Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969)

Some survivors of a drowning ship are rescued by Captain Nemo and his submarine crew. They are taken to an underwater city, where they may be trapped for the rest of their lives.

Director:

James Hill

Writers:

Pip Baker, Jane Baker,

Stars:

Robert Ryan, Chuck Connors, Nanette Newman

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Ryan	...	Captain Nemo
Chuck Connors	...	Senator Robert Fraser
Nanette Newman	...	Helena Beckett
Luciana Paluzzi	...	Mala
John Turner	...	Joab
Bill Fraser	...	Barnaby Bath
Kenneth Connor	...	Swallow Bath
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Lomax
Christopher Hartstone	...	Phillip Beckett
Ian Ramsey	...	Adam
John Moore	...	Skipper
Anthony Bailey	...	Sailor
Alan Barry	...	Sailor
Vincent Harding	...	Mate Navigator

Storyline

Some survivors of a drowning ship are rescued by Captain Nemo and his submarine crew. They are taken to an underwater city, where they may be trapped for the rest of their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

submarine | captain nemo | undersea city | rescue from drowning | rescue | 

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Taglines:

Inspired by JULES VERNE

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Genres:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 1969 (UK)

Also Known As:

Kapitän Nemo

Filming Locations:

Off Malta, Mediterranean Sea

Company Credits

Production Co:

Omnia Pictures Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nanette Newman was only cast after couple of actress including a Bond Girl passed.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the movie a ship is supposedly swaying in rough winds, but the bell is not swaying and drops of water are falling down straight.

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Quotes

Swallow Bath: [after rejecting an offer by the panicky Mr. Lomax to attempt to escape] I thought you wanted to leave.
Barnaby Bath: But not with that one. To get out of this place is going to take a very cool head. And that one's nearly lost his already.

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Connections

Follows Mysterious Island (1961)

User Reviews

Yet another example why people suck...

Despite having Captain Nemo and the Nautilus, this does not appear to be a sequel or prequel to "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea". Instead, it takes a few story elements and weaves an all-new tale--one where Nemo seems like a pretty cool guy and all the people from the Earth's surface are total jerks! Talk about role reversals!

The film begins during the US Civil War. A ship from America to England is foundering in a storm. Eventually, when it sinks, six of the passengers are rescued by a passing submarine--Nemo and his Nautilus. At first Nemo is very brusque and gloomy, but soon he warms up to the passengers--announcing they are on their way to Nemo's underwater paradise. And the place IS terrific--like Heaven on Earth. Yet despite the people being kind and the city being paradise, most of the rescued people behave like boorish jerks. Two only see ways to exploit the city and cannot appreciate anything of its beauty. One is an angry claustrophobe who tries to destroy the city simply because he will not be allowed to return home since Nemo wants to keep the city a secret. Another is a Senator who is on a diplomatic mission and he insists on completing his mission--even though his country is in the middle of annihilating itself. And the final two are a mother and child who don't seem like total jerks! There is quite a bit to like about this fantasy film. I much prefer seeing a kinder, gentler Nemo and his hopeful vision for the future. Plus for 1969, the special effects and underwater scenes are pretty nice (aside from the silly monster). And, the story and acting are pretty good. My biggest complaint about the film are the characters from the surface. While it is hard to believe that they would not love this wonderful kingdom, the fact that they seem so unreal--like caricatures--that bothered me. Again and again, they were offered kindness and friendship yet they acted horribly--and for little discernible reason. Greed alone did not explain all this, though the film does amply illustrate that humans suck. I which these people had been more complex--it might have made the film a lot more enjoyable. However, despite this, the movie is a nice adventure--well worth seeing.

By the way, at one point in the film, Nemo tells the guests that they are 10,000 leagues under the surface. Judging by the types of fish you see and the few scenes where you can see light from the surface, the city (if it were real) is about 100 feet or less from the surface.