Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Nice effects though.

Just perfect...

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

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.

Wow! What a wonderful film! This is the kind of adventure that takes you to another world, with all the best the film industry has to offer in every aspect. Aside from the great acting, directing, editing, and locations, the photography is most certainly one of the stars of this captivating realm. The magical music score of Hugo Friedhofer is haunting and lingers in the mind long after the film. In fact, I bought the film soundtrack years ago and still love it today! I found a source on the Internet to order a DVD of this classic adventure and urge film lovers take a ride.Enjoy!

Some films are set in very gritty surroundings such as docks or decayed warehouses, others have period settings, or need to support a sci-fi story-line. But when it is possible, most films will increase their appeal if they can provide attractive screen images to help tide viewers over occasional dull spots. Such eye candy may be land or marine scenery, architecture or people. Used at the right time, any of then can provide additional viewer enjoyment. Boy on a Dolphin, based on a novel by David Divine, is one of many films (among them Venus, Summer Lovers, and Aphrodite) which have used the magnificent scenery of the Greek Islands for this purpose. It was made by the Fox studios on location on Hydra Island in Greece, and is an adventure film about an impoverished Greek scuba diver, very vigorously played by a young Sophia Loren, who discovers a valuable classical statue she wants to see accepted as a national treasure rather than simply sold on the open market. It was filmed in colour and provides some delightful images of the scenery in this lovely part of the world; but, although there was an extremely vigorous and fiery performance by Sophia Loren, the acting of the North American cast members unfortunately left much to be desired and the overall impression after watching this film is somewhat patchy. This is sometimes blamed on the height disparity between the rather short Alan Ladd, who plays the curator of one of the museums of antiquity in Athens and the unusually tall Sophia Loren. It has been suggested that Robert Mitchum who was originally considered for the role of the museum curator, might have helped create a film which would wear better. I do not think this is fair to Director Jean Negulesco who, as I remember it, very adequately coped with any problems this difference created, and also did a wonderful job of exploiting the scenic attractions which did so much for this film. His main failure was in melding the contributions of the various cast members into a coherent story with enough sparkle and life for it to become a classic. However it was one of the top earning films at the time it was released, and was also nominated for an Oscar, so it seems probable that both Fox and those involved in making the film would have classed it as very successful.I am a visual person, and perhaps appreciate the value of eye candy more than many film-goers, but I would not give this film an IMDb Users rating of more than seven today. I would however quickly buy myself a new DVD copy if it was available. The VHS tape is no longer listed and I do feel very strongly that as a re-mastered DVD, the delightful scenery, combined with the important theme about national treasures being preserved for the enjoyment of posterity and the great performance by Sophia Loren, would be enough to ensure better sales for it than for many of the other DVD revivals which are being created in great quantities today. This is my principal reason for adding these further User Comments now.

This is an amazingly lifeless movie despite it being filmed in Greece and being Sophia Loren's first American movie. While the Greek scenery is lovely, it's obvious that the biggest reason they chose Ms. Loren for the film was because of her ample breasts. Throughout the film, but particularly in the first diving scene, they are featured very prominently and it's a very risqué piece of film work for the 1950s (sort of like the movie THE DEEP in the 1970s). And, unfortunately, she is given a role that is very inconsistent and not particularly likable. Much of the movie concerns her wanting to help steal a valuable ancient statue she accidentally discovered while sponge diving. She is, through much of the film, amoral and self-centered. And, not very convincingly, at the end, she falls for Ladd and does the right thing with the statue! Predictable but also a bit ridiculous.Now to make things worse, some boob had the bright idea of pairing Loren with Alan Ladd--one of the shortest leading men of all time and about four inches shorter than her. This meant they had to do some interesting camera-work so she wouldn't tower above him. In addition, their chemistry is, at best, tenuous despite this being a love story. There just doesn't seem to be any "spark" between them. As for Ladd, his role is pretty mellow and subdued. Apart from some scuba diving, he just doesn't do all that much in the film. The bottom line for Ladd, Loren and the rest of the characters is that the parts just weren't written all that well and the people (aside from her little brother in the film) weren't very interesting or compelling. A dull time-passer and certainly no indication of the acting ability of either of its stars.