“Les Hommes de la baleine, shot around the same time John Huston was filming Moby Dick, robs the American movie of its justifications” (Eric Rohmer). It is “a documentary of extraordinary interest: this film shows us that in a few of the Azores islands whale hunting with a harpoon is still practiced today like it was in the times of Moby Dick” (André Bazin). “While Mario was abroad in his role as ‘crank turner’ for Connaissance du Monde, Henri Colpi was editing the short of the film-conference and Marker was writing the commentary for it. On his return, Mario found the film complete, the inspiration of which did not seem to correspond at all with his […] but Mario, the good prince he was, demonstrated his satisfaction afterwards since the critics had applauded this partnership” (Anatole Dauman in Souvenir-écran). Quoting Flaherty, Ruspoli was able to make viewers live “the greatest death on earth” through film. Rohmer wrote: “The standard suspense of fictional films is replaced with a sense of insecurity created by the unsteadiness of the camera and its abrupt décadrage when the beast hurls against the fragile boat. We must admire the audacity of the cameraman and the intelligent framing of the images chosen”