IMDb > Soylent Green (1973)
Soylent Green
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Soylent Green (1973) More at IMDbPro »

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Soylent Green (1973) -- Trailer for this classic sci-fi thriller
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Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   14,079 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Richard Fleischer
Writers:
Stanley R. Greenberg (screenplay)
Harry Harrison (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for Soylent Green on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 May 1973 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller more
Tagline:
It's the year 2022... People are still the same. They'll do anything to get what they need. And they need SOYLENT GREEN.
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
3 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(20 articles)
Badasses of Horror: Part Two
 (From Fangoria. 9 November 2009, 6:30 AM, PST)
AFI's 100 Years ...100 Movie Quotes
 (From Extra. 4 November 2009, 4:45 AM, PST)
User Comments:
A smart sci-fi with an engaging vision of the future more (181 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Charlton Heston ... Thorn

Leigh Taylor-Young ... Shirl
Chuck Connors ... Tab
Joseph Cotten ... Simonson

Brock Peters ... 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 ... Santini
Celia Lovsky ... The Exchange Leader

Dick Van Patten ... Usher #1
Morgan Farley ... Book #1
John Barclay ... Book #2
Belle Mitchell ... Book #3
Cyril Delevanti ... Book #4
Forrest Wood ... Attendant
Faith Quabius ... Attendant
Jane Dulo ... Mrs. Santini
Tim Herbert ... Brady
John Dennis ... Wagner
Jan Bradley ... Bandana Woman
Carlos Romero ... New Tenant
Pat Houtchens ... Fat Guard
Joyce Williams ... The Furniture Girls
Erica Hagen ... The Furniture Girls
Beverly Gill ... The Furniture Girls
Suesie Eejima ... The Furniture Girls
Cheri Howell ... The Furniture Girls
Kathy Silva ... The Furniture Girls
Jennifer King ... The Furniture Girls
Marion Charles ... The Furniture Girls
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Ito ... Shoe Seller (uncredited)
Ida Mae McKenzie ... Woman Calling for Revolution (uncredited)
Richard Sterne ... TV Announcer (uncredited)
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Directed by
Richard Fleischer 
 
Writing credits
Stanley R. Greenberg (screenplay)

Harry Harrison (novel "Make Room! Make Room!")

Produced by
Walter Seltzer .... producer
Russell Thacher .... producer
 
Original Music by
Fred Myrow 
 
Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Samuel E. Beetley 
 
Casting by
Jack Baur 
 
Art Direction by
Edward C. Carfagno 
 
Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton  (as Robert Benton)
 
Costume Design by
Pat Barto 
 
Makeup Department
Bud Westmore .... makeup artist
Sherry Wilson .... hair styles
 
Production Management
Lloyd Anderson .... unit production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gene Marum .... second assistant director
Daniel McCauley .... assistant director (as Daniel S. McCauley)
 
Art Department
Terry Ballard .... property master
 
Sound Department
Harry W. Tetrick .... sound
Charles M. Wilborn .... sound
Van Allen James .... sound editor (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Robert R. Hoag .... special photographic effects
Augie Lohman .... special visual effects (as A. J. Lohman)
Matthew Yuricich .... special photographic effects
 
Stunts
Denny Arnold .... stunts (uncredited)
May Boss .... stunts (uncredited)
Joe Canutt .... stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Canutt .... stunt double: Charlton Heston (uncredited)
Larry Duran .... stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Stephanie Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Tony Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Fritz Ford .... stunts (uncredited)
Ralph Garrett .... stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron .... stunts (uncredited)
Kim Kahana .... stunts (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti .... stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Paul .... stunts (uncredited)
Dick Warlock .... stunts (uncredited)
Ted White .... stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norman A. Burza .... costumer (as Norman Burza)
Betsy Cox .... costumer
 
Music Department
Gerald Fried .... symphony music conductor
 
Other crew
Frank R. Bowerman .... technical consultant: Director of Environmental Engineering Programs, University of Southern California & President, American Academy of Environmental Engineers (as Professor Frank R. Bowerman)
Joe Canutt .... action sequence coordinator
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
97 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | France:U | UK:15 (DVD rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:16 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Canada:PG | Finland:K-18 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16
Filming Locations:
Los Angeles Sports Arena - 3939 S. Figueroa Street, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, USA more
Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Edward G. Robinson was almost totally deaf when he made this movie, and only able to hear anyone if they spoke directly into his ear. Because of this, scenes with him talking to other people had to be shot several times before he got the rhythm of the dialogue and was able to respond to people as if he could really hear them. And because he was unable to hear director Richard Fleischer yell "cut" when a scene went wrong, Robinson would often continue acting out the scene, unaware that shooting had stopped seconds earlier. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Thorne is speaking to Sol in the suicide room, as the "Speaking Permitted" light blinks on and off, the audio cord on the panel changes position. more
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.
more
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in "Futurama: Fry and the Slurm Factory (#2.4)" (1999) more
Soundtrack:
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op.74: 'Pathetique': I. Adagio - Allegro non Troppo more

FAQ

The opening montage was brilliant! Who is responsible for it?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
How closely does the movie follow the book?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
25 out of 27 people found the following comment useful.
A smart sci-fi with an engaging vision of the future, 2 April 2006
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

It is the year 2022 and nothing has changed even if things have gotten worse. New York City has become even more overpopulated and is just yet another city heaving in its own filth with countless "have-nots" fighting over sparse resources. Energy supplies are low, water is strictly controlled, living spaces are small and cramped and "real" food is a luxury reserved for the very rich. The masses do not have such luxuries and eat rationed supplies of high-nutrient processed foods from the Soylent Corporation. Detective Thorn is a "have-not" and just like everyone else is out to get what he can for himself and friend Sol Roth. Called to a burglary that became a murder, Thorn learns that the victim is a director at Soylent and suspects that all the curious thing about the crimes may be coming together to be far more than the work of some random thug.

Famous for its "shock" ending (which everyone must know and most people will guess) this film is actually more than just one scene and is actually an intelligent sci-fi detective story that has an engaging central story and a generally interesting vision of the future that is much more convincing than the one of Hollywood blockbusters and such. The investigation is solid but it is the world it happens within that is most interesting as we see a world where, surprise surprise, the poor people are left to make do while those better off can still enjoy the finer things while they remain. It is not an earth shattering view of the future but it is a convincing one and I enjoyed being in this story and seeing this world played out. Personally I bought it but it may help that I mistrust corporations anyway and believe that the poor will be the first to get shafted when anything bad happens, simply because they have less to work with.

The narrative is not the strongest though and in terms of it being a detective story it could have been better. Some viewers have complained about the lack of action, which I think is a pretty unfair accusation since it wasn't trying to be that type of film. The main characters are interesting. Thorn is a man of authority but he is just like everyone else, out to get what he can and takes advantage of others the first chance he gets. His relationship with Roth is not fully explained but it worked anyway and provided a touch of humanity. It helps that both actors did good jobs of it as well. Heston normally plays the gruff hero but here at least he allows the corruption within man's heart to come out. Robinson has less of a character but his performance is assured and is touching for reasons internal and external to the film. Support is not so good but it is less important in the smaller roles; Cotton is a nice find though.

Overall this is a famous film that is good but not without its faults. The narrative is reasonably interesting and carries the film all the way to a nice (but too well-known) conclusion but it is in the general vision of the future of a world where the people are struggling to get by with resources running low. A smart sci-fi that is well worth seeing.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Soylent Green (1973)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
*SPOILERS* Am I just a product of late 80's feminism? WDformerWB
Terrible Movie... incrowdcynic
How did Thorn know.... O_Pechey
Soylent Green... Now with more GIRLS! fishboy266
A Possible Future -- looking more and more likely buddy4000
overpopulation was a fear in 1973 pepegoldie
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