Soylent Green (1973)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Stanley R. Greenberg (screenplay)
Harry Harrison (novel)

Release Date:

9 May 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

It's the year 2022... People are still the same. They'll do anything to get what they need. And they need SOYLENT GREEN.

Plot:

In an overpopulated futuristic Earth, a New York police detective finds himself marked for murder by government agents when he gets too close to a bizarre state secret involving the origins of a revolutionary and needed new foodstuff.

Plot Keywords:

Food | New York City | Murder | Police | Police Detective

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Charlton Heston	...	Thorn
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Shirl
Chuck Connors	...	Tab
Joseph Cotten	...	Simonson
Brock Peters	...	Hatcher
Paula Kelly	...	Martha
Edward G. Robinson	...	Sol Roth
Stephen Young	...	Gilbert
Mike Henry	...	Kulozik
Lincoln Kilpatrick	...	The Priest
Roy Jenson	...	Donovan
Leonard Stone	...	Charles
Whit Bissell	...	Santini
Celia Lovsky	...	The Exchange Leader
Dick Van Patten	...	Usher #1

Also Known As:

À Beira do Fim (Portugal) [pt]
...Jahr 2022... die überleben wollen... (Austria) [de]
2022: i sopravvissuti (Italy) [it]
Fremtidens rædsel (Denmark) [da]
Jahr 2022... die überleben wollen (West Germany) [de]
Maailma vuonna 2022 (Finland) [fi]
No Mundo de 2020 (Brazil) [pt]
Soirento geriin (Japan) [ja]
Soleil vert (France) [fr]
Soylent Green: Cuando el destino nos alcance (Spain) [es]
Soylent green - Amerika år 2022 (Sweden) [sv]
Zöld szója (Hungary) [hu]
Zelena soja (Serbia) [sr]

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | France:U | UK:15 (DVD rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:16 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Canada:PG | Finland:K-18 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Sports Arena - 3939 S. Figueroa Street, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Edward G. Robinson was almost totally deaf when he made this movie, and only able to hear anyone if they spoke directly into his ear. Because of this, scenes with him talking to other people had to be shot several times before he got the rhythm of the dialogue and was able to respond to people as if he could really hear them. And because he was unable to hear director Richard Fleischer yell "cut" when a scene went wrong, Robinson would often continue acting out the scene, unaware that shooting had stopped seconds earlier.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Thorn is running towards the "going home" building, his head disappears into the matte just before the shot cuts. Later in the same scene, as he sees Sol "going home", part of his arm disappears behind the orange wall seen through the window.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Voice over PA: First stage removal. First stage removal. Streets prohibited to non-permits in one hour. Streets prohibited to non-permits in one hour.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Futurama: Roswell That Ends Well (#4.1)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46: I. 'Morning'

A classic even after 30 years

This was Eddie Robinson's 101st film and his last, and he died of cancer nine days after shooting was complete. All of which makes his key scene in the movie all the more poignant.

Although some of the hair and clothing styles are a bit dated (also note the video game shown in the film), but the subject of the film is pretty much timeless. Heston said he had wanted to make the film for some time because he really believed in the dangers of overpopulation.

Several things make this film a classic. The story is solid.

The acting is top-notch, especially the interplay between Heston and Robinson, with nice performances also by Cotten and Peters.

The music is absolutely perfect. The medley of Beethoven, Grieg, and Tchaikovsky combined with the pastoral visual elements make for some truly moving scenes. This was the icing on the cake for the film.

And the theme (or the "point") of the film is a significant one. Yes, it's a film about overpopulation, but on a more important note it's a cautionary tale about what can go wrong with Man's stewardship of Earth. It's in the subtext that you find the real message of the film. Pay attention to what Sol says about the "old days" of the past (which is our present), and note how Thorn is incapable of comprehending what Sol is saying.

This film is one of my top sci-fi films of all time.