Hello Down There (1969)

A marine scientist volunteers to have his family live in a prototype underwater home to prove it's practical.

Directors:

Jack Arnold, Ricou Browning

Writers:

Art Arthur (story), John McGreevey (screenplay)

Stars:

Tony Randall, Janet Leigh, Roddy McDowall

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tony Randall	...	Fred Miller
Janet Leigh	...	Vivian Miller
Roddy McDowall	...	Nate Ashbury
Jim Backus	...	T.R. Hollister
Ken Berry	...	Mel Cheever
Charlotte Rae	...	Myrtle Ruth
Kay Cole	...	Lorrie Miller
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Harold Webster
Lou Wagner	...	Marvin Webster
Gary Tigerman	...	Tommie Miller
Arnold Stang	...	Jonah
Harvey Lembeck	...	Sonarman
Merv Griffin	...	Himself
Lee Meredith	...	Dr. Wells
Bruce Gordon	...	Adm. Sheridan

Storyline

Marine scientist Fred Miller designs the world's first underwater home, but when the business magnate funding his work threatens to end the project, Miller volunteers to live in it with his own family to prove it's practical. The underwater clan includes his water-phobic wife and his daughter and son, who are part of a rock and roll band. They bring along the lead singer and drummer. Along the way, they have to contend with a competing engineer who promises to mine the ocean floor for the businessman. A record producer likes their music and books them on TV, leading the kids to try to escape to the surface.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | underwater | band | seal the animal | family relationships | 

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Taglines:

Take a Dive with the Miller Family!

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Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 June 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sub-A-Dub-Dub

Filming Locations:

Ivan Tors Studio, Miami, Florida, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ivan Tors Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min 97 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Reissued for Saturday children's matinées under the title "Sub-A-Dub-Dub"

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Goofs

When Fred rescues Mel Cheever from the HOD, the HOD is listing badly, and sludge is pouring into the cabin from a hatch overhead. However, the sludge falls diagonally, revealing that the camera is tilted to imply the list.

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Quotes

Fred Miller: [they are in a mini-submarine] We maintain normal atmospheric pressure in here by a special mixture of Oxygen and Helium.
T.R. Hollister: Never mind the scientific lecture, Miller. Just what is this crazy project you dragged me down here to see?
Fred Miller: Mr. Hollister, this project meets the most important challenge of the future.
T.R. Hollister: Never mind the future, just give me the past. And oysters.
T.R. Hollister: There she is!
T.R. Hollister: Where?
Fred Miller: Right there. Dead ahead.
T.R. Hollister: Well, I see where is it, but what is it? It looks like a large onion.
Fred Miller: That's what we ...
[...]

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Connections

References The Merv Griffin Show (1962)

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Soundtracks

I Can Love You
Lyrics and Music by Jeff Barry
Performed by Harold and the Hang-Ups

User Reviews

Charming, Nostalgic movie

I loved this movie as a kid. My cousin and I were always allowed to stay up when it was on late night tv, just so that we could sing along to "Little Goldfish". I wish I could get this on video. The feel of this movie is very much like the popular 60's sitcoms - I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, Gilligan's Island - a little hokey, but fun in a magical way. It has great songs, which invoke Josie and the Pussycats, and other Saturday morning "rock" cartoons popular at the time. It also has an amazingly famous cast, including Dreyfuss as a teen.