On the Beach
In 1964, atomic war wipes out humanity in the northern hemisphere; one American submarine finds temporary safe haven in Australia, where life-as-usual covers growing despair. In denial about the loss of his wife and children in the holocaust, American Captain Towers meets careworn but gorgeous Moira Davidson, who begins to fall for him. The sub returns after reconnaissance a month (or less) before the end; will Towers and Moira find comfort with each other?
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- Cast：
- Gregory Peck , Ava Gardner , Fred Astaire , Anthony Perkins , Donna Anderson , Guy Doleman , John Meillon
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Reviews
Simply A Masterpiece
i must have seen a different film!!
Fresh and Exciting
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
'On the Beach' has a great premise to work with - a town ignoring the impending radioactive doom creeping and strolling slowly with the winds of the ocean towards it, and a navy team with a submarine that does not want to suspend the cloak of importance of their duties. The scenes of tranquil and playfulness are especially well-made and has the bittersweet comfort of ignorance in helplessness. The exploration of the vacant landscapes of American shores and harbours is unnerving. I did enjoy the reactions of most of the people to their eventual demise. What really disturbs the story is the ill-paced romance aspects. If they had spent more time with people coping (or not coping) in these strange circumstances instead of the romance plots, this could have been a classic. It was evident that the movie was not about the nuclear catastrophe itself, but how the Australian town reacts to it. But it takes a while to pick up. The party scene at the beginning of the film, for example, is extremely boring and not essential.
I saw this movie when it 1st came out. I was like no other I had ever seen. The cinema was full. We all left in absolute SILENCE! Much better than later versions.
I recently watched the movie on DVD with my eleven year old grandson who wanted to watch a movie that dealt with nuclear war. Ironically I was his age when the events of the movie were to have taken place. He was every bit as stunned and transfixed as I was when I first saw it. As for me now in my 60s the very overwhelming issues of the survival and/or destruction of humanity from that era actually brought tears to my eyes. Having read the book I must agree the movie was superior in touching the subject of nuclear annihilation.
In this, my 65th year of life today, I have have enjoyed so many great and memorable films. But in all that time, this wonderful B&W classic remains my single favorite. It's one of those gems that once you see it you can never forget it, and how many movies can you say that about today? This truly inspired piece of filmmaking was remarkable from the start. The amazing ensemble cast, starring the wonderful Gregory Peck in one the best roles of his life, to a memorable and stunning Ava Gardner in the sunset of her career in a role she was born to play, and the dark horse in this remarkable drama, Fred Astaire, in a nuanced performance that should have won him the Oscar. While never really known as a dramatic actor, more as a song and dance man, this was the shining, glorious moment of his entire serious movie career. Add to this splendid line-up the always underrated Tony Perkins as the young Lieutenant, and you have pure screen magic. Under the subtle guiding hand of Stanley Kramer and based upon the riveting novel by Neville Shute, this masterpiece of a post-Apocalyptic future remains a film for the ages. WATCH IT.
