Ship of Fools (1965)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Stanley Kramer

Writers:

Katherine Anne Porter (novel)
Abby Mann (screenplay)

Release Date:

October 1965 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

EXPLORER, MISTRESS, VAGRANT, LOAFER, ARTIST, TRAMP ... THEY ARE ALL AT THE CAPTAIN'S TABLE!

Plot:

Passengers on a ship traveling from Mexico to Europe in the 1930s represent society at large in that era...

Plot Keywords:

Traveling | Ship | Ship's Doctor | 1930s | Racism

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Vivien Leigh	...	Mary Treadwell
Simone Signoret	...	La Condesa
José Ferrer	...	Rieber (as Jose Ferrer)
Lee Marvin	...	Tenny
Oskar Werner	...	Dr. Schumann
Elizabeth Ashley	...	Jenny
George Segal	...	David
José Greco	...	Pepe (as Jose Greco)
Michael Dunn	...	Glocken
Charles Korvin	...	Capt. Thiele
Heinz Rühmann	...	Lowenthal (as Heinz Ruehmann)
Lilia Skala	...	Frau Hutten
Barbara Luna	...	Amparo
Alf Kjellin	...	Freytag
Christiane Schmidtmer	...	Lizzi
Werner Klemperer	...	Lt. Huebner
John Wengraf	...	Graf
Olga Fabian	...	Frau Schmitt
Gila Golan	...	Elsa
Oscar Beregi Jr.	...	Lutz (as Oscar Beregi)
Stanley Adams	...	Professor Hutten
Kaaren Verne	...	Frau Lutz (as Karen Verne)
Charles De Vries	...	Johann (as Charles de Vries)
Henry Calvin	...	Fat Man
Peter Mamakos	...	Religious Man
Paul Daniel	...	Carlos
David Renard	...	Woodcarver
Lydia Torea	...	Pastora
Rudy Carrela	...	Ric (as Rudy Carrella)
Silvia Marino	...	Rac
Anthony Brand	...	Guitarist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Alvar	...	Student (uncredited)
Eddie Baker	...	Prizak (uncredited)
Vicki Cos	...	Flamenco dance troupe child (uncredited)
Walter Friedel	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Steven Geray	...	Steward aboard Vera (uncredited)
Charles H. Radilak	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Bert Rumsey	...	Second Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kramer

Writing credits
Katherine Anne Porter		(novel)
Abby Mann		(screenplay)

Produced by
Stanley Kramer	....	producer

Original Music by
Ernest Gold

Cinematography by
Ernest Laszlo

Film Editing by
Robert C. Jones

Production Design by
Robert Clatworthy

Set Decoration by
Joseph Kish

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
Virginia Jones	....	hair stylist
Ben Lane	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Ivan Volkman	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Veitch	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ernest Graber	....	property master
Bud Pine	....	construction coordinator
Harold Michelson	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Z. Flaster	....	sound
Clem Portman	....	sound re-recordist
Charles J. Rice	....	sound supervisor
James Richard	....	sound effects

Special Effects by
John Burke	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
Albert Whitlock	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dick Johnson	....	camera operator (as Richard Johnson)
Martin Kashuk	....	company grip (as Marty Kaschuk)
Seldon White	....	chief electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe King	....	costume supervisor
Jean Louis	....	designer: Ms. Leigh's clothes

Music Department
Maury Winetrobe	....	music editor

Other crew
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Boyd Cabeen	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Michelle Triola	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Stanley Kramer Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1965) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1965) (France) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1968) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (video)
• Sony Pictures Television (USA) (TV)

Special Effects

• Film Effects of Hollywood

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles (as Pacific)

Runtime:

149 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:12 (2007) | UK:A (1965) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Spain:7

Company:

Stanley Kramer Productions

Trivia:

Vivien Leigh's last film.

Goofs:

Continuity: As the passengers disembark at the end, Johann pauses on the steps to watch Amparo walk by, when Tenny appears walking down the steps behind Johann. Immediately the film cuts to a shot of the gangplank above, where Tenny is seen just leaving the ship.

Quotes:

Bill Tenny: I was in Vercaruz trying to teach them greasers to play ball. Man, they tried to poison me. You know, I had the runs for three weeks.
Mary Treadwell: How interesting. I'd like to hear more about it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: Ship of Fran's (#3.26)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Heute abend geh'n wir bummeln auf der reeperbahn

An Imperfect Gem

A grim long voyage with an earnest script by the remarkable Abby Mann and a respectful Stanley Kramer at the helm. Assorted desperate characters makes the sailing a gripping one. When the extraordinary Simone Signoret, Oskar Werner and Vivien Leigh are on, we're there with them one hundred per cent. Simone Signoret's addicted Countess and Vivien Leigh's bitter and disillusioned middle age Southern woman touch and dominate the highest, most powerful moments. Their stories have an immediate resonance and their faces, wonderful, beautiful faces, carry a truth that is as pungent as it is undeniable. Painful yes, very painful but, as it happens with the best kind of drama, entertaining, compelling, cinematic. Jose Ferrer's German bore, George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley and even the wonderful Michael Dunn will make you sea sick at times but I will recommend it nonetheless just to admire and enjoy Vivien Leigh's Charleston or Simone Signoret looking at Oskar Werner with a mixture of love, lust, compassion and need. For collectors of imperfect gems.