Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 1957 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Roxy: 19 April 1957. U.S. release: April 1957. U.K. release: 10 June 1957. Australian release: 4 July 1957. 10,000 feet. 111 minutes.NOTES: Loren's first English-language film. Robert Mitchum was originally slated to play the lead, but bowed out "due to other commitments". Ladd was a frantic, last-minute replacement. Although he received an enormous fee, $275,000, Ladd did nothing but complain once he arrived in Athens and saw the actual set-up. Of course, he had reason. Sophia Loren was using the film to boost an international reputation as Italy's new sex symbol, her expansive physique advertised to be bigger and broader and more sumptuous than the considerable attributes of Gina Lollobrigida. Ladd, who stood only about 5 feet, 4 inches, was amazed when he first met Loren; no one had told him he would be acting with a giantess (albeit she stands only about 5 feet, 8 inches or so in her bare feet). She was almost a head taller and their love scenes together had to be framed as special two-shots. At one point, the two walk along a beach. So that Ladd would appear taller, a trench was dug for Loren to walk in, a scene that embarrassed Ladd and made him even more distant from cast and crew, especially from Loren. Director Negulesco played all the scenes to the Italian sexpot's advantage, particularly her diving sequences where she grabs the hem of her skirt, tucks it between her legs and pins it, then dives into the water and emerges dripping wet, her voluptuous heavy-breasted body clearly outlined, a shot that would be used in the film's promotion and make Loren the rage not only for this season but for many seasons to come. Ladd refused to be anything but polite to Loren who later claimed he was her only leading man who refused to become her friend. When they posed for publicity shots, he was cold and indifferent. To Ladd, Loren was a talent-less opportunist who was using him as a prop to establish a career in American movies. By picture's end, Ladd felt that the film had been a mistake, at least for him, and he blamed the director for handing the film over to Loren. "Negulesco fell in love with her," he told a columnist, "so she got all the good closeups." Negative cost: $3½ million. Worldwide rental gross: approx. $6 million.VIEWER'S GUIDE: Despite all the sexpot publicity, the contemporary British censor ruled that the film was suitable for "Universal Exhibition".COMMENT: Scenery — that's what BOAD is all about, principally the scenery provided by Miss Sophia Loren, but also the scenery of Greece and the Aegean Isles captured in the on-location CinemaScope camera. The story and the other players take a distinct 3rd and 4th place to these two prime requisites, now one, now the other vying for our attention — Miss Loren wins, rarely was an American film debut for a European star so auspicious and never did it completely swamp — aside from the locale — all other aspects of the production.The other players were doubtless after Negulesco's head for at times even the music score seems to get much more attention than the cast (of course in the TV print matters are even worse, instead of just being on the sidelines, now they're often not in the picture at all! The cropped print relentlessly focuses on Miss Loren whom it must be admitted looks terrific and smolders most attractively). Clifton Webb has a few mild moments in what should have been a tailor-made part; and while Alex Minotis and Laurence Naismith and the little boy get a bit of an innings, poor old Alan Ladd is allowed to come off 2nd, 3rd or 4th best depending on how many other players are with him in a particular scene. The CinemaScope camera doesn't treat his age too kindly either, whereas it seems to be positively in love with Miss Loren.Aside from his obvious love for the landscape and Loren, Negulesco's direction is rather loose and light-handed, and, whilst unobtrusive, also dramatically ineffective. Of course the script does not present much in the way of conflict and there is very little action or dramatic tension. The initial premise of the plot has promise, but it just ambles its way from one half-hearted and/or perfunctory situation to another and then reaches a predictable but dramatically unsatisfying conclusion.OTHER VIEWS: Ladd makes a late entrance and in the meantime we are treated to some of the most wearisome dialogue and hammiest acting. Loren screeches away like a fishwife and her supporting players do little to help. Ladd doesn't improve things much either and his fans are going to be disappointed by the signal lack of action in the movie. Even the promised knife fight doesn't materialize. All Mr. Ladd tackles is Miss Loren — right at the fade-out. Only Clifton Webb (who is given some of his usual sardonic dialogue) and the Greek locations emerge with any honor from what is otherwise a most pedestrianly directed and boringly devised piece of old rubbish. The music score deserves a better film. Even Athens looks unattractive. As for Miss Loren... well even her fans will surely cringe once she opens her mouth! — JHR writing as George Addison.

dougdoepke Ladd and Webb compete in salvaging from undersea an ancient Greek statue of a boy on a dolphin. The movie is best seen as a travelogue of the Greek Isles that includes some stunning Technicolor sunsets. And for guys given to the Hollywood religion of mammary worship, there's goddess Sophia Loren in a wet T-shirt before there were wet T-shirts. Happily, these are natural sights to glory in, including the many colorful glimpses of local Greek customs. At the same time, forget the story, which is left to drift around rather aimlessly. I never could figure it out, probably because the thread is too often left to dangle. But I don't blame director Negulesco for preferring the natural attractions to a limp narrative.The usual knock on the movie is miscasting the diminutive Alan Ladd opposite the Amazonian Loren. But I doubt that even a towering masculine presence would have salvaged the badly strung out screenplay. Still, it's sort of fun in a perverse way to see how the camera finesses the height disparity, usually by having one or both sit during their conversations together. Whatever, he lacked in height, however, Ladd could project a strong presence when necessary, which unfortunately doesn't appear the case here.All in all, it's an over-long two hours strictly for fans of the Greek Isles and the early Loren.

thetods The visuals in this movie of Greece and its islands are simply beautiful, like a travelogue. It is interesting to see some of these places before tourists overran them. Sophia Loren and Clifton Webb are at their best but Allan Ladd seems disinterested all the way through it. Boy on a Dolphin is available in Australia through Bounty Entertainment. It is in CinemaScope format but the colour is a bit faded in parts, the print not having been restored. There are no extras. Bounty has a few other very rare Fox titles, including King of the Khyber Rifles and Soldier of Fortune, also both in their original CinemaScope. The prints of the latter two are both very good.

merlinfarms I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out and then again, years later on t.v. I had the good fortune to tape it onto video as I don't think it can be found in any video stores. I really enjoy this movie as the story is engaging and the location shots are beautiful. Sophia Loren does a fantastic job of portraying a vibrant, headstrong, passionate woman on a mission. I've always liked Clifton Webb and thought he did a typically tight, professional turn as an arrogant, proud art dealer immersed in his own inflated sense of superiority and worldliness. Alan Ladd as Dr. Caulder of the museum in Athens is the low point for me as I never found him to be a particularly good actor. He does okay in this movie but doesn't really fill the screen with great charisma. The soundtrack and the title song are fabulous - at times lilting, haunting, and fun. I find myself humming the title theme for hours after watching the movie. How I often know whether I like a movie or not is if I want to jump into the story and "be there". I definitely would want to "be there".