Those wild and crazy late 60s
Released in 1967, "The Day the Fish Came Out" was the next film of director/writer Mihalis Kakogiannis after his acclaimed "Zorba the Greek" (1964). This is a cautionary cold war satire that includes elements of "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming," "Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb," "Village of the Giants" and the goofier James Bond flicks of the 60s-70s, e.g. "Thunderball" and "Diamonds Are Forever."
THE PLOT: After NATO plane goes down near a desolate Greek island, the two British pilots wander around in their underwear trying to find the dangerous nuclear cargo they unloaded. Also looking for the weapons is an Air Force team that comes to the island masquerading as hotel entrepreneurs. The pilots mistake them as a group of gay guys due to their gaudy apparel and lack of female companionship. Once word gets out that the island may be the next hotspot, vacationers start flocking to the island in droves. The tourists include a man-crazy blonde (Candice Bergen) who sets her eyes on a member of the Air Force team. Meanwhile, a peasant couple find the most dangerous part of the cargo and threaten to contaminate the environment when they insist on opening it.
I saw this film a couple times on TV as a kid (at least the last hour or so) and it left a lasting impression. Seeing it again recently, it holds up pretty well. The build-up is a bit too long because the story doesn't really get compelling until the final 40 minutes, but the final act is worth the wait. Besides, the film is still fairly entertaining even during the slow build-up. I had a few giggles.
Some people have complained about the dancing & clothing of the vacationers and the Air Force Team, but the film depicts events in the near future. The year 1972 would've seemed futuristic in 1966 when the film was made. The strange dancing and apparel must be viewed with this in mind. Besides, these elements and the wild music are part of the film's charm in the same way that the dancing, apparel and music of "Village of the Giants" (1965) makes it so worthwhile (despite its badness).
The theme of the flick is that humanity is progressing too fast for our own good because we are yet too primitive & flawed to handle our great developments in technology, such as atomic power. The idea of trying too hard to progress can be observed in the futuristic apparel of the characters, including the amusingly uber-mod fashions of the military personnel. Meanwhile the Neanderthal-ness can be seen in the two expert Air Force pilots running around the island in their underwear, as well as the destitute rural family living in primitive shack.
The supposed gay subtext is not actually there, except as a minor joke. After all, the males longingly ogle Electra (Candice Bergen), not other dudes; and there are more than a few scenes of hetero love-making and zero otherwise. Furthermore, the dancing in the last act is between males and females, not males and males. Not to mention a gay slur is spoken when an officer misinterprets something. Needless to say, the idea that the movie’s gay-friendly is a myth.
If you have a taste for wacky late 60s or early 70's cinema, "The Day the Fish Came Out" is a must. There's really nothing else quite like it. And those final 40 minutes are great. Too bad it takes an hour and 8 minutes to get there.
The film was shot on location in Greece.
GRADE: B+