MPAA Rating: PG/Genre: Disaster/Stars: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur O’Connell, Eric Shea, Leslie Nielsen, Fred Sadoff, Byron Webster, Jan Arvan, Sheila Mathews, John Crawford, Bob Hastings, Erik Nelson, Charles Bateman, Ernie F. Orsatti/Runtime: 117 minutes
I think it can be safely said that if you were to make a list of popular ideas that people consider when planning for a well-earned (or just wanting to get away from the seemingly dull routine of their day to day lives) vacation, it would not surprise me in the least if you were to discover that “going on a cruise” was one of the top 5 choices that sprung to your mind. I mean not only do you get a pretty nice cabin, but you also get (among other things) top-tier entertainment, delicious food, pool time, a relaxing afternoon at the spa, the chance to visit exotic ports of call, and the opportunity to meet/befriend people from virtually all walks of life thrown into the mix onboard what is less a simple boat and more in the vein of “a giant floating city”. Thus with all of these delightful positives to be found, what could possibly be wrong with such a wonderful idea? Well besides the cost, the fact that the food can sometimes make you sick, rude people at your table taking the last order of lobster right out from under you, the wall plug in your cabin not charging your phone as fast as you and your “hopelessly devoted to your every post” 10 million Instagram followers would like, the occasional fight onboard because someone’s “precious little angel” decided to cheat in the dance contest earlier in the day, and being left behind at a port of call because your excursion ran 5-10 minutes longer than it should have there is perhaps one thing that I feel that doesn’t get nearly enough attention as it darn well should. That being the potential for a rogue tidal wave to strike the boat at just the right angle to flip it completely upside down. Yeah I know that you are most likely thinking “wow Alan that’s an incredibly specific thing to describe.”, but trust me when I say there is a reason why I mention that particular item specifically. That being because apparently the land of movie magic at one time (whether they still do or not very much open to debate) had the same fear I did which, of course, in that wonderful way of theirs led them to make a film about such an event occurring. That being a 1972 slice of cinema, and film I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, known as The Poseidon Adventure. A film that may have caused me to know the layout of every ship I would ever want to travel on, but which I nevertheless do still dig the heck out of. Indeed it might not be the smoothest cinematic voyage to ever hit the sea, but with the aid of fairly riveting work on both sides of the camera The Poseidon Adventure “72” is nevertheless still one disaster film that I have no doubt will leave you absolutely hooked from beginning to end and every suspense-stricken minute in between.
The plot is as follows: An adaptation of a novel of the same name by Paul Gallico, The Poseidon Adventure gets its thrilling seafaring narrative underway by taking us to the Aegean Sea where a ship known as the (get this) SS Poseidon is embarking on a last voyage from New York City to Athens, Greece. It is on this vessel that we also quickly meet a collection of characters including a rather unorthodox minister named Rev. Frank Scott who is being shuffled off to a parish in Africa for…reasons, a brother-sister duo named Susan and Robin who are traveling to meet up with their parents, a more than slightly grumpy member of the NYPD and his wife by the name of Mike and Linda Rogo respectively who are on vacation, a recently retired store owner named Manny and his wife Belle who are enroute to meet their grandson for the first time, a shy and health-fixated bachelor named James Martin, and the ship’s entertainer, one Nonnie Parry, as she gets ready for the vessel’s big New Year’s bash. Oh and also a host of other individuals and crew members including both the vessel’s skilled, well-meaning, and highly concerned captain as well as a representative for the company that has recently bought the Poseidon respectively. Incidentally the reason I mention those two individuals specifically might be because the latter firmly pushes the former to engage in actions of a cost-saving yet safety questionable nature shortly after our story begins which may or may not be important at some point. At any rate, we soon see that during the evening’s New Year’s Eve celebrations while our core group of characters are all assembled in the dining room and engaging in the festivities that disaster soon rears its ugly head. It seems that an earthquake has occurred underwater nearby and, as a result, has created a giant tidal wave that is now headed directly for the ship. Yet, despite the best attempts of the crew on the bridge to sound the alarm, we see that it isn’t long before the wave in question makes contact with the ship and, in the ensuing chaos, does something even more remarkable than just sink the vessel outright. Rather, it manages to completely flip it upside down. Yet whilst the passengers begin to assess the circumstances they now find themselves in, we see that the good Reverend and a small group of passengers make a rather bold choice. Namely to not stay where there are, but instead make a perilous journey up to the outer hull of the ship since they feel that is their best chance to be rescued. Thus what has started as a relaxing vacation for this rather distinct group of people is now about to turn into a rather extraordinary adventure. One that will see them have to put aside their differences should they wish to have even a fighting chance at seeing tomorrow. As for if they all are ultimately successful or not that I will let you see for yourself….
Now right off the boat, it should be said that the work done by the various departments behind the camera on this particular cinematic voyage might not be perfect, but they all still manage (much like the group of survivors at the heart of the story ironically) to come together to ensure that the film works as well as it ultimately does. This starts with the work done at the helm by director Ronald Neame and honestly this is some really good work by the long-time fixture of the British film scene. Indeed there are a few distinct key things that Neame does really well here that help to distinguish this film from other disaster films made around the same time and even afterwards. The first is that Neame, despite having quite the cast of acting talent at his disposal, does a terrific job of ensuring that each and every individual in that line-up is given time to shine at some point throughout the film in some way even if some are not as well-written as others. Along with that, we see that Neame also does a successful job of building up to the disaster in a way that is effectively ominous right down to a 5-10 minute juxtaposition right before the wave makes contact with the boat between the terrified Captain and his men on the bridge watching the wave headed straight for them and the passengers blissfully celebrating the New Year in the main area of the boat all while being completely oblivious to the chaos that is about to hit them head on. Ultimately though, perhaps the best thing that Neame does so well is ensure that, even after the wave has caused the boat to flip over, not only is the tension and suspense maintained as the group goes through the various levels of the ship, but that we also genuinely care about the people we are following as the film moves along. Along with the solid work done by Neame at the helm, this slice of cinema also features a fairly well-written script. Yet despite the fact that the script does do a good job at adapting the source material and even making the characters in the story a lot more sympathetic and likable than they were in the original story, it does fall flat when it comes to ensuring the story or the characters themselves don’t become more cliched than they ought to be. As a result, despite being fairly well done, don’t be surprised if you can predict at points where this story is going to go or what will happen to some of the characters by the end. Fortunately, if there is one area where this slice of cinema is truly remarkable it would have to be in terms of the cinematography. Indeed not only does the cinematography do a terrific job of showcasing for us the riveting and tensely enclosed vibe onboard the ship, but it also manages to conjure up a feeling of panic and peril that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat in the best way possible. Lastly, this section would be woefully incomplete if I didn’t take the time to praise the work done on this film’s musical accompaniment by iconic composer John Williams. Indeed not only does Williams’ Oscar-nominated score do a magnificent job of brilliantly showcasing the tension present, but it also manages to wonderfully recreate for us the anarchy and distress being felt by the survivors throughout their journey as well. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in good work in the editing department among others, it’s clear that this slice of cinema might hit a few turbulent moments here and there, but by and large the work done behind the camera definitely helps make this as smooth a voyage as possible.
Alongside the more than fairly seaworthy work done by the various departments behind the camera, this slice of disaster cinema is also one that finds itself aided immensely via the collection of solid work done in front of the camera by a game and impeccably chosen cast of talent. Without a doubt in my mind, this starts with Gene Hackman and he is terrific here. Indeed as Rev. Scott, we see that Hackman does a wonderful job at giving us a character who is very much at a crossroads when it comes to his faith especially in no small part due to his belief that God only helps those who help themselves. As such, he can be quite domineering, gruff, and even a bit of a jerk when it comes to getting things done and leading this group through the ship. At the same time though, we also see that Hackman does a beautiful job of giving Scott more than a handful of moments where he permits that tough as nails exterior to slip down just enough for us to be able to see that he, much like the people he is trying to lead to safety, is just as vulnerable and concerned as they are. Suffice it to say that it’s a potent performance from an actor who, before his retirement in 2004, certainly gave us more than his fair share of those. Alongside Hackman, this film also features a terrific turn from the always enjoyable Ernest Borgnine as Detective Lt. Mike Rogo. Indeed Borgnine, who was most assuredly a class act whenever he showed up in something, does a fantastic job here of giving us a man who is very much who the dictionary was thinking of when the words “obstinate” and “grumpy” were being added. Underneath that grouchy exterior however, we see that Borgnine is also (much like Hackman) able to show that there is a heart to this man especially in the scenes between him and his wife Linda where you really can tell that he genuinely loves her despite their near-constant bickering. Besides Hackman and Borgnine, the film also gives us a wonderfully non-comedic turn from the iconic Red Buttons who, in the role of James Martin, succeeds at giving us a character that does what he can to be the proverbial voice of reason. Not just amidst the group in general, but also between the highly volatile personalities of Scott and Rogo respectively. Lastly, I definitely think this section would be very much lacking if I didn’t take the time to focus on the Oscar-nominated performance given here by the legendary Shelley Winters. Indeed as Belle Rosen, we see that Winters is magnificent at providing us with a character that might be a tad bit insecure and worry that she’s dragging the rest of the group down, but nevertheless is still able to contribute a courteous demeanor to all to say nothing of immense bravery and courage at a key point in the film. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in well-done efforts from such individuals as Stella Stevens (The Nutty Professor), Arthur O’Connell (Anatomy of a Murder from 1959 and The Great Race from 1965), Pamela Sue Martin, iconic character actor Roddy McDowall, Carol Lynley, Jack Albertson (clearly showing what really happened to Grandpa Joe after the events of the 1971 Willy Wonka), and even future comedy legend Leslie Nielsen in one of his more iconic serious roles (besides Forbidden Planet in 1956 of course) among others it’s clear that this cinematic voyage might have some issues here and there, but the work done by this cast of talent certainly does what it can to help keep things (in a bit of comedic irony) right side up.
All in all and at the end of the day is The Poseidon Adventure “72” a perfect and flawless film in every sense of the word? Sadly no though most assuredly not for lack of effort by any means. Having said that however, is this the worst film on the creative resumes of any of the talent involved to say nothing of the respective genre of which this is a part? Not by a long shot. To be sure, this slice of cinema is one that the story for which, to say nothing of a few of the character arcs, can prove to be more than just a tad bit on the predictable side. On top of that, there are also a fair number of characters in this who sadly aren’t given nearly as much in terms of characterization on the written page as some of the others thereby ensuring that the performances bringing them to life aren’t as three-dimensional as they deserved to be. With that in mind however, there is no denying that the work done at the helm is fairly well done, the soundtrack (especially the Oscar-nominated theme song The Morning After) is solid, the cinematography is truly impeccable, the visual effects are nothing short of stunning for the time period in which this film was made, and the performances given by the undeniably talented cast of players are all incredibly well-done even in the face of the aforementioned lack of characterization for a fair amount of them. Suffice it to say then that if you are looking for a star-studded disaster movie that is the delightful epitome of “so bad it’s good” then I would sooner recommend to you 1978’s The Swarm because that film fits that particular billet and then some in practically every way possible. On the other hand, if you are looking for one that is fairly solidly made and performed whilst also ensuring you are both entertained to say nothing of on the edge of your seat right from the word go then definitely give this distinct cinematic voyage a try. I promise you will definitely not regret it. Now if you’ll excuse me: I have to go take a moment to seriously ponder on whether or not I should go on that cruise I’ve been looking at for some time. Not that this movie scared me or anything, but I’m just trying to figure out if I should pack a 3rd life jacket and 5th inner-tube or not. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give The Poseidon Adventure “72” a solid 4 out of 5.
