On the Beach (1959)

Director:

Stanley Kramer

Writers:

John Paxton (screenplay)
Nevil Shute (novel)

Release Date:

17 December 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The residents of Australia after a global nuclear war must come to terms with the fact that all life will be destroyed in a matter of months.

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Nuclear War | Submarine | Fallout | Radiation

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Cmdr. Dwight Lionel Towers, USS Sawfish
Ava Gardner	...	Moira Davidson
Fred Astaire	...	Julian Osborne
Anthony Perkins	...	Lt. Cmdr. Peter Holmes, Royal Australian Navy
Donna Anderson	...	Mary Holmes
John Tate	...	Adm. Bridie
Harp McGuire	...	Lt. Sunderstrom (ashore in San Diego)
Lola Brooks	...	Lt. Hosgood (Bridie's secretary)
Ken Wayne	...	Lt. Benson
Guy Doleman	...	Lt. Cmdr. Farrel
Richard Meikle	...	Davis
John Meillon	...	Ralph Swain (ashore in San Francisco)
Joe McCormick	...	Ackerman (radiation sickness)
Lou Vernon	...	Bill Davidson (Moira's father)
Kevin Brennan	...	Dr. King (radiation diagnosis)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Germany:16 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #19372) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Norway:16 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Canadian Bay, Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Stanley Kramer Productions

Trivia:

Gregory Peck was a lifelong opponent of nuclear weapons, and made On the Beach (1959) for this reason.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Sawfish is supposed to be a nuclear submarine, but as there were actually very few actual nuclear submarines in service at the time of filming, a 'Tench' class submarine was used in filming, and in several scenes you can see the exhaust from the diesel engines.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dwight Towers: Prepare to surface.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Unit: Sub-Conscious (#2.13)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Onward, Christian Soldiers

a great human drama

The Cold War aspects of this movie may be a bit dated, but for those of us of a certain age it is a reminder of the fears we lived under at that time. In retrospect, it may be that Julian was wrong: it may have indeed been the very presence of these terrible weapons that prevented a third world war.

In any case, that aspect of the story never overshadows the movie's underlying theme, which is, rather, how each of us views the sum of our lives as our mortal end approaches. Are we alone? Have we connected with anyone? Have we failed? Have we loved? Have we been loved?

Color would have been all wrong for this essentially b&w story. Superb performances from Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and the pre-Norman Bates Anthony Perkins. A fine bit as well by John Tate as the old admiral("to a blind, blind world").

A mere cold-war nuclear destruction movie would leave one merely frightened at the end. The fact that this movie leaves you with an almost unbearable feeling of terrible sadness is a testament to the human power of Nevil Shute's book, as well as to the fine script and Kramer's superb direction.

One of the most depressing movies ever made, but a truly great one.