ZEUS AND ROXANNE

US, 1997, 98 minutes, Colour.
Steve Gutenberg, Kathleen Quinlan, Arnold Vosloo, Dawn Mc Millan, Miko Hughes.
Directed by George Miller.

Zeus is a rather odd-looking dog. Roxanne is a dolphin who had been in captivity but was being let loose in the ocean. They make an interesting combination – especially as the screenplay posits that they can communicate with each other.

This is a very light film for family audiences and children who enjoy films about dogs as well as films about dolphins. Steve Gutenberg (the Police Academy films, Three Men and a Baby and other comedies) is a composer, a widower, staying at the coast with his son, played by Miko Hughes. Next door is a marine biologist, played by Kathleen Quinlan, with two daughters.

The film is fairly straightforward – the dog interferes with the next-door-neighbours, chasing their cat and wreaking havoc. However, Zeus also follows the marine biologist and her assistant onto their boat and communicates with the dolphin. The marine biology team are clashing with the head of the organisation, played by Arnold Vosloo (who was to be the villain in the first two Mummy films).

The son and the daughters become friends, try to manipulate an arrangement between their parents – resisted at first by the parents. However, there are various difficulties, especially with the head of the organisation trying to get rid of Zeus and also to control Roxanne while doing his own research on sharks.

There is some slapstick comedy. There is some romance. And there are plenty of close-up shots of dog and dolphin.

The film was directed by George Miller, Scottish-born but working in Australian television during the 1970s and 80s, who made a breakthrough in film direction with The Man from Snowy River. He then went to the United States and directed many television films.

1. The title? A dog and a dolphin? Their behaviour, communication – credible or not?

2. Audiences who love films about dogs, about dolphins? Satisfying?

3. The coast, the beach, the ocean? The atmosphere of the sea, marine biologists and their work?

4. Terry and Jordan? With Zeus? Terri trying to compose his rock opera? Jordan and his age? Zeus and the chasing of the cat? The introduction to the Dunhill family? Terry and his awkwardness, trying to replant the flowers?

5. Mary Beth, her daughters? Her work, her assistant? The clashes with Claude? Claude and his wanting to control their work? His sinister attitudes? His two assistants and their wariness of him?

6. Mary Beth, antagonism towards Zeus, seeing him communicate with Roxanne? Getting an agreement that she be able to do further tests with Roxanne?

7. The children, their playing together, becoming friends? The parents and their disciplining of their children? The girls skateboarding? Their playing cards and Jordan winning? The plan for their parents?

8. Terry and Mary Beth, going out, talking, sharing? Falling in love? Not wanting to be manipulated by the children?

9. The crises with Zeus, Claude trying to get rid of him? The difficulties with Roxanne, the nets under the water? Her being injured? Mary Beth and her taking Jordan in the submarine? Claude explaining the submarine to her – in the hopes of cashing in on her application for a grant?

10. The final crises, the rescue of Zeus? The rescue of Roxanne? The happy ending – and the wedding, with the information about the grant arriving in the middle of the wedding?

11. An entertaining film for a family, for the children, for adults who enjoy animal films?