jem132 Review of On the Beach

On the Beach (1959)

The end of the world as we know it...and the film result is sublime

[9/10 · 27 August 2009]

Excellent movie with a great concept: the residents of eastern Australia must wait out for an impending nuclear cloud that has claimed the rest of the world. They know they will die, its only a matter of when. A depressing concept, yes, but a great one. One of the better examinations of coming to terms with death that I have seen on screen. I'm not a huge Stanley Kramer fan at all but I liked this film in spite of him (and the terrible overuse of "Waltzing Matilda", an Australian standard), mainly because of the exceptional acting. Ava Gardner is such an underrated actress. She infuses warmth, vulnerability, humour and weariness in her role as the woman who a grieving Gregory Peck falls for.They have electric chemistry. We also have Anthony Perkins considering suicide-- a very touchy issue for the time-- and Fred Astaire in a non-dancing role (and he does it very well). The final clinch between Gardner and Peck has to be one of the best ever.