Customer Reviews

Last Voyage [VHS]

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Disaster movies from this era are, in general, fairly forgettable, but "The Last Voyage" rises above the norm in several ways. The stars of this film are well cast with Robert Stack in fine form as the heroic husband out to save his wife, George Sanders excelling as Captain Robert Adams, and Dorothy Malone doing a generally good (though occasionally over the top) job as the imperiled heroine. Stack and Malone had worked together before, and have an excellent onscreen chemistry. While football star turned actor Woody Strode does an excellent job as a selfless crewman, the downside to the casting was Tammy Marihugh who played the daughter of Stack and Malone, and who is one of the most shrill and annoying child actors in memory. I gave this film four stars, and a good part of the reason it didn't get five was due to that one piece of casting.

The real star of the film, of course, was the "S.S. Claridon" which sank due to a fire, boiler explosion, and aged bulkheads. Most movies from the 1960s have poor special effects, but "The Last Voyage" is different because there are no real special effects here. The actual star of the film turns out to be no other than the beautiful art deco French Line ship, the "Ile de France," a ship more famous than most people realize. The "Ile de France" was the first ocean liner completed after world war one, and served through many years of service on the Atlantic (including as a troop transport during world war two.) Her most famous accomplishment, though, was coming to the aid of the "Andrea Doria" which sank in 1956: "Ile de France" was key to the rescue operation, but was retired and this film was made just four years later.

The film was shot onboard the ship, which is why the sets look so realistic and why the sinking is so realistic (she was actually sunk for the film.) While the plot itself is a bit contrived (really, an acetylene delivery by rowboat?) the story is generally well done and the shots of the ship are magnificent, although the mechanics of the funnel collapse might be questioned by marine architects.

I recommend the film as an above average suspense drama, and especially for the beautiful shots of a magnificent liner in her final days.

This movie is one of the least known and underrated disaster films of all time. I watched this for the first time back when I was 8 on the matinee movie. I was sick at home with the flu and was so glad I didnt have to watch soaps! Yeccchh! When I saw this on AMC not too long ago I was amazed to see how the movie has held up all these years. The casting is great- first rate. George Sanders plays a solid captain and uses just the right dramatic pauses at the right time. Edmund O'Brien (who is probably the greatest character actor of all time) is the blustery and defiant chief who has his fair share of run-ins with the captain. All the other casting is great as well and the film builds in suspense throughout. I especially like how the movie draws the viewer in immediatly with the opening shot of the captain holding a note which simply says "fire in the engine rooom." This is a fast paced and well crafted movie that is a delight to any disaster film buff. I especially like the scenes when the ships officers are peppering the captain with questions and you can see the captain slowly losing his confidence in his command (and in his ship). Highly recommended.

THE LAST VOYAGE tells of a sinking cruise liner and the panic of the crew and passengers. Robert Stack and Dorothy Malone star as a happy couple trapped aboard the sinking ship; they co-starred in "Written on the Wind" 4 years earlier and received Oscar nominations (Dorothy received the best supporting actress Oscar). Their work here is far less impressive, but they acquit themselves admirably with the material. Unfortunately, their young daughter in the movie (Tammy Marihugh) gives one of the shrillest child performances ever.

The reasons for the ship sinking are somewhat murky and unexciting (a small fire?). Although some suspense is generated subsequently, the plot and characters are rather hackneyed. Predictably, the Captain under-estimates the danger and his crew argue with him, and so forth.

On the plus side, the special effects are pretty impressive for the time. The producers leased the S.S. Ile de France, which was a famous French cruise ship that was being de-commissioned. Thus, they were able to partially sink the ship, and the results are some fairly realistic looking scenes, especially toward the end.

Overall, this film is an above-average 1960s film that compares favorably with similar films of the period, such as the 1953 version of Titanic.

This is a well-written and tightly crafted little film. It never pretends to be more than it is about. The film gets right to the dilemma with nearly the opening shot. There are very few special effects as the disaster is real. The real ship is really on fire! No need for CGI smoke and mirrors. George Sanders has a believable and restrained turn as the beleagured captain. Robert Stack is his usual no nonsense good guy. Woody Strode, a good underrated actor, also gives his usual solid bit part.

What I liked most is the look of the film. Its not fake. The action is real because they really did burn the ship. This adds to the excitement and tension. This deserves to be on DVD.

This movie has it's good and bad aspects.

Good- you get to see the interiors of the Ile De France one last time before she went to the breakers. The ship is fantastic with her art deco designs and woodwork.

Bad- most everything else.

The movie is narrated by the actor playing the second officer- who speaks like he has a mouthful of oatmeal while he's speaking. It's difficult to understand him.

Stupid dialog- like Edmund O'Brien's character telling everyone that his Father had been lost on Titanic, and later one of the officers repeating it. The officers continually pressuring the Captain to abandon ship and he not even wanting to mention to the passengers that there is a problem. This is after a boiler explodes and takes out a large section of a dining room and several cabins.

The events surrounding the boiler explosion. Instead of trying to crack the stuck safety valve, why didn't they just shut the fuel pumps off to the boiler and open the throttle valves. There's always more than one way to do things aboard ship.

Look closely and you can see the French placards on almost everything in the engine room- although this is supposed to be an American or British ship. Many of the steam gauges read zero, and the ship was supposed to be steaming at full speed when this incident occured. Apparently only one or two boilers were actually fired to supply service steam to generators.

Another weird plot element is the forward stack falling on the Captain's quarters. It's obvious that the stack was cut with a torch and WINCHED down. The angle of the ship certainly would not cause it to collapse.

Often, when the shots are angled to represent the ship sinking, the actors are standing upright- and therefore seem to be able to defy gravity.

Most of the actors do rather good jobs- considering the script was not very good.

Again, if you want to see the inside of a classic superliner buy this movie- otherwise steer clear.

This is a 'must see' film if you love disaster films, particularly those set at sea. It is a gripping, suspensful tale of courage, action and insight. It is at the top of the list thanks to its verisimilitude and grit. The final scenes will make you think twice--or three times--about taking a cruise. :) This film puts others to shame. Rent/buy it!

I was on ebay earlier this year when i bought THE LAST VOYAGE on video, when i watched it i was on the edge of my seat! it starts off as a fire in the boiler room and it spreads to the 2nd class dining saloon on the S.S. clariden, After the fire is put out and the ship is back on track the boiler gage gets jammed and explodes causing a huge explosion through the ship and separating ROBERT STACK AND WIFE DOROTHY MALONE as well as THEIR DAUGHTER TAMI! MALONE is stuck beneath a sheet of steel and cant move, so he saves his daughter first { who is stuck on the edge of the giant hole through their cabin} and tries to save his wife! As the Ship takes on water the captain begins to not know what to do, as other passengers leave the liner Stack stays behind with Malone to try and save her, Many great special effects follow, Water pouring into the First class Dining saloon portholes, A wall of water bursting into the engine room, The forward funnel falling and trapping the captain, the Bow being submerged, a half sunken corridor, the cabin flooding, the staircase being exploded by water and when the survivors reach boat deck when waves of water pour over the ships deck as the liner sinks!! Wow what a movie, i have a book on how it was made and they sank the ship The ILLE DE FRANCE of the coast of japan and every scene showing water rising, fire, explosions and the sinking are real and was done by a team of profesionals!!! If you like Atlantic{1929}, Titanic {any}, Poseidon adventure and all the disaster films then buy this as it is the best Disaster flick ever!

A dozen years before "The Poseidon Adventure," and thirty-seven or so before a little movie about a real-life disaster at sea, "The Last Voyage" is a worthy forerunner to both films. Starring Robert Stack and Dorothy Malone, both fresh from their star-turns in the soap opera "Written on the Wind," the movie is tense, stunning and realistic.

I recall viewing this as a lad and was impressed by several scenes, especially Stack's attempts to rescue his young daughter who is stranded precariously on a ledge created by a massive explosion. This is just one example of the production's well-crafted moments of passengers in crisis.

Woody Strode, a former star athlete turned actor, is noble and heroic in his role as the crewman who assists Stack. Because of his impressive stature and imposing eyes, Strode usually is remembered, no matter how small the role. He had two parts in Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments, battled Kirk Douglas in the famous arena scene in "Spartacus," and even encountered James Stewart as a menacing Native American chief in "Two Rode Together."

His part in this film is also significant to the on-screen events. This is commendable on the part of the film makers who looked beyond the times and cast the best person for the job.

For it's day, they did a pretty good job of an Ocean Liner sinking, even if it was a very gradule sinking. It would have been nice to see the making of this film included on the DVD, as an extra Feature.

Great movie about a disaster on the sea. Really keeps you on the edge of your seat. They actually sank a real ship. For all you ship fans out there the ship they sank was the Ille De France! Yep, thats right the ship that saved the passengers on the sinking andrea doria. There are many shots of the interiors of the ille de france as it looked in real life. Buy the film just to see this beautiful ship!