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IMDbPro

Ship of Fools

  • 1965
  • Not Rated
  • 2h 29m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.5K
YOUR RATING
Ship of Fools (1965)
Home Video Trailer from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Play trailer3:32
1 Video
86 Photos
DramaRomanceWar

A varied group of passengers boarding a ship bound for pre-WWII Germany represents a microcosm of early 1930s society.A varied group of passengers boarding a ship bound for pre-WWII Germany represents a microcosm of early 1930s society.A varied group of passengers boarding a ship bound for pre-WWII Germany represents a microcosm of early 1930s society.

  • Director
    • Stanley Kramer
  • Writers
    • Katherine Anne Porter
    • Abby Mann
  • Stars
    • Vivien Leigh
    • Simone Signoret
    • José Ferrer
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    6.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Stanley Kramer
    • Writers
      • Katherine Anne Porter
      • Abby Mann
    • Stars
      • Vivien Leigh
      • Simone Signoret
      • José Ferrer
    • 85User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 5 wins & 13 nominations total

    Videos1

    Ship of Fools
    Trailer 3:32
    Watch Ship of Fools

    Photos86

    Gila Golan in Ship of Fools (1965)
    Christiane Schmidtmer in Ship of Fools (1965)
    José Ferrer in Ship of Fools (1965)
    George Segal in Ship of Fools (1965)
    Elizabeth Ashley in Ship of Fools (1965)
    Lee Marvin in Ship of Fools (1965)
    "Ship Of Fools" Vivien Leigh 1965 Columbia
    George Segal and BarBara Luna at an event for Ship of Fools (1965)
    Buddy Hackett and his wife Sherry Cohen At the "Ship of Fools" Premiere
    Vivien Leigh and Lee Marvin in Ship of Fools (1965)
    Vivien Leigh and Lee Marvin in Ship of Fools (1965)
    Vivien Leigh and Lee Marvin in Ship of Fools (1965)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Vivien Leigh
    Vivien Leigh
    • Mary Treadwell
    Simone Signoret
    Simone Signoret
    • La Condesa
    José Ferrer
    José Ferrer
    • Rieber
    • (as Jose Ferrer)
    Lee Marvin
    Lee Marvin
    • Tenny
    Oskar Werner
    Oskar Werner
    • Dr. Schumann
    Elizabeth Ashley
    Elizabeth Ashley
    • Jenny
    George Segal
    George Segal
    • David
    José Greco
    José Greco
    • Pepe
    • (as Jose Greco)
    Michael Dunn
    Michael Dunn
    • Glocken
    Charles Korvin
    Charles Korvin
    • Capt. Thiele
    Heinz Rühmann
    Heinz Rühmann
    • Lowenthal
    • (as Heinz Ruehmann)
    Lilia Skala
    Lilia Skala
    • Frau Hutten
    BarBara Luna
    BarBara Luna
    • Amparo
    Christiane Schmidtmer
    Christiane Schmidtmer
    • Lizzi
    Alf Kjellin
    Alf Kjellin
    • Freytag
    Werner Klemperer
    Werner Klemperer
    • Lt. Huebner
    John Wengraf
    John Wengraf
    • Graf
    Olga Fabian
    Olga Fabian
    • Frau Schmitt
    • Director
      • Stanley Kramer
    • Writers
      • Katherine Anne Porter
      • Abby Mann
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Vivien Leigh was subject to bouts of depression and alcoholism and was abrasive to fellow actors. There was a rocky start to her relationship with Lee Marvin, complaining about his stale alcohol breath. Eventually, the two became highly unlikely good friends.
    • Goofs
      Although set in 1933, the hairstyles and costumes are decidedly mid-1960s.
    • Quotes

      Rieber: Lowenthal, you know it is a historical fact that the Jews are the basis of our misfortunes.

      Lowenthal: Of course.

      Rieber: You agree?

      Lowenthal: Of course. The Jews and the bicycle riders.

      Rieber: The bicycle riders? Why the bicycle riders?

      Lowenthal: Why the Jews?

    • Connections
      Edited into Catalogue of Ships (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Heute abend geh'n wir bummeln auf der Reeperbahn
      Music by Ernest Gold

      Lyrics by Jack Lloyd

    User reviews85

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    The Love Boat as told by Ambrose Bierce
    A modernist morality tale with several different dark, sardonic stories. It creates a strange mood with its post WWII sensibility superimposed on pre-Nazi German culture. It's like The Love Boat as told by Ambrose Bierce. The best story revolves around Oskar Werner as he takes care of Simone Signoret. He sits at her bedside and listens with his head at a ridiculous angle to show his complete understanding - their situations are parallel, but their compositions are worlds apart. His slow slide into oblivion is fascinating to watch.

    But the best performance belongs to Vivien Leigh in her final film role. She is absolutely stunning as "the 46-year old coquette" (as Werner Klemperer puts it). It's a terrible tragedy that she was not able to make very many movies in her career.

    However, I have never cared for George Segal or Elizabeth Ashley and they weaken the film - particularly Segal who seems overmatched by the other members of the cast. But I did enjoy the rest of the movie and it's well worth getting through their story to see it.
    helpful•27
    8
    • stills-6
    • Sep 15, 1999

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1, 1965 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Das Narrenschiff
    • Filming locations
      • Hollywood, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Stanley Kramer Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 29 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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