MovieChat Forums > Le grand bleu (1988) Discussion > Surprised To Find Out

Surprised To Find Out

posted 19 years ago by Jamo57
3 replies | jump to latest

I was surprised to find out that this movie is based on actual divers Enzon and Jacques. The movie itself makes no mention of the fact that it was based on actual people (usually there is that "based on actual events" text at the beginning of a film).

I rented this from Netflix, and the sleeve made no mention either that I remember. So if it is mentioned on the DVD box, my apologies. I obviously did not receive it.

A little problem with the timeline, though. Jacques was born in 1927 and Enzo in 1931. So they weren't pre-adolescents in 1965. And that obviously makes Enzo younger, counter to his bravado at the pool before their first competition.

Loved Reno's performance of Enzo, though!

Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile .....J. Garcia/R. Hunter

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] www-imdb-com-7 18 years ago

It's only based on the characters (maybe only the names). Not the actual events or life of these guys.

[–] KeyserSoze36 18 years ago

The REAL Jacques Mayol , was the first man in the world to descend to 100 meters (330 feet), a feat he accomplished in 1976. He followed this with yet another record-breaking drop to 105 meters (346 feet) into the depths of the sea, this at the age of 56.
Jacques, born in 1927, died in Italy in December 2001, thus bringing to an end a life-long passion for diving and a strong and heartfelt dedication, becoming one with nature and the sea. He lived his life spread between his birthplace in France to Italy, Japan and South Caicos, situated in the center of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Each country was his home. The citizens of each country remember him fondly.
He collaborated in the writing and production of many documentary films celebrating the joy of freediving in the ocean and his love of and exchange with dolphins. His remarkable physical performance was a work of extreme personal effort, this enhanced by his knowledge and practice of Yoga.
Jacques Mayol was known as the ‘Dolphin Man’ due to his underwater exploits in the field of free diving along with the special relationships he developed with dolphins.