The Deep (1977)

In Bermuda, two amateur treasure-hunting divers have a run-in with local criminals when they inadvertently discover the secret cargo of a World War II shipwreck.

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Peter Benchley (novel), Peter Benchley (screenplay)

Stars:

Jacqueline Bisset, Nick Nolte, Dick Anthony Williams

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Gail Berke
Nick Nolte	...	David Sanders
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Slake
Robert Shaw	...	Romer Treece
Earl Maynard	...	Ronald
Bob Minor	...	Wiley
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Henri Cloche (as Louis Gossett)
Eli Wallach	...	Adam Coffin
Lee McClain	...	Johnson
Robert Tessier	...	Kevin
Teddy Tucker	...	The Harbor Master

Storyline

A pair of young vacationers are involved in a dangerous conflict with treasure hunters when they discover a way into a deadly wreck in Bermuda waters. Featuring extended underwater sequences and a look into the affairs of treasure hunting. Based on the novel by Peter "Jaws" Benchley.

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Plot Keywords:

female in swimsuit | moray eel | see through clothes | nipples visible through clothing | scuba diving | 

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Taglines:

Is the treasure worth the terror? [Video Australia]

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Genres:

Adventure | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

17 June 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Tiefe

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Casablanca Filmworks, EMI Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min 176 min (special edition) (TV)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There first line of dialogue isn't spoken until eight minutes and forty seconds have passed (Blu-ray version).

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Goofs

In scene where Nick Nolte is inside the shipwreck looking at a small school of big-eyed red fish, the fish are shown upside down, then goes to Nolte (upright), then back to the fish correctly shown upright. The first clip of the fish was apparently accidentally reversed.

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Quotes

Romer Treece: You know what they say about these waters: if the Jamaican pirates don't get you, it'll be the cold embrace of the sea. And that's no lover's kiss.

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Connections

Referenced in Phelous & the Movies: Cinderella (2016)

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Soundtracks

Calypso Disco
Written by Beckett (uncredited)
Sung by Beckett
Courtesy Casablanca Records

User Reviews

Cinematic Guilty Pleasure

In spite of its many shortcomings (lazy direction, over-the-top acting, gratuitous violence, to name a few), you really HAVE to love this movie! Two years removed from the sensational release of JAWS, THE DEEP in many ways had some very big shoes to fill. For me, THE DEEP is JAWS-lite -- a kind of melodramatic, soap-opery version of JAWS. For all its flaws, allow me to wax poetic about the many virtues of this sublime cinematic guilty pleasure:

1) That amazing opening aerial montage of Bermuda - maybe the greatest opening establishing shot in the history of cinema. All the Bermuda based location work in this movie is top notch, adding a rich and handsome texture to the otherwise middling narrative.

2) Robert Shaw. While his performance is slightly overbaked (while also channeling and lazily riffing on Quint), his performance still manages to be larger than life - the delightful glue that keeps this movie together. What an amazing run he had over the last five years of his life, highlighted by THE STING in '73, THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1-2-3 in '74, JAWS in '75, BLACK Sunday in '76 and THE DEEP in '77. Amazing.

3) A 32 year old Jacqueline Bisset. As a 13 year old boy, I can assure you that she made a pretty indelible impression on me.

4) The great supporting turns from Eli Wallach and Lou Gossett, Jr.

I could go on but suffice it to say that watching this movie from time to time is sorta like taking a warm bath in the dead of winter. It's one of those movies that somehow never gets stale and always manages to entertain despite its shortcomings.