MovieChat Forums > Mozart and the Whale (2006) Discussion > Why is it called 'Mozart and the Whale'?

Why is it called 'Mozart and the Whale'?

posted 15 years ago by ironmaiden720
7 replies | jump to latest

I've yet to see this film but I just ordered it through DeepDiscount.com.

I have been interested in the title - why is it called "Mozart and the Whale"? I am a huge fan of Mozart and am wondering what he has to do with it.

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[–] robert_bond75 15 years ago

Donald and Isabelle's first date is on Halloween and they both dress up in costumes. Isabelle dresses up as Mozart while Donald wears a whale costume. Hence the title Mozart and the Whale.

[–] ironmaiden720 15 years ago

Oh I see. That is clever and great!

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[–] wholphin48 15 years ago

The female character in the movie is musically talented and based on a real-life woman ( my wife, Mary Newport) whose favorite composer is Mozart. Thanks for the question.

Jerry Newport aka The Whale

[–] phelpsg1 15 years ago

Mozart I understand, but I wasn't so clear about the whale. Donald clearly has a special interest in whales (his computer mouse-pointer looks like a whale or dolphin, for example), but I didn't understand why this was. He doesn't discuss marine ecology, etc., but for some reason does identify with whales.

[–] ironmaiden720 15 years ago

Based on all the replies, I'm guessing the first person who answered me was lying?

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[–] robert_bond75 15 years ago

Based on all the replies, I'm guessing the first person who answered me was lying?

No, I wasn't lying. In the film the first date is on Halloween. Donald dresses in a whale costume while Isabelle is dressed as Mozart.

In fact, this is apparently based on a real life encounter between Jerry and Mary Newport (the people upon whom the characters are based).

Here is a quote from an article about them:

In 1993, a UCLA psychologist finally helped her make sense of the painful turns her life had taken. The psychologist told her she had "autism/Asperger syndrome" and referred her to Jerry's self-help group.

Jerry told her about the Halloween party. She came as Mozart. He came as Willy the whale. She thought he was strange. He thought she was weird.

It was, they would soon discover, the first stirrings of love.

The article can be found here:
http://www.aspires-relationships.com/jerry_and_mary_newport.htm

[–] ironmaiden720 15 years ago

Thank you.
I just found it odd that everyone else was trying to figure out why it could've been named, "Mozart and the Whale", when a Halloween dress up party seems pretty obvious already.

I have spoken.