Soylent Green (1973)

In an overpopulated futuristic Earth, a New York police detective finds himself marked for murder by government agents when he gets too close to a bizarre state secret involving the origins of a revolutionary and needed new foodstuff.

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Stanley R. Greenberg (screenplay), Harry Harrison (novel)

Stars:

Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Connors

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlton Heston	...	Detective Thorn
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Shirl
Chuck Connors	...	Tab Fielding
Joseph Cotten	...	William R. Simonson
Brock Peters	...	Chief Hatcher
Paula Kelly	...	Martha
Edward G. Robinson	...	Sol Roth
Stephen Young	...	Gilbert
Mike Henry	...	Kulozik
Lincoln Kilpatrick	...	The Priest
Roy Jenson	...	Donovan
Leonard Stone	...	Charles
Whit Bissell	...	Gov. Santini
Celia Lovsky	...	The Exchange Leader
Dick Van Patten	...	Usher #1

Storyline

In 2022, Earth is overpopulated and totally polluted; the natural resources have been exhausted and the nourishment of the population is provided by Soylent Industries, a company that makes a food consisting of plankton from the oceans. In New York, when Soylent's member of the board William R. Simonson is murdered apparently by a burglar at the Chelsea Towers West where he lives, efficient Detective Thorn is assigned to investigate the case with his partner Solomon "Sol" Roth. Thorn comes to the fancy apartment and meets Simonson's bodyguard Tab Fielding and the "furniture" (woman that is rented together with the flat) Shirl and the detective concludes that the executive was not victim of burglary but executed. Further, he finds that the Governor Santini and other powerful men want to disrupt and end Thorn's investigation. But Thorn continues his work and discovers that the oceans have been exhausted and the bizarre and disturbing secret of the ingredient used to manufacture Soylent ...

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Plot Keywords:

food | new york city | murder | police | starving | 

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Taglines:

What is the secret of Soylent Green?

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Genres:

Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

9 May 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Soleil vert

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Sports Arena - 3939 S. Figueroa Street, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film's opening prologue states: "The Year: 2022. The Place: New York City. The Population: 40,000,000".

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Goofs

When Thorne is talking to Sol in the "suicide facility", at one point the inter-phone starts malfunctioning and the "speaking permitted" light starts to blink. If you look at the cable coming out from the lower-left corner of the device, you'll notice that they are obviously alternating two still frames to achieve the blinking effect, as it jumps erratically from one position to another.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Voice over PA: First stage removal. First stage removal. Streets prohibited to non-permits in one hour. Streets prohibited to non-permits in one hour.

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Connections

Referenced in Thirst (1979)

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Soundtracks

"Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46: I. 'Morning'"
Edvard Grieg

User Reviews

WOW

I saw Soylent Green back in 1973 when it was first released and maybe another eight times over the years on T.V. or video. It was always one of my favorite sci-fi and/or Charlton Heston films.

Recently, the Egyptian theater in L.A. had a twelve film Charlton Heston retrospective. I flew in from out of state to see six of the films over a two day period. Soylent Green looked great on the large Egyptian screen with a perfect new print. From its opening montage to the going home scene to the great ending the film was fantastic.

Charlton Heston as a cop who lives in a dog eat dog world with few natural resources left and no understanding as to how the world used to be and Eddie Robinson as a man who remembers the past are both great.

Their chemistry together is wonderful. The film also looks so much better in a great 35mm print. Fleisher really knows how to fill the screen,and the cinematoraphy, writing, music used, and everything about it works. The film is also very powerful in its bleak and very possible view of the future. Just think how the world population grew, the rain forest that disappeared, resources used up, green house effect getting worse since 1973. I just wonder why this film has not played in theaters all these years. Its reputation should be better.

Speaking of reputations, often people speak as if Charlton Heston is not a great actor. Seeing him in El-Cid, Soylent Green, The Warlord, The Omega Man, Will Penny, and Major Dundee back to back I am convinced he is one of our best actors. Of course he made about a dozen other great films and for those that care you know what they are.