Director Stanley Kramer usually dealt with films of a social nature.
Ship of Fools, based on Katherine Ann Porter's best seller, is such a film.
It revolves about a group of passengers on their way to Bremerhaven, Germany in 1933, as the Nazis have seized power and started their brutal change in Germany.
Willie, the ship doctor, is masterfully played by Oscar Werner, who merited a best actor nomination. It was reported by the AMA that Werner gave an excellent depiction as someone in the throws of a fatal coronary. Before that, he added so much as the physician on board who fell in love with the beautiful Contessa, played memorably by Simone Signoret. We see her in the throws of drug addiction, but tenderly loved by Willie.
Vivian Leigh, as Mrs. Treadwell, an American divorcée is also on board. She cavorts with a drunken Lee Marvin, a baseball player, who doesn't understand what the Germans have against the Jews. She skillfully reminded him that he has apparently been too busy lynching Negroes to know what is going on in the world.
An excellent supporting cast of George Segal, Elizabeth Ashley, as well as the brilliant Jose Ferrer, in a brilliant turn as the Nazi, who advocated death for older people.
Veteran German actor, Heinz Ruehman, asks: What are they going to do, kill us all?
You've been a fool if you've missed this endearing picture so far. It is out of this world. ****.
Ship of Fools, based on Katherine Ann Porter's best seller, is such a film.
It revolves about a group of passengers on their way to Bremerhaven, Germany in 1933, as the Nazis have seized power and started their brutal change in Germany.
Willie, the ship doctor, is masterfully played by Oscar Werner, who merited a best actor nomination. It was reported by the AMA that Werner gave an excellent depiction as someone in the throws of a fatal coronary. Before that, he added so much as the physician on board who fell in love with the beautiful Contessa, played memorably by Simone Signoret. We see her in the throws of drug addiction, but tenderly loved by Willie.
Vivian Leigh, as Mrs. Treadwell, an American divorcée is also on board. She cavorts with a drunken Lee Marvin, a baseball player, who doesn't understand what the Germans have against the Jews. She skillfully reminded him that he has apparently been too busy lynching Negroes to know what is going on in the world.
An excellent supporting cast of George Segal, Elizabeth Ashley, as well as the brilliant Jose Ferrer, in a brilliant turn as the Nazi, who advocated death for older people.
Veteran German actor, Heinz Ruehman, asks: What are they going to do, kill us all?
You've been a fool if you've missed this endearing picture so far. It is out of this world. ****.