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 | Nuclear 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)
Basil Buller-Murphy	...	Sir Douglas Froude (club)
John Casson	...	Salvation Army captain
Paddy Moran	...	Stevens (club wine steward)
Grant Taylor	...	Morgan (Holmes party)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harvey Adams	...	Sykes (State Fisheries & Game Dept.) (uncredited)
Peter Ashton	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Jim Barrett	...	Chrysler (Moira's outfit) (uncredited)
Ken Baumgartner	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Jack Boyer	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
C. Harding Brown	...	Dykers (billiards at club) (uncredited)
Norman Cook	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Colin Crane	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Gerry Duggan	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Keith Eden	...	Dr. Fletcher (with Peter on the beach) (uncredited)
Lucian Endicott	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Stuart Finch	...	Jones (radio operator) (uncredited)
Paddy Fitzallen	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Ronald Fortt	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Cyril Gardner	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Frank Gatliff	...	Radio officer (uncredited)
Katherine Hill	...	Jennifer Holmes (baby) (uncredited)
Collins Hilton	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Brian James	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Joseph Jenkins	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Graham Kennedy	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Audine Leith	...	Betty (uncredited)
Paul Maloney	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Ray Marshall	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
John Morgan	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Peter O'Shaughnessy	...	Jorgensen associate (uncredited)
Rita Pauncefort	...	Elderly woman (Holmes party) (uncredited)
Carey Paul Peck	...	Boy (uncredited)
Elwyn Peers	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
John Royle	...	Senior officer (uncredited)
Jerry Ian Seals	...	Fogarty (sonar operator) (uncredited)
Al Thomas	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Mario Vecchi	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Peter Williams	...	Prof. Jorgensen, scientist (uncredited)
Hugh Wills	...	Bit Part (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kramer

Writing credits
John Paxton		(screenplay)
Nevil Shute		(novel)

Produced by
Stanley Kramer	....	producer

Original Music by
Ernest Gold

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Rotunno

Film Editing by
Frederic Knudtson

Production Design by
Rudolph Sternad

Art Direction by
Fernando Carrere

Makeup Department
John O'Gorman	....	makeup artist
Franz Prehoda	....	makeup artist (as Frank Prehoda)
Jane Shugrue	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ivan Volkman	....	assistant director

Art Department
Art Cole	....	property master

Sound Department
Walter Elliott	....	sound effects
Hans Wetzel	....	sound engineer

Special Effects by
Lee Zavitz	....	special effects

Stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Daniel L. Fapp	....	photographer: auto race (as Daniel Fapp)
Allen Grice	....	chief gaffer
Martin Kashuk	....	assistant company grip
Morris Rosen	....	company grip
Ross Wood	....	camera operator
Robert Wright	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe King	....	wardrobe
Eva Friend	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Other crew
Sam Freedle	....	script supervisor
Charles A. Lockwood	....	technical advisor (as Vice-Admiral Charles A. Lockwood U.S.N. [RET.])
A.A. Norris-Smith	....	liaison: Royal Australian Navy (as Lt. Commander A.A. Norris-Smith)
Bill Hunter	....	swimming double (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Stanley Kramer Productions (presents) (as Stanley Kramer)

Distributors

• United Artists (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1963) (USA) (TV)
• Image Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Film Effects of Hollywood

Other Companies

• Atelier Fontana  Miss Gardner's wardrobe by (as Fontana Sisters-Rome)
• Royal Australian Navy  acknowledgement
• Officers and Men of H.M.A.S. Melbourne, The  acknowledgement
• Officers and Men of H.M.S. Andrew, The  acknowledgement

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:

Ava Gardner's first film as a freelance actress after completing her 20 year studio contract where she worked for a weekly salary and didn't benefit financially from being loaned to other studios. She was now free to choose her roles and negotiate her salary.

Goofs:

Continuity: Mary points out to Peter that if he needs to get into Melbourne by 11:00 for his appointment with Admiral Bridie, he'd better hurry. By the clock on Admiral Bridie's office wall, Peter clearly arrives for his 11:00 appointment at 10:05.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dwight Towers: Prepare to surface.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Onward, Christian Soldiers

Must see movie

One of the most potent movies I've ever seen. Chilling! Although appearance of movie is dated...it should be...filmed in 1956. The characters, situation, emotion are timeless. The date of the movie in no way weakens the strength of the story. Only slight weakness is the relationship between Peck and Gardner. Too much time spend on these two at times distracts from story. Still it does set up a moving ending in which devotion to duty, comrades, (in a situation where such devotion is meaningless) deepens our awareness of humanity. Not for the weak of heart. No happy endings here!! All the more powerful for its non hollywood approach, we need more of these movies. Instead of finishing the moving feeling good, we finish THINKING GOOD. Much more important goal of a movie if you ask me.