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Rating: - On the Beach
This is a review of the 2000, Showtime, made-for-cable production based on the wonderful Nevil Shute novel. The plot is simply: A nuclear world war has occurred. Only Australia survives, temporarily, until the nuclear cloud arrives from the northern hemisphere. A surviving American submarine arrives in Australia. A story of drama and interpersonal relationships ensues.
A film of this story was previously produced in 1959, starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Anthony Perkins, Fred Astaire. In my opinion, the 1959 version was superior.
This version is updated to bring us into the 21st century (not necessarily a good thing?). Now included are solar powered laptops, email, computer generated video displays, brutal street violence, raw crude language, an anti-military political agenda, and other such products of our present enlightened age.
This new production weighs in at over 3 1/2 hours, easily over twice as long as the 1959 production. The implications of that are obvious. I am pleased that I did not really notice a lot of apparent "filler" time. The musical score is not nearly as memorable as the earlier film, which was interlaced with a variety of renderings of "Waltzing Matilda". But the music is usually good, although generally unremakable.
Enough of the comparisons . . . on to this particular movie. Experiencing this story is very emotional. It deals with society, family, and death. Slow, impending death (is that not the present reality of it anyway?).
This film serves the story well. Well produced and directed, although on less than a "blank check" budget. Well-casted(with one exception which I will address below). The closing minutes are gut-wrenching.
A couple of specific observations - Firstly, the technical aspects regarding the American submarine were interesting (I am a submarine veteran). On one hand, they were unusually well done and accurately rendered (for Hollywood). The film paid homage to the concept of sovereignty of command of an American warship. On the other hand, this principle was occasionally disregarded and military discipline degraded to what appeared to be business as usual on a tuna boat. I found this distracting.
My second criticism - Viewing the film critically, I kept trying to figure out what was "wrong". I finally pinned it: Rachel Ward (Moira Davidson, lush). I don't know why I ever thought she was attractive or could act. She did not pull it off in this film. The notion that an intelligent professional naval ... Read More
Rating: - Whitbourn Steals the Show!
On the Beach is a brilliant film. What gets lost in all the reviews however is the break out performance by the up and coming Aussie star Tim Whitbourn. He clearly outshined established stars Armand Assante and Bryan Brown with his riveting performance, only to be ignored by the media because he is a relative newcomer. He showed incredible ability in taking on numerous roles and characters. Bravo Timothy! Bravo.
Rating: - Mediocre DVD transfer, but a solid performance piece
I know, I know... they haven't released it on DVD yet, but for those of you who are interested, drop me a line and we can work something out--a few music stores sell all-region copies for a decent price, and this was one of the titles they offered!
I'm a huge Armand Assante fan, and Bryan Brown has his moments, but Rachal Ward is the real star here. I've never seen the original and thus have no basis to compare the two, but tv-movie or not, any critic who bashes this is likely just too puritanical to be open-minded.
Russell Mulcahy does a fair job with the obviously low-budget he's been alloted. Don MacKellar's "Last Night" (shot in Toronto) does a similarly good job with virtually no money in the budget, and you would do well to check that one out, too.
Rating: - Still A Must See
Hands down better than 1959 version. I found the characters to be much more compellingly portrayed. All of the roles were played well. Having been a Navy wife...I found Armand Assante's somewhat gruff, somewhat swagering, yet sympathetic Towers pretty accurate for a sub commander. Brian Brown as always pitch perfect. Rachel Ward's character beleivable and fun. The young couple with daughter really caught my attention. Let's see more of Grant Bowler.
Rating: - Worthwhile Remake of 1959 Classic
It is easy to take potshots at a Made-for-Cable remake, particularly when the film remade is a cherished classic, such as 1959's 'On the Beach'. "Armand Assante is no Gregory Peck", "Bryan Brown is no Fred Astaire", "Stanley Kramer made the point better, in black and white, in an hour less time"...These are the most frequent criticisms, and they certainly have merit!
But if you take the time to watch this film, you'll find the 2000 version actually compares favorably with the original, and, in some ways, actually improves upon it. First, Australian actors are finally playing the Australian roles. This is not meant as a slap at Anthony Perkins, Ava Gardner, or Fred Astaire; Stanley Kramer casted easily-recognizable screen icons so he wouldn't have to spend much time developing character (Only Perkins has any real backstory in the film), but, by casting Americans, any Australian flavor is either diluted or caricatured. The remake is rich in character, with an authenticity that can't be faked.
This carries over to the casting of Armand Assante as Commander Towers, as well. Gregory Peck was such a legend by the time the original was made, that his character, other than the lack of acceptance of his family's death, isn't explored; it is simply Peck playing Peck. Assante, bull-like and clearly in charge, is given several scenes demonstrating the love and loyalty he shares with his crew, explaining why his sense of duty has to take precedent over his new love with Moira (Rachel Ward) more effectively than Peck could. Assante is remarkably good in the role, as is Ward, taking Ava Gardner's role from the original.
The remake takes a much harder-edged view of a civilization facing death. Riots and looting are commonplace, there is less comfort from religion, and authority is breaking down, piecemeal, throughout the country. Anti-U.S. sentiment, never exhibited in the original, is rampant, particularly when the U.S. submarine arrives in port. The ravages of nuclear holocaust are shown; San Francisco, which was inexplicably intact in the original, is here a shattered husk, twisted and crushed. Powerful images are frequent in the remake, and won't soon be forgotten.
Not that the remake is without faults. The final Australian Grand Prix, Astaire's shining moment, is gone, as is his suicide by carbon monoxide, with a smile on his face, behind the wheel of his championship car (Brown's crashing through a billboard in his Ferrari just doesn't pack the same emotional wallop). Having Moira fantasize that Towers abandons his crew and returns ... Read More
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