Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Jan Read (screenplay) &
Beverley Cross (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 June 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Family | Fantasy | Adventure

Tagline:

Greatest Odyssey Of The Ages - for the first time on the screen

Plot:

The legendary Greek hero leads a team of intrepid adventurers in a perilous quest for the legendary Golden Fleece.

Plot Keywords:

Medea | Hermes | Skeleton | Zeus | Sword And Sandal

Cast

Todd Armstrong	...	Jason
Nancy Kovack	...	Medea
Gary Raymond	...	Acastus
Laurence Naismith	...	Argos
Niall MacGinnis	...	Zeus
Michael Gwynn	...	Hermes
Douglas Wilmer	...	Pelias
Jack Gwillim	...	King Aeetes
Honor Blackman	...	Hera
John Cairney	...	Hylas
Patrick Troughton	...	Phineas
Andrew Faulds	...	Phalerus
Nigel Green	...	Hercules

Also Known As:

Jason and the Golden Fleece

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:G | Finland:K-12 (cut) (1963) | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1963) | Finland:K-8 (uncut) (2000) | USA:G (certificate #20139) | Norway:11 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:U | West Germany:12 | Ireland:G | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Capaccio, Salerno, Campania, Italy

Company:

Morningside Productions

Trivia:

While filming footage of the Argo off the coast of Italy, shooting was interrupted when a replica of the Golden Hind sailed into view. The British television series "Sir Francis Drake" (1961) happened to be filming in the same location. Producer Charles H. Schneer shouted, "Get that ship out of here. You're in the wrong century!" at the British crew, dispelling any tensions that arose from both shots being lost.

Goofs:

Continuity: Before Hylus hurls the discus, he hands his pack to a bystander. After hurling the discus, he is shown in close-up with the pack still slung over his shoulder. In the following scene, the pack is once again missing.

Quotes:

Phineas: Zeus, I was a sinner. I've never tried to deny it. But I didn't sin every day. Why then do you punish me *every day*?

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Robot Chicken: Drippy Pony (#2.16)" (2006)

A Special Effects Master of its Time

Back in 1963 I was only 7 at the time, but I can still remember going to the Tower Theater in Downtown Los Angeles and being totally awed with the effects created by Ray Harryhausen. In today's world it may seem below standard compared to computer effects, but for those of us growing up in that time period, the Harryhausen style of special effects will continue to bring back warm memories of those years. With computer graphics, you see it and like it the first time you see it, but then many movies of today have the same and it becomes moot. Jason and the Argonaunts was one of those few movies at the time along with the Sinbad saga that lives on in your heart. The pace of the film is perfectly put together along with the many creatures, 7-headed hydra, huge fish-man, huge metal man and skeletons fighting is what makes it a classic which lives on in the hearts of those growing up in the sixties.