost	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Tim Zinnemann	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Matty Azzarone	....	leadman
Alan Levine	....	property master (as Allan Levine)
Eugene Acker	....	painter (uncredited)
Joe Acord	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Matty Azzarone	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Tom Coll	....	leadman (uncredited)
J.B. Jones	....	underwater props (uncredited)
Tom Jung	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Tom Jung	....	poster designer (uncredited)
Clarence Kandel	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Nikita Knatz	....	continuity sketch artist (uncredited)
Clarence Fay Konkel	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Terry E. Lewis	....	assistant props (uncredited)
Bill Parks	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Larry Jost	....	sound recordist (as Lawrence O. Jost)
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recordist
Clint Althouse	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Greg Dillon	....	sound editor (uncredited)
James Pilcher	....	cableman (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jim White	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Pat Blymyer	....	gaffer (as Pat Blymer)
Lamar Boren	....	underwater director of photography: second unit
Bobby Byrne	....	camera operator (as Bob Byrne)
David Garfath	....	photography: second unit
Jordan Klein Sr.	....	camera operator: underwater scenes
Richard Moran	....	key grip
Al Reiners	....	gaffer: Miami
Dick Colean	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
David Garfath	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Grosso	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Jack Harris	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Clyde Hart	....	grip (uncredited)
Jan Koshay	....	grip (uncredited)
Patrick Marshall	....	electrician (uncredited)
Bob Phyllis	....	electrician (uncredited)
James M. Sheppherd	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
G. Tony Scarano	....	wardrobe (as Tony Scarano)
Ron Dawson	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Stu Linder	....	editorial assistant

Transportation Department
Paul Casella Jr.	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)
Walt Freitas	....	key driver (uncredited)
Jerry F. Johnson	....	key driver (uncredited)
Joe Manx	....	key driver (uncredited)
Marvin Palenske	....	key driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Erica Abt	....	assistant trainer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titles
Peter Moss	....	trainer: dolphins
Kathy Troutt	....	assistant trainer
Jesse White	....	veterinary supervisor
Meta Wilde	....	script supervisor
Bubbles	....	double (uncredited)
Jim Burroughs	....	assistant: second unit (uncredited)
John Cunningham Lilly	....	scientific researcher (uncredited)
Martha Luttrell	....	secretary to director (uncredited)
Elton MacPherson	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Chuck Murray	....	accountant: Avco Embassy (uncredited)
Karen Murray	....	payroll (uncredited)
Paddlefoot	....	double (uncredited)
Mike Palma	....	location auditor (uncredited)
Nanette Siegert	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Spider	....	dolphin wrangler (uncredited)
Arthur Wilde	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• AVCO Embassy Pictures

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Gloria (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1975) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Videosonic Arts (1985) (Greece) (video)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (laserdisc)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2008) (United Arab Emirates) (DVD) (Middle East)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Image Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Cinemobile Systems  locations (uncredited)
• Percepto Records  score album released by (limited edition)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 (f) | Singapore:PG | Peru:PT | Norway:12

Filming Locations:

Abaco Island, Bahamas

Company:

AVCO Embassy Pictures

Trivia:

Roman Polanski was originally supposed to direct the movie. He was in England scouting locations for the movie when his wife Sharon Tate was killed by the Manson Family.

Quotes:

Woman in audience:What about their speaking in English?
Dr. Jake Terrell:I'm sorry?
Woman in audience:I saw this dolphin on television and he could count from 1 to 10 in English.
Dr. Jake Terrell:Really? I must have missed that.
Woman in audience:Do you think its some kind of trick or something?
Dr. Jake Terrell:Yes... yes its just a trick.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir (2011)

" If word get's out before I can explain my work, it will turn into a freak show "

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. ****