{"id":75484,"date":"2021-08-29T15:52:47","date_gmt":"2021-08-29T22:52:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=75484"},"modified":"2021-08-29T15:56:56","modified_gmt":"2021-08-29T22:56:56","slug":"on-the-beach-1959","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=75484","title":{"rendered":"On the Beach (1959)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;We&#8217;re not machines; we&#8217;re not going to fall over in rows, you know.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Poster-198x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-75485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Poster-198x300.png 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Poster-84x128.png 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Poster-178x270.png 178w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Poster.png 577w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn a post-apocalyptic world with the global north completely ravaged by nuclear fallout, the captain (Gregory Peck) of an American submarine &#8212; accompanied by a depressed scientist (Fred Astaire) &#8212; lands in Australia, where his lieutenant (Anthony Perkins) tries to warn his wife (Donna Anderson) about their imminent deaths, and a beautiful woman (Ava Gardner) is eager to begin an affair with Peck.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Anthony Perkins Films<\/li>\n<li>Ava Gardner Films<\/li>\n<li>Fred Astaire Films<\/li>\n<li>Gregory Peck Films<\/li>\n<li>Nuclear Holocaust<\/li>\n<li>Scientists<\/li>\n<li>Stanley Kramer Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that &#8220;Stanley Kramer&#8217;s adaptation of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/On_the_Beach_(novel)\">Nevil Shute&#8217;s novel<\/a> about the end of the world&#8221; &#8212; a &#8220;well-made film [that] doesn&#8217;t oversensationalize its subject&#8221; &#8212; has held up well&#8221; and, along with <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=25323\"><em>Testament<\/em> (1983)<\/a>, remains &#8220;our most pessimistic anti-Bomb film because it allows no survivors.&#8221; He points out how weird is it &#8220;seeing deserted streets in Melbourne and San Francisco&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets-1024x607.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets-1024x607.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets-1536x910.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Empty-Streets.png 1709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and how &#8220;heartbreaking&#8221; it is &#8220;watching Anthony Perkins, an officer in the Australian navy, tell [his] wife Donna Anderson, who never worried much about anything, that they&#8217;ll soon be dead.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror-1024x620.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"388\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75494\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror-1024x620.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror-768x465.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror-1536x930.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror-446x270.png 446w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Mirror.png 1697w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary adds that &#8220;Fred Astaire does fine in his first dramatic role, playing a disillusioned scientist who expresses the film&#8217;s themes: if we have nuclear weapons, they will be used, intentionally or by accident.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire-1024x614.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire-1536x921.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire-450x270.png 450w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Astaire.png 1703w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Taking up quite a bit of initial screentime is the potential affair between boozy Gardner and stoic Peck, who (at least at first) acts as though his wife and children are still alive. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still-1024x621.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"388\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75491\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still-1024x621.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still-128x78.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still-768x466.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still-1536x932.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still-445x270.png 445w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still.png 1703w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Eventually, however, all characters find their own way to make sense of their inevitable deaths &#8212; and, other than a critical mission to determine whether random morse code signals coming from San Francisco might be signs of life, it&#8217;s these various subplots which make up the heart of the film. One is definitely forced to wonder: what would <em>you<\/em> do if you knew you only had a few days or weeks left to live? Would you have an affair, drink, party, attempt to return to your place of birth, plot your death peacefully in advance, engage in your favorite (albeit highly risky) sport: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing-1024x617.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"386\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing-1024x617.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing-768x463.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing-1536x926.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing-448x270.png 448w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Car-Racing.png 1697w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and\/or simply despair? All are possibilities covered here. While the film feels overly somber and slow-paced at times, I suppose there&#8217;s no way around this; unlike in (for instance) <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=769\"><em>Five<\/em> (1951)<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1989\"><em>The World, the Flesh, and the Devil<\/em> (1959)<\/a>, there is no cautious optimism offered up to viewers here.   <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Highly atmospheric cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-1024x612.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-1024x612.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-768x459.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-1536x918.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-452x270.png 452w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography.png 1711w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner-1024x628.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"393\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75490\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner-1024x628.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner-300x184.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner-128x78.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner-768x471.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner-1536x941.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner-441x270.png 441w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Cinematography-Gardner.png 1705w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Numerous effectively bleak moments<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5-1024x620.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"388\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75487\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5-1024x620.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5-128x78.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5-768x465.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5-1536x930.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5-446x270.png 446w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-Still5.png 1709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot-1024x610.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"381\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-75488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot-1024x610.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot-768x458.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot-1536x915.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot-453x270.png 453w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/On-the-Beach-SF-Shot.png 1697w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>A fine score by Ernest Gold (though not all agree)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s definitely worth a one-time look. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0053137\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/sciencefiction\/on-the-beach-1959.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/17688\/on-the-beach#articles-reviews?articleId=188864\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=1575&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/on-the-beach\/review\/2000045430\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re not machines; we&#8217;re not going to fall over in rows, you know.&#8221; Synopsis: In a post-apocalyptic world with the global north completely ravaged by nuclear fallout, the captain (Gregory Peck) of an American submarine &#8212; accompanied by a depressed scientist (Fred Astaire) &#8212; lands in Australia, where his lieutenant (Anthony Perkins) tries to warn his wife (Donna Anderson) about their imminent deaths, and a beautiful woman (Ava Gardner) is eager to begin an affair with Peck. Genres, Themes, Actors,&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=75484\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=75484"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75484\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75511,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75484\/revisions\/75511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=75484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=75484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=75484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}