I remembered watching this film only once before, more than a decade ago. But I remembered it as one that was meaningful, and rewatching it, I can see why I felt that way. There comes a point two-thirds of the way into the story where Officer Alec Holmes (Tyrone Power) tells the crew and passengers with him that they are now in the last extremity of the voyage they are all making together. When phrased like that, it's bleak.
Things get started with a bang, literally, in the film's first few minutes. A cruise ship has been exploded by colliding into a derelict mine. Many die right off, but the ones who have managed to withstand the initial blast, find themselves floating in the Atlantic with the wreckage. Power's character is among those immediately glimpsed, and he quickly organizes them all aboard a lifeboat.
However, the boat can only hold so many. Some take turns treading in the water, alongside the vessel, while the last remaining shark repellent is used to keep them safe as long as possible. There is talk about limited supplies of water and food; rationing becomes a necessity. They must all follow orders and cooperate to stay afloat until they are retrieved by a rescue ship.
Power, who produced the film, is directed by writer Richard Sale with a predominately British cast. Hollywood name Lloyd Nolan is also present, having costarred with Power back in 1940's JOHNNY APOLLO. Nolan's character only makes it to the one-hour mark; but he imparts plenty of wisdom before dying, and his death scene is very dramatic. He's the first one to be sacrificed for the others.
At this point, knowing that a huge storm is forming overhead, Power must decide which ones are strongest to keep rowing the lifeboat. This means he decides which ones need to be cut loose, thrown overboard, and basically given to the sharks. The sea around them has now become a watery grave. It's harrowing to watch the scenes where Power holds them at gunpoint and decides which ones can be saved and which ones must be jettisoned.
To be fair he insists that he will even jettison himself if the time comes that he is no longer one of the strong ones. That scene happens a bit later, where after receiving a wound, he gives up on himself, ironically, just as the rescue ship finds them. Emotions run high when Power plays executioner, and he's told that he's committing murder. But to him, he's doing the right thing in a utilitarian sense.
Sale's story was based on a real-life incident that had previously been depicted in Paramount's SOULS AT SEA in 1937, that time with Gary Cooper as the officer who had to make difficult life-or-death decisions. But I think this film, with its lack of studio polish, comes across a lot grittier and more realistically. Former glamour boy Power has a very unglamorous role here, and he is more than up to the task.
One thing that impressed me was how Power was willing to let himself look old and weathered in the last sequence. This showed the experience had drastically aged the character. The female costars (Mai Zetterling and Moira Lister) wear plenty of make-up in the early scenes then become more beaten up by the elements, while still looking beautiful. In short, the performers aren't worried about how they look. Movie star narcissism is forced to surrender to the realism of the plot on screen.
Of course there's only so much realism that can be allowed. We are never privy to dialogue about how they will relieve their bowels. And while there is discussion that a floating dog may become supper at some point, that never actually happens.
At one point in the narrative, a survivor shows a lucky poker hand. Apparently he was on a winning streak aboard the cruise ship just before it blew up. He had three aces and two kings; a full house. This mirrors the fact that the lifeboat is overcrowded. It's the luck of the draw, whether or not a person is able to stay alive when there is disaster at sea.
Things get started with a bang, literally, in the film's first few minutes. A cruise ship has been exploded by colliding into a derelict mine. Many die right off, but the ones who have managed to withstand the initial blast, find themselves floating in the Atlantic with the wreckage. Power's character is among those immediately glimpsed, and he quickly organizes them all aboard a lifeboat.
However, the boat can only hold so many. Some take turns treading in the water, alongside the vessel, while the last remaining shark repellent is used to keep them safe as long as possible. There is talk about limited supplies of water and food; rationing becomes a necessity. They must all follow orders and cooperate to stay afloat until they are retrieved by a rescue ship.
Power, who produced the film, is directed by writer Richard Sale with a predominately British cast. Hollywood name Lloyd Nolan is also present, having costarred with Power back in 1940's JOHNNY APOLLO. Nolan's character only makes it to the one-hour mark; but he imparts plenty of wisdom before dying, and his death scene is very dramatic. He's the first one to be sacrificed for the others.
At this point, knowing that a huge storm is forming overhead, Power must decide which ones are strongest to keep rowing the lifeboat. This means he decides which ones need to be cut loose, thrown overboard, and basically given to the sharks. The sea around them has now become a watery grave. It's harrowing to watch the scenes where Power holds them at gunpoint and decides which ones can be saved and which ones must be jettisoned.
To be fair he insists that he will even jettison himself if the time comes that he is no longer one of the strong ones. That scene happens a bit later, where after receiving a wound, he gives up on himself, ironically, just as the rescue ship finds them. Emotions run high when Power plays executioner, and he's told that he's committing murder. But to him, he's doing the right thing in a utilitarian sense.
Sale's story was based on a real-life incident that had previously been depicted in Paramount's SOULS AT SEA in 1937, that time with Gary Cooper as the officer who had to make difficult life-or-death decisions. But I think this film, with its lack of studio polish, comes across a lot grittier and more realistically. Former glamour boy Power has a very unglamorous role here, and he is more than up to the task.
One thing that impressed me was how Power was willing to let himself look old and weathered in the last sequence. This showed the experience had drastically aged the character. The female costars (Mai Zetterling and Moira Lister) wear plenty of make-up in the early scenes then become more beaten up by the elements, while still looking beautiful. In short, the performers aren't worried about how they look. Movie star narcissism is forced to surrender to the realism of the plot on screen.
Of course there's only so much realism that can be allowed. We are never privy to dialogue about how they will relieve their bowels. And while there is discussion that a floating dog may become supper at some point, that never actually happens.
At one point in the narrative, a survivor shows a lucky poker hand. Apparently he was on a winning streak aboard the cruise ship just before it blew up. He had three aces and two kings; a full house. This mirrors the fact that the lifeboat is overcrowded. It's the luck of the draw, whether or not a person is able to stay alive when there is disaster at sea.