The Aquarians (1970) (TV)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Don McDougall

Writers:

Alan Caillou (story)
Winston Miller (writer)

Release Date:

24 October 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller | Drama

Plot:

A scientist and his team of underwater explorers search for the culprit who has stolen the world's supply of nerve gas and hidden it somewhere in the ocean. |

Plot Keywords:

Nerve Gas | Scientist | Diver | Wildlife | Sunken Ship

Cast

Ricardo Montalban	...	Dr. Luis Delgado
José Ferrer	...	Dr. Alfred Vreeland
Leslie Nielsen	...	Official
Chris Robinson	...	Ledring
Katherine Woodville	...	Barbara Brand
Lawrence P. Casey	...	Bob Exeter
Tom Simcox	...	Jerry Hollis
Curt Lowens	...	Ehrlich
Elisa Ingram	...	Jean Hollis
Joan Murphy	...	Norma
Austin Stoker	...	Bogan
Napoleon Reed	...	Aganda Official
Henry Mortimer	...	Bellboy
Phil Philbin	...	First Technician
Dan Chandler	...	Sonar Man

Also Known As:

Deep Lab

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:15 (video premiere)

Filming Locations:

Bahamas

Company:

Ivan Tors Productions

Quotes:

Vreeland: I offered my services as a scientist, not a murderer.

Quien es mas macho?

Yet another underwater pilot from the dept of Ivan Tors' wet imagination. This one stars Ricardo Montalban, who looks tough even with a pink scarf around his neck. He and fellow latino José Ferrer get into a submarine scenery chewing contest in a race to claim the sunken ship leaking a deadly nerve gas. Florida and the Bahamas stood in for some fictional South African country but of course all the best bits take place under the sea, especially lots of lovely diving by Kate Woodville. Oh yes Leslie Nielsen appears as well, but only on a viewscreen handing out exposition. He never has any contact with the rest of the cast. (it seems Leslie just could not get a part that lasted more than 10 minutes in the early seventies).

Despite a great Lalo Shifrin score and a sub vs pod battle at five thousand meters below sea level, this TV movie sank to the bottom of the ocean. Still the three (or two and a half) stars kept getting aqua themed acting jobs from here on: Montalban moved to a Fantasy Island, Ferrer was Captain Nemo in yet another pilot and Leslie Nielsen was the captain in the Poseidon Adventure (see what I mean). Later Montalban was found quoting Moby Dick in the Wrath of Kahn and by 1988 he was showing off his poisonous fish, face to face at last with Nielsen in the first Naked Gun. Not sure if either of them wore a scarf that time.

6 out of 10