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The Poseidon Adventure
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The Poseidon Adventure (1972) More at IMDbPro »

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The Poseidon Adventure (1972) -- A group of passengers struggle to survive and escape, when their ocean liner completely capsizes at sea.
The Poseidon Adventure (1972) -- A group of passengers struggle to survive and escape, when their ocean liner completely capsizes at sea.

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   14,242 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 42% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Paul Gallico (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Poseidon Adventure on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 December 1972 (USA) more
Tagline:
Hell, Upside Down more
Plot:
A group of passengers struggle to survive and escape, when their ocean liner completely capsizes at sea. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 13 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(30 articles)
Christmas TV movies have lost their special glitter | Jason Solomons
 (From The Guardian - TV News. 5 December 2009, 4:09 PM, PST)

Son of Birthday Suits
 (From FilmExperience. 24 November 2009, 4:27 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
Stella Stevens in high heels throughout the entire adventure… more (218 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Gene Hackman ... Reverend Scott

Ernest Borgnine ... Det. Lt. Mike Rogo

Red Buttons ... Martin
Carol Lynley ... Nonnie

Roddy McDowall ... Acres
Stella Stevens ... Linda Rogo

Shelley Winters ... Belle Rosen
Jack Albertson ... Manny Rosen
Pamela Sue Martin ... Susan
Arthur O'Connell ... Chaplain
Eric Shea ... Robin
Fred Sadoff ... Linarcos
Sheila Allen ... Nurse (as Sheila Mathews)
Jan Arvan ... Doctor
Byron Webster ... Purser
John Crawford ... Chief Engineer
Bob Hastings ... M. C.

Erik L. Nelson ... Mr. Tinkham (as Erik Nelson)

Leslie Nielsen ... The Captain
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phil Adams ... Cable Steward (uncredited)
Craig Barley ... Extra (uncredited)
Todd Bartlett ... Extra (uncredited)
Charles Bateman ... First Officer Larsen (uncredited)
Bill Catching ... Man (uncredited)
Craig Chudy ... Helmsman (uncredited)
Ronn Cragg ... Radarman (uncredited)
Jimmy Cross ... Dinning Room Steward (uncredited)
Fred Dale ... Man (uncredited)
Connie Ducharme ... Woman (uncredited)
Jim Galante ... Assistant Engineer (uncredited)
Bob Golden ... Wiper (uncredited)
Orwin C. Harvey ... Falling Man (uncredited)
Larry Holt ... Falling Man (uncredited)
Chris Howell ... Man (uncredited)
Kathryn Janssen ... Woman Seated Next to Purser (uncredited)
Marco López ... Passenger (uncredited)
Maurice Marsac ... French Naval Officer (uncredited)

Ernie F. Orsatti ... Terry - Susan's Date (uncredited)
Victor Paul ... Kyrenos (uncredited)
Stuart Perry ... Teddy Parry (uncredited)
Frieda Rentie ... Indian Woman (uncredited)
Lance Rimmer ... Extra (uncredited)
Elizabeth Rogers ... Woman Next to Mr. Tinkham (uncredited)
George Sawaya ... Bos'n Mate (uncredited)
David Sharpe ... Man (uncredited)
Paul Stader ... Martin - Wireless Operator (uncredited)
Mark Tulin ... Bass Guitarist as Ship Sinks (uncredited)
Waddy Wachtel ... Crump - Guitarist #1 (uncredited)
Roseann Williams ... Woman (uncredited)
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Directed by
Ronald Neame 
Irwin Allen (co-director: action sequences) (uncredited)
 
Writing credits
Paul Gallico (novel)

Stirling Silliphant (screenplay) and
Wendell Mayes (screenplay)

Produced by
Irwin Allen .... producer
Sidney Marshall .... associate producer
Steve Broidy .... executive producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
John Williams 
 
Cinematography by
Harold E. Stine (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Harold F. Kress 
 
Production Design by
William J. Creber  (as William Creber)
 
Set Decoration by
Raphael Bretton 
 
Costume Design by
Paul Zastupnevich 
 
Makeup Department
Del Acevedo .... makeup artist
Edwin Butterworth .... makeup artist (as Ed Butterworth)
Carol Pershing .... hair stylist
Sheral Ross .... hair stylist
Allan Snyder .... makeup artist
Ann Wadlington .... hair stylist
Daniel C. Striepeke .... makeup artist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Hal Herman .... unit production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Norman A. Cook .... assistant director (as Norman Cook)
Les Warner .... second assistant director
Don White .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Tom Cranham .... production illustrator
Dan Goozee .... production illustrator
Bob McLaughlin .... property master
Ward Preston .... assistant art director
Jerry Kobold .... assistant prop man (uncredited)
Charles Stevens .... construction coordinator (uncredited)
Richard A. Villalobos .... leadman (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
John A. Bonner .... sound supervisor (as John Bonner)
Herman Lewis .... production mixer
Theodore Soderberg .... re-recording mixer
Orrick Barrett .... boom man (uncredited)
Raul A. Bruce .... boom operator (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
L.B. Abbott .... special photographic effects (as L. B. Abbott)
A.D. Flowers .... mechanical effects (as A. D. Flowers)
 
Visual Effects by
Matthew Yuricich .... matte painter (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Paul Stader .... stunt coordinator
Phil Adams .... stunts (uncredited)
Lightning Bear .... stunts (uncredited)
Marilyn Bower .... stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Brutsche .... stunts (uncredited)
Bill Catching .... stunts (uncredited)
Craig Chudy .... stunts (uncredited)
Howard Curtis .... stunts (uncredited)
Pepper Curtis .... stunt double (uncredited)
Pepper Curtis .... stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Dale .... stunts (uncredited)
Carol Daniels .... stunts (uncredited)
Paula Dell .... stunts (uncredited)
Bennie E. Dobbins .... stunts (uncredited)
Mike Donovan .... stunts (uncredited)
Dick Durock .... stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Lila Finn .... stunts (uncredited)
Donna Garrett .... stunts (uncredited)
Orwin C. Harvey .... stunts (uncredited)
Larry Holt .... stunts (uncredited)
Chris Howell .... stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes .... stunts (uncredited)
Mike Johnson .... stunts (uncredited)
Denver Mattson .... stunts (uncredited)
John Moio .... stunts (uncredited)
Doug O'Dell .... stunt double (uncredited)
Doug O'Dell .... stunts (uncredited)
Ernie F. Orsatti .... stunts (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti .... stunts (uncredited)
Victor Paul .... stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins .... stunts (uncredited)
Peter Peterson .... stunts (uncredited)
Allen Pinson .... stunts (uncredited)
Bobby Porter .... stunts (uncredited)
Robert Prohaska .... stunts (uncredited)
George Robotham .... stunts (uncredited)
Wally Rose .... stunts (uncredited)
Russell Saunders .... stunts (uncredited)
George Sawaya .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller .... stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe .... stunts (uncredited)
Rodell Sharpe .... stunts (uncredited)
Marilyn Stader .... stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader .... stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele .... stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Summers .... stunts (uncredited)
George P. Wilbur .... stunts (uncredited)
June lorna Wilson .... stunts (uncredited)
James Winburn .... stunts (uncredited)
Thomas Worrell .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Zendar .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Tommy Morris .... camera operator
Lou Pazelli .... key grip
Clyde Taylor .... gaffer
Henry Gerzen .... key grip (uncredited)
Bob Henderson .... gaffer (uncredited)
Tom Kerschner .... first assistant camera (uncredited)
James Mitchell .... stills (uncredited)
Joe Valdez .... second assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Jack Baur .... casting
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Wally Harton .... costumes: men (uncredited)
Dick James .... costumes: men (uncredited)
Barbara Westerland .... costumes: women (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
William DeNicholas .... assistant film editor
 
Music Department
Alexander Courage .... orchestrator
Vinton Vernon .... scoring mixer
 
Transportation Department
Chris Haynes .... driver (uncredited)
Frank Khoury .... driver (uncredited)
Jim Martell .... transportation coordinator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Teresa Brachetto .... script supervisor
John Campbell .... unit publicist
Al Gail .... assistant to producer
Art Volpert .... production coordinator
Steve Marlowe .... dialogue coach (uncredited)
Art Volpert .... production controller (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Runtime:
117 min
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)
Certification:
Australia:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | Iceland:16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:PG (PCA #23341) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the scene in which Rev. Scott rescues Robin, the set was built on tracks which would slowly lower the inclined set into a large water tank. The set was supposed to stop moving once the set was half-submerged, but for some reason it continued until the camera crew was underwater. The film magazine was rushed to the lab, where immediate processing showed the film was undamaged. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Linda Rogo had to change into her husband's shirt because she didn't wear a bra and couldn't climb in her gown. However, when she is in the smokestack about to climb the ladder, a bra strap is visible. more
Quotes:
Linda Rogo: I'm going next. So if ole' fat ass gets stuck, I won't get stuck behind her. more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
20 out of 32 people found the following review useful.
Stella Stevens in high heels throughout the entire adventure…, 30 April 2005
7/10

It is possible to go one better than a lifeboat for oceanic claustrophobia… What you do is have a luxury liner completely capsized by a tidal wave, and you let ten people live on in a pocket of air, their only hope being to make their way through fire, dead bodies and endless amounts of water of the sinking ship to a propeller shaft, where the hull is thinnest and where there is a chance of rescuers cutting their way through…

This was the terrific idea set up in Paul Gallico's most well-known book, which descended with awful disappointment on to the screen, but caught the public fancy, and started a cycle…

And while the tense adventure lacks the austere presence of George Kennedy, no one could ask for a better set-up for suspense—naturally, when the genesis was with that old master of mass emotions, Gallico… But oh, what a waste was there in Ronald Neame's motion picture…

Partly it was due to the lack of the technical perfectionism of a Hitchcock, and much more to the stereotyping of the characters and the excruciating banality of their dialog… There was a muscular clergyman to lead, an old Jewish couple still in love after some time of marriage, a hot head detective and his well reformed happy hooker wife, a young lady Pamela Sue Martin, (and his nice younger brother) and a hippie girl singer who were there presumably to give a pleasant show of legs in hotpants, a lonely haberdasher, and a nice cool steward along for the ride…

Gene Hackman was cast as the preacher– the most unlikely reverend I could imagine… Presumably he was chosen because of his well-deserved success as the cynical, determined New York narcotics cop in "The French Connection." He played the character every bit as rough and tough… Whenever he heaved his muscles and opened his mouth I anticipated the coming of… "I got the God connection."

But one must not blame the cast… There were fine actors among them and it was not their fault that the situations were evidently prefabricated, that the characters were as realistic as the cutouts at the back of a cereal box, living and dying as contrived "incidents."

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And Rev. Scott just shuts the door... dsmithgeo
Creepy beatlenut8
You Never Know How You Are Going To React...... mrslinarcos
'Poseidon' was to have Sub Rescue in Planned Ending ddc300
Stella Stevens' clothes shandy8
'2012' and 'The Poseidon Adventure' Wayneinsb
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