Home
search
more | tips
SHOP ON THE BEACH
Amazon.com Amazon.ca Amazon.co.uk Amazon.de Amazon.fr
IMDb > On the Beach (1959)
On the Beach
[Add to My Movies]
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglinestrailers and videospostersphoto gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

On the Beach (1959)

advertisement
Register or login to rate this title
User Rating: 7.4/10 (3,497 votes)
Photos (see all 10 | slideshow)

Overview

Director:
Stanley Kramer
Writers:
Nevil Shute (novel)
John Paxton (writer)
more
Release Date:
17 December 1959 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Sci-Fi more
Plot:
The residents of Australia after a global nuclear war must come to terms with the fact that all life will be destroyed in a matter of months. full summary | full synopsis (warning! may contain spoilers)
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Stanley Kramer Dead At 87 (From Studio Briefing. 20 February 2001)
Film Composer Gold Dies At 77 (From Studio Briefing. 30 March 1999)
User Comments:
The last shore more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)

Gregory Peck ... Cmdr. Dwight Lionel Towers, USS Sawfish

Ava Gardner ... Moira Davidson

Fred Astaire ... Julian Osborne

Anthony Perkins ... Lt. Cmdr. Peter Holmes, Royal Australian Navy
Donna Anderson ... Mary Holmes
John Tate ... Adm. Bridie
Harp McGuire ... Lt. Sunderstrom (ashore in San Diego)
Lola Brooks ... Lt. Hosgood (Bridie's secretary)
Ken Wayne ... Lt. Benson
Guy Doleman ... Lt. Cmdr. Farrel
Richard Meikle ... Davis
John Meillon ... Ralph Swain (ashore in San Francisco)
Joe McCormick ... Ackerman (radiation sickness)
Lou Vernon ... Bill Davidson (Moira's father)
Kevin Brennan ... Dr. King (radiation diagnosis)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
134 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #19372) | Germany:16 | Australia:PG
MOVIEmeter: ?
^ 10% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
According to Philip R. Davey, author of the book "When Hollywood Came to Melbourne: The Story of the Making of Stanley Kramer's 'On The Beach'", director Stanley Kramer experienced many problems with the thousands of bathers who stood in shoulder-deep water to watch the proceedings, and who applauded the cast after each take. Their enthusiasm was gratifying in this respect if not in others, such as when thousands of people began crowding forward to get a closer look at Ava Gardner, they repeatedly moved into camera range, thus necessitating many frustrating retakes. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: Farm in Harkaway. Dwight returns to Moira, Julian rolls in in the Monza. Being August in Victoria the sun is too steep. Must have been filmed on a summer day. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Dwight Towers: Prepare to surface.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in A Conversation with Gregory Peck (1999) more
Soundtrack:
WALTZING MATILDA more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
24 out of 38 people found the following comment useful:-
The last shore, 13 June 2001
8/10
Author: dbdumonteil

The French title is "le dernier rivage"(the last shore)The intellectuals dismiss this movie in France and I've always thought they were wrong.Ava Gardner had never been better with the eventual exception of Huston's "night of the iguana".My favorite part is the central one:one of the soldiers tries to find the cause for the strange Morse signals.He crosses bleak dead San Francisco harbor (the camera takes prodigious high angle shots of him,making us share his loneliness and his hope against hope)Hope that was to be short-lived!What a symbol,this equivalent of a bottle thrown into the sea!So few special effects,ans so much emotion.Stanley Kramer's peak.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for On the Beach (1959)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
donna anderson = wow nova094
Serious subject ruined by the horrid music beavertoof
Sequel? upinthe
Everyone's calmness ThisIsRadioClash
Australian accent persuit
The 'Death Race'!! mozartmessiah
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Shelter Threads The Day After Children of Men Testament
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.