Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1970)

Despite having Captain Nemo and the Nautilus, this does not appear to be a sequel or prequel to "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea". Instead, it takes a few story elements and weaves an all-new tale--one where Nemo seems like a pretty cool guy and all the people from the Earth's surface are total jerks! Talk about role reversals! The film begins during the US Civil War. A ship from America to England is foundering in a storm. Eventually, when it sinks, six of the passengers are rescued by a passing submarine--Nemo and his Nautilus. At first Nemo is very brusque and gloomy, but soon he warms up to the passengers--announcing they are on their way to Nemo's underwater paradise. And the place IS terrific--like Heaven on Earth. Yet despite the people being kind and the city being paradise, most of the rescued people behave like boorish jerks. Two only see ways to exploit the city and cannot appreciate anything of its beauty. One is an angry claustrophobe who tries to destroy the city simply because he will not be allowed to return home since Nemo wants to keep the city a secret. Another is a Senator who is on a diplomatic mission and he insists on completing his mission--even though his country is in the middle of annihilating itself. And the final two are a mother and child who don't seem like total jerks! There is quite a bit to like about this fantasy film. I much prefer seeing a kinder, gentler Nemo and his hopeful vision for the future. Plus for 1969, the special effects and underwater scenes are pretty nice (aside from the silly monster). And, the story and acting are pretty good. My biggest complaint about the film are the characters from the surface. While it is hard to believe that they would not love this wonderful kingdom, the fact that they seem so unreal--like caricatures--that bothered me. Again and again, they were offered kindness and friendship yet they acted horribly--and for little discernible reason. Greed alone did not explain all this, though the film does amply illustrate that humans suck. I which these people had been more complex--it might have made the film a lot more enjoyable. However, despite this, the movie is a nice adventure--well worth seeing.By the way, at one point in the film, Nemo tells the guests that they are 10,000 leagues under the surface. Judging by the types of fish you see and the few scenes where you can see light from the surface, the city (if it were real) is about 100 feet or less from the surface.

Casual viewers could be forgiven for believing that this is an Irwin Allen production even though he had nothing to do with it. It bears a lot of his 1960's hallmarks such as a simplistic approach to story-line, showy-yet-tacky production design, name brand stars and unfunny comic relief. Connors plays a US Senator during The Civil War who is shipwrecked and picked up (along with five others) by Ryan, a gifted, but rather despotic inventor who has created an incredible underwater metropolis. Newman and her young son Hartstone, claustrophobe Cuthbertson and gold-obsessed brothers Fraser and Connor round out the "guests" of Ryan, who soon find that they aren't permitted to leave the underwater city. Ever. Most of the castaways greet this news with despair, but Newman and Hartstone actually discover they like the place. Where else could one enjoy an endless supply of gourmet seafood, live in rooms that are accented with pure gold and swim in the plant and rock accented community pool run by curvy Italian bombshell Paluzzi? Of course there is that pesky giant manta ray that occasionally swipes by for a bite of human flesh! Connors is his usual square-jawed self and, though not particularly well-cast, he does an adequate job. Ryan plays his role with an overdose of dourness, robbing the part of any irony, flair, camp or flavor. Newman is appealing (and even attempts a small bid at women's lib!), but isn't given much to do. Paluzzi (who is given one really ugly ball gown and an even worse hairdo to go with it in one scene) has a crazed musical number in which she opens a box and "plays" a golden stick with leaves on it as the camera attempts to focus on her through the cheesecloth. She and Newman go scuba diving and inexplicably have their hair fully exposed and unrestrained so that it floats everywhere including over their face masks! Fraser and Connor are presented as bumbling idiots and they only cease to be annoying when they finally begin to forgo their pointless buffoonery. Turner appears as Ryan's faithful first officer and has one of the few roles with more than one dimension. The film is packed with bright, colorful, eye-popping imagery along with many goofy costumes and props. Check out those scuba suits with the gold-plated tank holders and the clear "wings" on the shoulders! The alarms in the city have lobster claws on them! Some of the underwater photography is far too murky and under lit to enjoy fully. It isn't a bad time killer and fantasy fans will enjoy some of the model work, gadgetry and hilarious "science". Irwin Allen would actually tackle this material for television a few years later with Jose Ferrar as Nemo. Also, some of the elements seem to have inspired Ross Hunter's dreadful 1973 remake of "Lost Horizon".

'Captain Nemo and the Underwater City' is a film about a crew who is shipwrecked and then picked up by Captain Nemo in an underwater city where they must remain and never tell anyone about the underwater city. The film explores the underwater city and the way that the people live here. It's like a utopia, and the underwater life is quite imaginative. I was hoping for a little more scenes about the city and the way that people live here, but the story is taken over by a few of the crew who try to escape with gained knowledge.The special effects are a little to be desired. In fact, some of the acting itself is also a little laughable. It's got its flaws, and it is one of those films where you can sit back and poke some fun at the characters and events in the film.

Shipwreck survivors are rescued by an authoritarian ruler of a secret underwater city during the 19th century. Nice underwater photography, enough action and special effects to offset wooden acting and less-than-sublime script. (Rating B+)