20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
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A group of explorers find themselves captured by a mysterious submarine captain who has withdrawn from civilization to live beneath the waves.
The story
In 1868, rumors of a sea monster in the Pacific Ocean lead Professor Pierre Aronnax and his assistant, Conseil, to investigate alongside master harpooner Ned Land. After a naval frigate is attacked by a mysterious creature, the trio is thrown overboard and discovers a man-made 'submerging boat' called the Nautilus. They are captured by its master, Captain Nemo, who offers Aronnax a chance to stay while Ned and Conseil are returned to the deck. Aronnax remains aboard, marveling at Nemo's advanced technology and discoveries as the submarine explores the deep ocean, eventually arriving at a penal colony where Nemo reveals his history of seeking refuge from civilization.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1868, Professor Pierre Aronnax, his assistant Conseil, and harpooner Ned Land investigate a sea monster in the Pacific. After their ship is rammed, they are captured by Captain Nemo aboard the Nautilus. Nemo allows Aronnax to stay, explaining his withdrawal from civilization. The Nautilus visits a penal colony where Nemo destroys a munitions ship to save prisoners, revealing his past as a victim of the nation. Ned and Conseil discover Nemo's secret base, Vulcania, and Ned attempts to signal for help. The submarine becomes stranded on a reef near New Guinea, where Ned explores and encounters cannibals. A warship attacks the Nautilus, leading to a battle with a giant squid; Ned fatally harpoons the creature and saves Nemo. Having had a change of heart, Nemo decides to make amends with humanity. The Nautilus enters Vulcania to destroy evidence of his discoveries, but Nemo is mortally wounded by a gunshot. He chooses to sink with the ship. Ned escapes, brings the submarine to the surface, and watches Vulcania explode as the Nautilus sinks, with Nemo's final words echoing about hope for the future.
- First release year
- 1954
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Richard Fleischer
- Writers
- Earl Felton · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Kirk Douglas · Ned Land; James Mason · Captain Nemo; Paul Lukas · Professor Pierre Aronnax; Peter Lorre · Conseil; Robert J. Wilke · Nautilus First Mate; Ted de Corsia · Captain Farragut; Carleton Young · John Howard; J. M. Kerrigan · Billy
- Genres
- science fiction; adventure
- Themes
- Isolation; Technological advancement; Revenge; Humanity vs. Nature
- Tone and mood
- Adventurous; Eerie; Epic
- Premise and plot tags
- Science Fiction; Adventure; Sea Adventure; Underwater Civilization
- Source material / true-story basis
- Jules Verne's 1870 novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, praised for its technical achievements, performances, and faithful adaptation of the novel.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 91% · review count: 32
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Art Direction · Win; Academy Award · Best Special Effects · Win
- Production trivia
- The famous giant squid attack sequence had to be entirely re-shot to increase drama and hide cables.; The Nautilus's design in the film was based on the interior of the Forth Bridge.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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