The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Paul Gallico (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 December 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Hell, Upside Down

Plot:

A group of passengers struggle to survive and escape, when their ocean liner completely capsizes at sea.

Plot Keywords:

Tidal Wave | Passenger | Survivor | Ocean Liner | Fire

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Reverend Scott
Ernest Borgnine	...	Det. Lt. Mike Rogo
Red Buttons	...	Martin
Carol Lynley	...	Nonnie
Roddy McDowall	...	Acres
Stella Stevens	...	Linda Rogo
Shelley Winters	...	Belle Rosen
Jack Albertson	...	Manny Rosen
Pamela Sue Martin	...	Susan
Arthur O'Connell	...	Chaplain
Eric Shea	...	Robin
Fred Sadoff	...	Linarcos
Sheila Allen	...	Nurse (as Sheila Mathews)
Jan Arvan	...	Doctor
Byron Webster	...	Purser

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | Iceland:16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:PG (PCA #23341) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Kent Productions

Trivia:

Some of the pre-capsize sequences were shot aboard the Queen Mary, including the opening storm sequence, the pre-disaster scenes in the staterooms and hallways, the scenes above decks, and an early scene in the engine room.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The rope that is used to swim underwater to the engine room is clearly secured, via hooks, in several places.

Quotes:

Captain Harrison: Oh, my God!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Space Mutiny (#9.20)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

The Song From The Poseidon Adventure (The Morning After)

The #1 70s disaster movie that started it all

The 1970's were the heyday of disaster films and this was one of the better ones. An overacting all-star cast graced the screen in all of them. THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE was the very first big-budget moneymaker that spawned a whole slew of knock-offs involving tidal waves, fires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes. It is also arguably the best. Producer Irwin Allen was the mastermind behind most of them, known for spending millions of dollars on special effects and his big-name stars.

A simple plot: a tidal wave knocks a ship upside down and a handful of survivors have to climb to the bottom of the ship at the surface before the ship sinks. They are led by a fanatical preacher (Gene Hackman) who conflicts with an ex-cop (Ernest Borgnine) and his ex-hooker wife (Stella Stevens). Jack Albertson (WILLY WONKA) and Shelley Winters are an elderly Jewish couple who are on their way to see their new grandchild. Pamela Sue Martin (TV's Nancy Drew) and Eric Shea (like Bobby Brady, but more annoying) are brother and sister on their way to meet their parents. Roddy McDowall (a fantastic actor) is wasted as a ship hand who dies rather quick. Red Buttons (PETE'S DRAGON) is an elderly gentleman who helps the ship's lounge singer (Carol Lynley) retain her sanity. Arthur O'Connell is a strict reverend who refuses to go along with Hackman. Leslie Nielsen makes a cameo as the ship's captain who dies during the tidal wave.

The cast really isn't very important, it's the special effects and on-going tension that makes the film so much fun. I absolutely love the claustrophobic and wet feeling that is so important to the execution of the film. While a lot of the acting hasn't aged well (Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine are especially guilty of overacting!), the special effects aren't too cheesy and the entire set of the ship is wonderfully well-made, still standing as an achievement on its own. Lots of unintentional humor abounds (the obese Shelley Winters swimming underwater, displaying her underpants clinging to her bulbous buttocks), which makes the viewing experience all the more enjoyable. The theme song, "The Morning After", won an Oscar and is rather lightweight, but highly listenable.

THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE definitely does have some twists and turns that surprise the viewer (not everyone gets out alive) and holds the audience's attention throughout the entire thing, even though things do get a little soap opera-ish at times. This makes a great double bill with THE TOWERING INFERNO, which I find a better picture, but POSEIDON is a very fun viewing and is, if anything, a great movie to watch if you have 2 hours to kill.