The Poseidon Adventure/Poseidon

D: Ronald Neame

20th Century Fox (Irwin Allen)

US 1972

117 mins

Adventure

W: Stirling Silliphant & Wendell Mayes [based on the novel by Paul Gallico]

DP: Harold Stine

Ed: Harold F. Kress

Mus: John Williams

PD: William Creber

Cos: Paul Zastupnevich

Gene Hackman (Rev. Frank Scott), Ernest Borgnine (Mike Rogo), Red Buttons (James Martin), Shelley Winters (Belle Rosen), Carol Lynley (Nonnie Parry), Pamela Sue Martin (Susan Shelby), Roddy McDowall (Acres), Eric Shea (Robin Shelby), Jack Albertson (Manny Rosen), Stella Stevens (Linda Rogo), Leslie Nielsen (Capt. Harrison)

A luxury cruise ship is capsized by a tidal storm and a handful of survivors must traverse into the belly of the upturned vessel in order to escape.

The Poseidon Adventure is amongst the best of the disaster films which flooded the early-to-mid 1970's. A great deal of time during the first act is dedicated to the introduction of the characters before the catastrophe strikes, but once it does, the series of set pieces which pick them off one-by-one are incredibly well executed and visualised, with convincing special effects for the most part (some of the models are less so convincing, but you can forgive them considering the age of the film). Above all else, it's the performances of the talented cast which allow the audience to engage in their journey for survival.

A poor sequel (Beyond The Poseidon Adventure) and remake (Poseidon) followed.

8/10

POSEIDON (15)