The Poseidon Adventure (1972)Salvation always requires some measure of personal investment. The Poseidon Adventure (1972) is a disaster movie about the eponymous S. S. Poseidon's tragic final voyage through the Mediterranean Sea one fateful New Year's Eve, and is capsized following a massive tidal wave. A handful of brave survivors--led by the fiery and unorthodox Reverend Frank Scott (Gene Hackman)--desperately struggle to navigate their way to the hull of the upside-down vessel in the hopes that a rescue team will find them. Their journey leads them through passages both submerged and in flames, forcing them to call upon all of their reserves to overcome this tribulation.
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The Poseidon Adventure ranks up there as one of the most beloved and popular of all disaster movies. Directed by Ronald Neame and produced by Irwin Allen--known for popular TV shows from the Sixties like "Lost in Space"--The Poseidon Adventure was made on a budget of almost five million dollars, but made over one-hundred twenty-seven million at the box office. The film's popularity is due to a combination of excellent character development, a constant line of focused tension in their battle for survival, and a talented ensemble cast. Rather than just throw a bevy of stars at the audience, the characters of The Poseidon Adventure are fleshed out and convincing, possessing real heart and humanity, even when tensions are high. Reverend Scott's primary foil in his exodus to the surface is Detective Lieutenant Mike Rogo (Ernest Borgnine), who butts heads with the preacher and his demanding urgency. Rogo sees Reverend Scott as unfeeling and impatient, while the preacher sees the detective as sluggish and careless. The survivors turn to them as the leaders of their small group, because they both come from positions of authority--a natural reaction by people in a crisis. Scott is convinced that staying behind in the main hall after the Poseidon is upended is suicide, because logic dictates that the water will eventually start to come in from what is now the bottom of the boat. Yet most of the survivors actually stay behind with the purser who decries Scott as leading the survivors away from salvation, reinforcing the idea that even when people know something to be wrong, they will follow others in charge to absolve them of responsibility if things go wrong, instead of seeking their own path to salvation. This is the crux of the sermon Reverend Scott gives to the passengers of the Poseidon, in which he proclaims that "God loves winners" and those who try to succeed, rather than those who are complacent and content to stay on their knees when they have real power to change their situation. He confesses this position has made him unpopular with the church, but it reveals much about his character and his values. For all his impatience and the appearance of being unsympathetic, Reverend Scott represents a leader who--like all of history's best leaders--leads from the vanguard and shepherds his flock away from the fire.
Almost a dozen other survivors accompany Reverend Scott and Rogo, given faith in the preacher's ability to lead them away from death. James Martin (Red Buttons) is a lonely bachelor who patiently guides the surviving singer, Nonnie (Carol Lynley), away from danger when the terror of the disaster and the loss of her brother is too much for her to bear alone. Rogo's lovely wife, Linda (Stella Stevens), has a short temper and a former prostitute, revealed during a private conversation between her and her husband. Belle Rosen (Shelley Winters) and her husband, Manny (Jack Albertson), are an elderly Jewish couple going to Israel to see their grandson, while the teenage Susan (Pamela Sue Martin) and her younger brother, Robin (Eric Shea), are en route to see their parents. When the ship capsizes, a steward with a wounded leg named Acres (Roddy McDowall) helps Reverend Scott navigate through the devastation. Each of these characters feels just like someone we might meet on a cruise ship, which makes their individual struggles and idiosyncrasies all the more poignant. The voyage of the Poseidon was intended to be its last one--the capsizing notwithstanding--with the ship being decommissioned due to being unprofitable. This is the excuse a greedy representative of the owners named Linarcos (Fred Sadoff) uses to browbeat Captain Harrison (Leslie Nielsen) into pushing forward through the dangerous waters without acquiring sufficient ballast to prevent a capsize. This also explains why poorer, working class people like James and the Rosens can afford to book passage on the luxury liner cruise. The Poseidon Adventure establishes dramatic tension through a title card at the beginning of the film that describes that the Poseidon met with a terrible tragedy, and that the film represents the story of the survivors. The Poseidon Adventure is filled with impressive set pieces, like the capsizing sequence, where the actors are slid across the set, ending up on the ceiling. Much of the set is designed to resemble an upside-down ship, creating a virtual obstacle course for the actors while deliberately disorienting the audience. One of the most impressive scenes involves Belle swimming through an underwater maze en route to the engine room in order to save Reverend Scott from drowning. It is a scene which speaks to the inner reserve of bravery in us all that we must call upon--even at the risk of our own lives--when things are at their most desperate; because you have to try when it counts, or you're doomed already.
Recommended for: Fans of a thrilling disaster movie with a diverse group of survivors portrayed by a talented cast. The talent, writing, and clever set design all work together to make The Poseidon Adventure a beloved classic of the genre.
Almost a dozen other survivors accompany Reverend Scott and Rogo, given faith in the preacher's ability to lead them away from death. James Martin (Red Buttons) is a lonely bachelor who patiently guides the surviving singer, Nonnie (Carol Lynley), away from danger when the terror of the disaster and the loss of her brother is too much for her to bear alone. Rogo's lovely wife, Linda (Stella Stevens), has a short temper and a former prostitute, revealed during a private conversation between her and her husband. Belle Rosen (Shelley Winters) and her husband, Manny (Jack Albertson), are an elderly Jewish couple going to Israel to see their grandson, while the teenage Susan (Pamela Sue Martin) and her younger brother, Robin (Eric Shea), are en route to see their parents. When the ship capsizes, a steward with a wounded leg named Acres (Roddy McDowall) helps Reverend Scott navigate through the devastation. Each of these characters feels just like someone we might meet on a cruise ship, which makes their individual struggles and idiosyncrasies all the more poignant. The voyage of the Poseidon was intended to be its last one--the capsizing notwithstanding--with the ship being decommissioned due to being unprofitable. This is the excuse a greedy representative of the owners named Linarcos (Fred Sadoff) uses to browbeat Captain Harrison (Leslie Nielsen) into pushing forward through the dangerous waters without acquiring sufficient ballast to prevent a capsize. This also explains why poorer, working class people like James and the Rosens can afford to book passage on the luxury liner cruise. The Poseidon Adventure establishes dramatic tension through a title card at the beginning of the film that describes that the Poseidon met with a terrible tragedy, and that the film represents the story of the survivors. The Poseidon Adventure is filled with impressive set pieces, like the capsizing sequence, where the actors are slid across the set, ending up on the ceiling. Much of the set is designed to resemble an upside-down ship, creating a virtual obstacle course for the actors while deliberately disorienting the audience. One of the most impressive scenes involves Belle swimming through an underwater maze en route to the engine room in order to save Reverend Scott from drowning. It is a scene which speaks to the inner reserve of bravery in us all that we must call upon--even at the risk of our own lives--when things are at their most desperate; because you have to try when it counts, or you're doomed already.
Recommended for: Fans of a thrilling disaster movie with a diverse group of survivors portrayed by a talented cast. The talent, writing, and clever set design all work together to make The Poseidon Adventure a beloved classic of the genre.