Well, if no-one else is going to say anything, I might as well.
I’ve seen this film a few times but hadn’t for a few years until last week. And I’m glad I did watch it again.
The film is of course based on the book by Jules Verne, one of his very finest. I’ve read a few of his and this was the one that I liked best in my teens. I haven’t read it for a while, and I need to rectify it. However, the film is a worthy adaptation.
James Mason is particularly compelling as Captain Nemo, one of the most intriguing characters in all of literature. He has isolated himself in judgement of mankind, and while he may be a little extreme in his views, his basic point is sound enough. If you go by the stereotypical black & white labels, then Nemo is “the villain” but Mason imbues him with just the right degree of passion to make him someone you can identify with.
Kirk Douglas, who has just celebrated his 100th birthday (one of very few actors from that era who is still alive at the time of writing this!), is the complete antithesis in his character of harpooner Ned Land. Light-hearted, outgoing, friendly, he has the top billing and is very much presented as “the hero”, although the main character, who narrates the action, is Professor Arronax, played by Paul Lukas. Curiously, both Lukas and Peter Lorre who plays his assistant Conseil, were both Hungarians playing Frenchmen. Ironic that they couldn’t get Frenchmen for the roles. You’d have thought it would have been easier! Mind you, a few years later when they made The Guns Of Navarone they cast Mexican Anthony Quinn as the Greek Andrea . . . a role he played very well, but I digress.
If there’s one flaw, it’s Paul Lukas’ narration, which is adequate enough, but for me it’s missing something. I didn’t get the sense of wonder. The journey beneath the sea is filled with wondrous things, and his character, a renownd scientist, should convey that awe to the audience. He doesn’t really manage to do that for me. However, he is very good in the role the rest of the time. He understands the worth of what Captain Nemo has discovered, and is trying to be patient and convince the captain that mankind is worthy. Ned meanwhile has no truck with this, while Conseil is torn between the two sides. He is loyal to the professor, but he agrees with Ned’s basic position. In some ways Conseil is the role most identifiable to the audience.
Visually this film is a treat. The effects are amazing. From the ship attacks to the electric charges to the explosions - wow. They pulled out all the stops. This was the first sci-fi film to be shot in cinemascope, and they did a fantastic job. One thing that I do remember in the book is that I don’t think it had that final an ending. They had to rectify that for the format of the cinematic experience, and they gave it a good one. Destroying the Nautilus worked very well, and the Professor, Conseil and Ned have to escape - and that’s where Kirk Douglas really gets to be the hero. And rightly so here, of the three his character, a harpooner I remind you, is the best suited to the physical bravado of knocking out the attacker, breaking doors open to rescue the others etc.
I once heard Back To The Future described as “everything you go to the movies for” - well, that’s what this is. It even has the odd comedy moment here and there, mainly involving Ned talking to Nemo’s pet seal, Esmeralda. Although Nemo’s telling Professor Arronax where the cigars come from works beautifully, because it’s a funny moment but played in total seriousness. That’s the way to do comedy in a narrative setting, don’t play it for laughs. Sounds slightly the opposite of the natural idea, but it’s not. You play for believeability, and the laughs will come anyway if the situation is funny.
All in all, I was delighted to see this film again, and plan on making my next viewing of it a lot sooner!