MovieChat Forums > The Day of the Dolphin (1974) Discussion > Major goof! (SPOILERS)

Major goof! (SPOILERS)

posted 12 years ago by greg888
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I love this movie (even though at times the dialogue we're expected to believe between Terrell and Fa is really stretching it - especially at the very end). But there's a major goof that is so apparent: When Fa and Bee return after blowing up the boat with David and his cohorts, they don't have the harnesses on their backs! I don't see how Mike Nichols could have let that go - it really destroys the suspension of disbelief factor. When Fa and Bee are jumping out of the water over the gate to get home, it's a clear shot and no harnesses. There's a closeup just afterwards showing Trish Van Devere removing the harnesses, but it doesn't help things...

"Danny's not here, Mrs. Torrance"

[–] Etherdave 10 years ago

It's a goof, all right. The footage seems to be part of a shoot that was used throughout the film, including the 'demonstration' for the Franklin Foundation baddies. Trish VanDevere's brandishing of the harness is an obvious practical effect, since the previous scene, under close scrutiny, reveals neither dolphin wearing one. But films are not supposed to be viewed under this kind of close scrutiny, I think. Mike Nichols has said this was a difficult shoot, and that the crew was hard-pressed to produce what footage they produced. There is an obvious economy being applied to the film's final edit suggesting their difficulties. As goofs go however, this is, in my opinion, not terribly major.