The SS Claridon is an aging ocean liner overdue to be scrapped. A boiler room fire results in a violent explosion. The Captain refuses to evacuate the ship fearing a panic. Cliff (Robert Stack) and Laurie Henderson (Dorothy Malone) with their daughter Jill are traveling to Japan. Laurie gets trapped under some debris and Cliff races to find the tools to free her.
This starts even before the credits. There are impressive fires. The use of a real ship really accentuates the grime in the engine room. There is no replacing real heavy machinery. It becomes a tension filled disaster epic a decade before the rise of the disaster flicks. It was nominated for Visual Effects. The action is naturalistic. It's not heightened by quick cuts or fast movements. For its time and its style, this is exceedingly exciting. The use of a real ship and real flooding is exceptional. I can do without Laurie contemplating suicide. There are some physical realities that are overlooked. This is a great popcorn flick considering the era.
This starts even before the credits. There are impressive fires. The use of a real ship really accentuates the grime in the engine room. There is no replacing real heavy machinery. It becomes a tension filled disaster epic a decade before the rise of the disaster flicks. It was nominated for Visual Effects. The action is naturalistic. It's not heightened by quick cuts or fast movements. For its time and its style, this is exceedingly exciting. The use of a real ship and real flooding is exceptional. I can do without Laurie contemplating suicide. There are some physical realities that are overlooked. This is a great popcorn flick considering the era.