20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Jules Verne (novel)
Earl Felton (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 December 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Walt Disney's Mighty, Magnificent, Memorable 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!

Plot:

A ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings encounters the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Ocean | Captain | Captain Nemo | Atlantis

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Kirk Douglas	...	Ned Land
James Mason	...	Captain Nemo
Paul Lukas	...	Prof. Pierre Aronnax
Peter Lorre	...	Conseil
Robert J. Wilke	...	First Mate of the Nautilus
Ted de Corsia	...	Capt. Farragut
Carleton Young	...	John Howard
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Old Billy
Percy Helton	...	Coach Driver
Ted Cooper	...	Mate on 'Lincoln'

Also Known As:

Jules Verne's 20000 Leagues Under the Sea (USA) (complete title)
Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (USA) (poster title)
20.000 leguas de viaje submarino (Argentina) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
20.000 Meilen unter dem Meer (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
20.000 lieues sous les mers (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
En världsomsegling under havet (Finland: Swedish title) (Sweden) [sv]
20 000 mil podmorskiej zeglugi (Poland) [pl]
20 hiliades levges ypo tin thalassan (Greece) [el]
20.000 Léguas Submarinas (Brazil) [pt]
20.000 levges kato apo ti thalassa (Greece) [el]
20.000 llegües de viatge submarí (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
20.000 mijlen onder de zee (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
20000 Meilen unter dem Meer (West Germany) [de]
20000 leghe sotto i mari (Italy) [it]
Denizler altinda 20.000 fersah (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
En verdensomseiling under havet (Norway) [no]
En verdensomsejling under havet (Denmark) [da]
Sukelluslaivalla maapallon ympäri (Finland) [fi]
Twintigduizend mijlen onder de zee (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Vingt mille lieues sous la mer (France) [fr]
Vingt-mille lieues sous les mers (Belgium: French title) [fr]
Vinte Mil Léguas Submarinas (Portugal) [pt]

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Portugal:M/6 | Iceland:L | Finland:K-12 (1955) | Finland:K-8 (1976) | Canada:G (video rating) | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:F (Ontario) | France:U | Norway:11 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #17073) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | USA:G (re-rating) (1970) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

The skiff was made of wood, painted to look like metal, and had to be weighted with sandbags to look heavy in the water. When towing it to the cannibals' island, the crew took the sandbags out to make their job easier, and they forgot to put them back in. When filming the scene where Ned and Conseil get in the boat to row away from the cannibals, Kirk Douglas expected the boat to be low in the water. He didn't lower the oars far enough to catch the water, and when he started to row, he fell on his back. Director Richard Fleischer thought the shot was so funny he left it in the film. When Ned starts to row, he clearly tips back, and his legs shoot up in the air.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Shortly after first entering the Nautilus, Ned, Professor Arramax and Conseil watch a submarine funeral service taking place on the ocean floor. Considering the Nautilus is at the surface at the time yet is only ten feet or so above the ocean floor, this makes the water unrealistically shallow for the middle of the ocean.

Quotes:

Captain Nemo: I am not what is called a civilized man, Professor. I have done with society for reasons that seem good to me. Therefore, I do not obey its laws.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Pagemaster (1994)

Soundtrack:

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

Great and Funny Adventure

In 1868, shipping becomes a nightmare, since vessels are vanishing the in the South Seas. The tabloids attribute the disappearances of the ships to an existence of a sea monster. The US government invites Prof. Pierre Arronax (Paul Lukas) and his assistant Conseil (Peter Lorre) to investigate what is really happening and they embark in a ship navigating to the Orient. In the crew, Ned Land (Kirk Douglas) is a happy member. After a long period on the open sea, a submarine, the Nautilaus, commanded by Captain Nemo (James Mason), attacks the steamship. Prof. Arronax, Conseil and Ned are rescued by the submarine, and share the dreams and madness of Captain Nemo. Although being a 1954 film, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is a great and funny adventure, which has not aged. The adaptation of Julio Verne's novel "on the screen" is a great entertainment recommended for all families. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "20.000 Léguas Submarinas" ("20,000 Leagues Submarines")