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Ship of Fools (1965)

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Average Rating: 6.8/10
Reviews Counted: 16
Fresh: 13 | Rotten: 3

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 3
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 1,017

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Movie Info

The first person the audience sees in Ship of Fools is dwarf Michael Dunn, who speaks to viewers directly and acts as a Greek chorus throughout the film. It begins on the deck of an ocean liner travelling from Vera Cruz to Bremerhaven. The time is the 1930s, so close and yet so far from war. The cross-section of humanity on board includes ship's doctor Oscar Werner, Spanish political activist Simone Signoret, aging coquette Vivien Leigh, hedonistic baseball player Lee Marvin, philosophical Jew

Unrated, 2 hr. 29 min.

Drama, Romance, Classics

Directed By: Stanley Kramer

Written By: Abby Mann, Katherine Anne Porter

In Theaters: Jul 29, 1965 Wide

On DVD: Dec 2, 2003

Columbia Pictures

Cast

Vivien Leigh
Mary Treadwell
Simone Signoret
La Condesa
Jos� Ferrer
Rieber
Lee Marvin
Bill Tenny
Oskar Werner
Dr. Schumann
Elizabeth Ashley
Jenny
George Segal
David
Jose Greco
Pepe
Michael Dunn (I)
Glocken
Charles Korvin
Capt. Thiele
Lilia Skala
Frau Hutten
Barbara Luna
Amparo
Christiane Schmidtmer
Lizzi
Alf Kjellin
Freytag
John Wengraf
Graf
Olga Fabian
Frau Schmitt
Gila Golan
Elsa
Oscar Beregi Sr.
Lutz
Stanley Adams
Hutten
Kaaren Verne
Frau Lutz
Charles de Vries
Johann
Henry Calvin
Fat Man
Paul Daniel
Carlos
David Renard
Woodcarver
Anthony Brand
Guitarist
Jon Alvar
Student
Walter Friedel
Waiter
Steven Geray
Steward
Werner Klemperer
Lt. Huebner
Peter Mamakos
Religious Man
Heinz R�hmann
Lowenthal
Eddie Baker
Charles H. Radilac
Headwaiter

Critic Reviews for Ship of Fools

All Critics (16) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (3) | DVD (6)

Director-producer Stanley Kramer and scenarist Abby Mann have distilled the essence of Katherine Anne Porter's bulky novel in a film that appeals to the intellect and the emotions.

November 7, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

A powerful, ironic film.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Top Critic

As glib as Stanley Kramer often is, there is probably nothing glibber in his entire output than this Abby Mann adaptation of Katherine Anne Porter's novel.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Superb acting in an Abby Mann script that seldom descends into bathos.

November 7, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Prestigious and literary cinema at its most ponderous, transfer of Porter's novel to the the big screen by Kramer (the wrong director) is crude and pretentious, but some of the performances, particularly Signoret, Leigh and Dunn, are good.

July 30, 2007 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

The black-and-white overlong, dated and uneven film, a less than endearing talk-fest, is rescued from drowning in a sea of words by its fine cast.

July 15, 2007 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Don't look now, but as you might expect with message-mad Kramer at the helm of this adaptation of Katherine Anne Porter's novel, there's a heavy allegory aboard.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment (1)

Tom Milne

Time Out

All-star cast in ultimately grim tale.

January 4, 2005 Comment

Steve Crum

Kansas City Kansan Source: Kansas City Kansan

The film's interest lies in the excellent cast.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

It makes for OK drama all the same, but it's all on the heavy-handed side. Well, subtlety was never Kramer's strong suit.

August 7, 2002 Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

| Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Werner and Signoret were wonderful, and deserved their nominations.

February 28, 2002 Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies

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Michael W. Phillips, Jr.

Goatdog's Movies Source: Goatdog's Movies

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Ship of Fools

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A second class luxury liner leaves from Mexico on its way to Germany in the days before WWll. Onboard a cross-section of humanity ... and their afflictions ... there in the twilight zone that voyages can be and seeking resolutions when we know that resolutions are only a bedtime story we tell children, and ourselves. Uneven yet still compelling work.

July 29, 2011