Although there'd been "doomsday dramas" before it, Stanley Kramer's On the Beach was considered the first "important" entry in this genre when originally released in 1959. Based on the novel by Nevil Shute, the film is set in the future (1964) when virtually all life on earth has been exterminated by the radioactive residue of a nuclear holocaust. Only Australia has been spared, but it's only a matter of time before everyone Down Under also succumbs to radiation poisoning. With only a short time
left on earth, the Australian population reacts in different ways: some go on a nonstop binge of revelry, while others eagerly consume the suicide pills being issued by the government. When the possibility arises that rains have washed the atmosphere clean in the Northern hemisphere, a submarine commander (Gregory Peck) and his men head to San Diego, where faint radio signals have been emanating. The movie's all-star cast includes: Peck as the stalwart sub captain, Ava Gardner as his emotionally disturbed lover, Fred Astaire as a guilt-wracked nuclear scientist, and Anthony Perkins and Donna Anderson as the "just starting out in life" married couple. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The great merit of this picture, aside from its entertaining qualities, is the fact that it carries a passionate conviction that man is worth saving, after all.
While heartbreaking and touching, it's hard to imagine that riots aren't rampant and that martial law isn't required, but hey, it's a movie, and quite a good -- if overlong -- one, at that.
Kramer's apocalyptic drama is too verbose, replete with "message" speeches, but the text is intelligent, reflecting the Cold War mentality, and well-acted by Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire (in his first nonmusical role) and Anthony Perkins.
O cenário apocalíptico continua assustador, mas o tom inadequadamente leve de algumas cenas e a péssima trilha sonora (indicada ao Oscar!) comprometem o resultado final.
Saw this on TV the other day. I could just imagine the movie sending shivers up and down the spines of viewers in 1959. There must be at least one other movie based on the same novel as I have seen this concept before. I found the most surprising actor Fred Astaire. I've never seen him in a serious role before.
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