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| Review Summary |
The US nuclear sub Sawfish was on patrol in the mid-Pacific in early 1964 when the great nuclear war destroyed much of the Northern Hemisphere. It made its way to Melbourne, Australia, where radiation levels were still comparatively low. Commanding Officer Dwight Towers (Peck) goes ashore and falls in love with aging free spirit Moira Davidson (Gardner) while trying to not to think of his wife and children, recently killed in the war. Lt. Commander Peter Holmes of the Australian Navy (Perkins), a young husband and new father, is assigned to the Sawfish as a liaison officer when the sub heads north again to check on radiation levels and a mysterious, unintelligible Morse code signal emanating from the San Diego area. Back in Melbourne, everyone prepares -- more or less -- for the inevitable in the next four months as ambient radiation slowly but surely rises above tolerable levels. This 1959 film by director Stanley Kramer and writer John Paxton, based on Neville Shute's bestselling novel, is largely free of thrills and action, but is instead a stately character study of a variety of individuals. Fred Astaire has a brief but memorable role as a cynical scientist who lives out his dream of driving a racing Porsche.
David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 60%
**Fantasy or Science Fiction?**
- science fiction story
Explore/1st contact
Yes
Romance
Yes
Romance Plotlets:
- falling in love with the unattainable
- two lovers separated by conflict/reuniting
Environmental disaster?
- surviving a post environmental/nuclear disaster
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- military officer, senior
Age:
- 40's-50's
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/medium straight
Body type
- muscular (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- sad
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavy
Body type
- ample chest & buttocks (female)
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Australian
Main Adversary
Identity:
- a deadline
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 90%-100%
Setting
Earth setting:
- Post-disaster
- 20th Century (1950-1970)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Water?
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Tone of movie
- depressed/sad
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
Is this movie based on a
- book
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