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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Directed by	Richard Fleischer
Produced by	Walt Disney (uncredited)
Written by	Jules Verne (novel) Earl Felton (screenplay)
Starring	Kirk Douglas James Mason Paul Lukas Peter Lorre
Cinematography	Franz Planer
Editing by	Elmo Williams
Distributed by	Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s)	December 23, 1954
Running time	127 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$4,300,000 (estimated; nearly $9M with print and advertising)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 film starring Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, James Mason as Captain Nemo, Paul Lukas as Professor Pierre Aronnax, and Peter Lorre as Conseil. It is the first science fiction film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, as well as the only Science-fiction film produced by Walt Disney himself. It is also the first feature length Disney film to be distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. The film has become the most well-known adaptation of the book of the same name by Jules Verne.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was filmed at various locations in Bahamas and Jamaica, with the cave scenes filmed beneath what is now the Xtabi hotel on the cliffs of Negril. Some of the location filming sequences were so complex, that they required a technical crew of over 400 people. It presented many challenges and cost-overruns during production.^[1]

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Reaction 4 Differences between the film and the novel 5 Record albums 6 Prequel 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Plot

In the year 1866, rumors of a sea monster attacking ships in the Pacific Ocean have created apprehension and fear among sailors, disrupting the shipping lanes. Prof. Pierre M. Aronnax and his assistant, Conseil, are on their way to Saigon but get stuck in San Francisco by the halting of ships. The U.S. government invites Aronnax onto an expedition to either prove or disprove the monster's existence. One of their fellow crew is the cocky master harpooner Ned Land.

After months of searching, the monster strikes, ramming the naval frigate. Ned, Aronnax, and Conseil are thrown overboard, and watch in horror as their ship, badly disabled, is unable to rescue them. The three drift into a strange-looking metal vessel, and realize the "monster" is a man-made "submerging boat", that seems to have been deserted. Inside, Aronnax wanders down into the Salon, where he finds a massive viewing window and sees an underwater funeral taking place.

When the submarine crew returns to their ship, they capture the three castaways. The captain introduces himself as Nemo, master of the Nautilus. He returns Ned and Conseil to the deck, while Aronnax, whom he recognizes for his work and research, is allowed to stay. He tempts Aronnax to remain with him, but Aronnax prefers to share his companions' fate. Nemo prepares to submerge Nautilus with the three stowaways on the deck, but at the last moment changes his mind and allows them to stay. After dinner that night, Nemo takes them all on an underwater expedition to gather supplies, but Ned tries to salvage a treasure chest from a sunken wreck, almost getting attacked by a shark.

Later on, Nemo takes Aronnax to the penal colony island of Rura Penthe. Nemo reveals he was once a prisoner there himself, as were many of the crew of the Nautilus. A munitions ship embarks at sunset, whereupon the Nautilus rams it, destroying its munitions cargo and killing the entire crew. When confronted by Aronnax, Nemo claims that his actions have just saved thousands from death in war; he also discloses that this "hated nation" had killed his wife and son in an attempt to force him to reveal his atomic secrets. Meanwhile, Ned discovers the coordinates of Nemo's secret island base, Vulcania, and releases messages in bottles, hoping somebody will find them and free him from captivity.

Off the coast of New Guinea, the Nautilus gets stranded on a reef. Ned is surprised when Nemo freely allows him to go ashore with Conseil, ostensibly to collect specimens. Ned goes off alone inland to explore avenues of escape, until he sees a bunch of human skulls, and a cannibal in a tree. Realizing his danger, Ned runs for his life and rejoins Conseil as they are chased back to the Nautilus. Despite remaining aground, Nemo is unconcerned and the cannibals are repelled from the ship by electrical charges circulated on its hull. Captain Nemo is furious at Ned for not following his orders, and confines him to the submarine's brig as punishment.

A warship approaches, firing and striking the submarine just as it breaks free of the reef. It descends into the depths, where it attracts the attentions of a giant squid. The electric charge fails to repel the monster, so Nemo and his men are forced to surface in order to fight and dislodge the beast. During the battle, Nemo is caught in one of the squid's tentacles; Ned, having escaped from captivity in the struggle, jumps to Nemo's rescue and saves his captor's life. As a result, Nemo has a change of heart; he claims now to want to make peace with the outer world, by sharing his secrets of the sea. However, this is to be short-lived.

As the Nautilus nears Vulcania, Nemo finds the island surrounded by warships, whose marines are converging on his hideout. He goes ashore, setting a time bomb to destroy his discoveries, but when returning to the Nautilus, he is struck in the back by enemy fire and mortally wounded. After navigating the submarine away from Vulcania, Nemo announces he is "taking the Nautilus down for the last time." Loyal to Nemo to the very end, his entire crew declare that they will accompany their captain in death.

Aronnax, Conseil, and Ned are taken forcibly to their cabins. Ned fights back, escapes to the now deserted bridge, and manages to surface the Nautilus, hitting a reef in the process and causing the ship to begin flooding rapidly. In his final moments, Nemo staggers to a viewing window, collapses, and looks at his beloved ocean one last time as he dies.

Aronnax tries to go back and retrieve his journal, which contains an account of the voyage, but the urgency of their escape obliges Ned to knock him unconscious and carry him out. The companions witness Vulcania destroyed in a explosion. The shock from the explosion causes the Nautilus to sink even more quickly, and as it disappears beneath the waves forever, Nemo's last words to Aronnax echo: "There is hope for the future. And when the world is ready for a new and better life, all this will someday come to pass. In God's good time." Aronnax's diary of the voyage is also lost forever, and when Ned apologizes for having hit him, the Professor replies "Perhaps you did mankind a service, Ned".

[edit] Cast

• Kirk Douglas as Ned Land
• James Mason as Captain Nemo
• Paul Lukas as Professor Pierre Aronnax
• Peter Lorre as Conseil
• Robert J. Wilke as Nautilus's First Mate
• Ted de Corsia as Captain Farragut
• Carleton Young as John Howard
• J. M. Kerrigan as Billy
• Percy Helton as Coach driver
• Ted Cooper as Abraham Lincoln's First Mate
• Fred Graham as Casey

[edit] Reaction

The film received positive reactions, and has become a classic film of the Disney corporation. Audiences fondly remember it for the giant-squid battle, the Nautilus itself, and James Mason's portrayal of Nemo, which have become iconic images of both the film and Verne's original novel.

Even fifty years after the initial release, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is considered by many^[who?] the most mature Disney live action production, rich in controversial and philosophical dialogue revolving around timeless issues, a display of pessimism (Nemo) versus optimism (Prof. Aronnax).

The film was also highly praised for the performances of the leading actors. This was the first time that major Hollywood stars such as Kirk Douglas, James Mason, and Peter Lorre had appeared in a Disney film, although Robert Newton, a well-known actor in British films, had played Long John Silver in Disney's 1950 Treasure Island, and Richard Todd, another well-known star of British films, had appeared in a Disney Technicolor live-action version of The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952). Mason especially was singled out for his performance as Captain Nemo, and many people who first saw him on-screen in the film identify him most strongly with this role.

Critic Steve Biodrowski says that the film is "... far superior to the majority of genre efforts from the period (or any period, for that matter), with production design and technical effects that have dated hardly at all." and that it "... may occasionally succumb to some of the problems inherent in the source material (the episodic nature does slow the pace), but the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses, making this one of the greatest science-fiction films ever made."^[2]

The film has inspired a dark ride at Tokyo DisneySea and a walkthrough at Disneyland Paris. Disneyland used the original sets as a walk-through attraction from 1955 to 1966. Walt Disney World Resort's Magic Kingdom also had 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage from 1971 to 1994 which consisted of a submarine ride, complete with the giant squid attack. For this ride, voice artist Peter Renaday stood in for James Mason in the role of Captain Nemo.

[edit] Differences between the film and the novel

Earl Felton's script deviates noticeably from the original Jules Verne book by integrating elements of the lesser known Jules Verne book Facing the Flag, which revolves around an "Invention of Peril" (German book title) which was re-interpreted as nuclear power rather than the super-nitroglycerin Verne had envisioned. Thus, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea became more palatable to film audiences of the atomic age. Other elements borrowed from Facing the Flag were Ned Land's messages in bottles and Nemo's base Vulcania (inspired by Ker Karraje's pirate hideout Back Cup Island). Among the other changes:

• Ned Land is an unwilling and recalcitrant passenger in both versions, but only in the film is he locked up in the brig.
• Professor Aronnax is more determined to join the original expedition in the book than in the film.
• Ned Land is described as a man of few words in the book, but in the film he is talkative and outgoing.
• In the book, Conseil speaks in the third person; in the film he speaks colloquially.
• Esmerelda, the trained seal, was created for the film (as comic relief).
• The film's main song, "A Whale of a Tale," was also created for the film. The theme was used repeatedly throughout the film (19 times) by Leagues' music composer Paul J. Smith as Ned's musical motif. Al Hoffman (music) and Norman Gimbel (lyrics) composed 'Whale of a Tale;' however, Disney did not list the two men in the credits of the film. Years later, both remained bitter at Walt's refusal to correct this slight in subsequent re-releases of the film. In 2005, Michael Eisner/the Disney Company again refused to alter the credits for the Special Edition DVD.
• In the book, the Nautilus is described as being streamlined and cigar-shaped, while the Nautilus of the film looks rather like massive cross-between an alligator and a shark. It is capable of incredible surface speed. Elmo Williams (film editor) was put in charge of supervising Ralph Hammeras special effects team by Walt Disney early on during the filming. Williams has stated in his autobiography that they had the Nautilus moving through the water at what would, in adjusted/converted speed, have been 90 knots, or 103 miles per hour.
• In the novel, the Nautilus is powered by electricity generated from mercury-based batteries; in the film it is nuclear-powered.
• A few events from the novel, most notably the sea battles between Nemo and the ships sent to destroy him, Aronnax's witnessing of the sinking of a ship, and the undersea funeral, were included or integrated into the film but not in the order they occur in the novel (example: Aronnax does not actually witness Nemo sinking another ship or learn of his family's deaths until near the end of the book whereas this occurs much earlier in the film.)
• In the film, Captain Nemo plays a pipe organ; within his repertoire, he plays Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, sometimes playing dissonant chords with it. (Perhaps not so coincidentally, the piece had been used as the first selection in Disney's earlier film classic Fantasia).
• In the book, Nemo gives the treasure he recovers from sunken wrecks to a nation fighting for independence. In the film, however, any treasure recovered is used merely as ballast.
• In the book, Aronnax accompanies Ned and Conseil to the island while waiting for the tide to release the Nautilus from the reef. There they go on a trip to hunt animals to eat and take back to the Nautilus. In the book they do not try to escape. In the film, only Ned and Conseil go ashore, and Ned tries to escape.
• In the novel, Ned rescues Nemo from a shark and later, Nemo saves Ned from a squid, both as repayment and stating that "I owed myself this revenge" since the squid had just claimed one of his men. This is, of course, reversed in the film, with Nemo saving Ned from an impending shark attack and Ned rescuing Nemo from the squid.
• Only one very large giant squid attacks the Nautilus in the film whereas several (at least seven) smaller squid (25 feet as described by Aronnax) attack the Nautilus in the novel.
• While the book does allude to an island stronghold where Nemo can resupply his ship, the final sea-battle at Vulcania was fabricated for the film.
• At the end of the novel, Nemo plunges into depression after he destroys a ship and kills all aboard. He directs the Nautilus into a whirlpool and it is not known whether it/he survives. Nemo turns up alive in Verne's later novel The Mysterious Island, at the end of which he dies. It should be noted that the film adaptation of Mysterious Island is based upon the novel itself and completely ignores the ending of Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, as if Disney had never filmed it.
• In the Disney film, Nemo is mortally wounded by a gunshot and the Nautilus is crippled. A dying Nemo then steers the ship towards "its final resting place,". (It is suggested and presumed that Nemo has discovered nuclear power, which may power the submarine as well as the spectacular explosion that destroys the island.) He does this, not out of selfishness, but out of care for mankind, believing them unready for his discoveries.
• Unlike the novel, the film never reveals Nemo's nationality (James Mason plays him with a "British" accent; he tells Professor Aronnax that he and the crew of the Nautilus are former inmates of the prison camp shown in the film; he also admits to Aronnax that his quest for revenge is motivated by the fact that his wife and child were tortured to death by those who unsuccessfully tried to obtain Nemo's scientific secrets.

[edit] Record albums

Two record albums were made from the film, but neither used its cast. Rather than being soundtrack recordings of the film score or dialogue, both were condensed (and somewhat altered) versions of the story as narrated, not by Aronnax as in the film and the original novel, but by Ned Land. Neither album mentioned Nemo as actually being "cracked" (i.e. insane), as the film does. The first album was issued in 1954 in conjunction with the film's original release, and starred William Redfield as Ned. This album, a book-and-record set, was issued as part of RCA Victor's Little Nipper series on two 45-RPM records.^[3] The second album, released by Disneyland Records in 1963 in conjunction with the film's first re-release ^[4], was issued on one 33 1/3 RPM 12-inch LP with no accompanying booklet and no liner notes - the usual practice with most Disneyland label albums. It contained much more of the film's plot, but with the same alterations as the first album, so this recording was technically a remake of the earlier one. The cast for the 1963 album was uncredited. Neither album listed the film's credits or made any mention of the film's cast.

[edit] Prequel

On January 6, 2009, Variety reported that a remake entitled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo is being planned with McG attached to direct. The film serves as an origin story for the central character, Captain Nemo, as he builds his warship, the Nautilus.^[5] McG has remarked that it will be "much more in keeping with the spirit of the novel" than Richard Fleischer's film, in which it will reveal "what Aronnax is up to and the becoming of Captain Nemo, and how the man became at war with war itself."^[6] It was written by Bill Marsilli, and Justin Marks and Randall Wallace were brought on to do rewrites.^[7] It will be produced by Sean Bailey with McG's Wonderland Sound and Vision.^[8]

McG once suggested that he wanted Will Smith for the Captain Nemo role, but he has reportedly turned down the role.^[9][10] As a second possible choice, McG has mentioned Sam Worthington, whom he worked with on Terminator Salvation, though they haven't discussed it seriously. As of November 18th, 2009 however, the project has been shelved and McG has backed out of directing.^[11]

[edit] See also

• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, a Walt Disney ride that was based on the film.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)

• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea at the Internet Movie Database

v • d • e Films directed by Richard Fleischer 1940s Child of Divorce (1946) · Banjo (1947) · Bodyguard (1948) · The Clay Pigeon (1949) · Follow Me Quietly (1949) · Make Mine Laughs (1949) · Trapped (1949) 1950s Armored Car Robbery (1950) · The Narrow Margin (1952) · The Happy Time (1952) · Arena (1953) · 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) · Violent Saturday (1955) · The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) · Bandido (1956) · Between Heaven and Hell (1956) · The Vikings (1958) · Compulsion (1959) · These Thousand Hills (1959) 1960s Crack in the Mirror (1960) · The Big Gamble (1961) · Barabbas (1961) · Fantastic Voyage (1966) · Doctor Dolittle (1967) · The Boston Strangler (1968) · Che! (1969) 1970s Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) · 10 Rillington Place (1971) · The Last Run (1971) · See No Evil (1971) · The New Centurions (1972) · Soylent Green (1973) · The Don Is Dead (1973) · The Spikes Gang (1974) · Mr. Majestyk (1974) · Mandingo (1975) · The Incredible Sarah (1976) · Crossed Swords (1977) · Ashanti (1979) 1980s The Jazz Singer (1980) · Tough Enough (1983) · Amityville 3-D (1983) · Conan the Destroyer (1984) · Red Sonja (1985) · Million Dollar Mystery (1987)

v • d • e Works by Jules Verne   Voyages Extraordinaires Five Weeks in a Balloon (1863) · The Adventures of Captain Hatteras (1866) · A Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) · From the Earth to the Moon (1865) · In Search of the Castaways (1867-68) · Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1869-70) · Around the Moon (1870) · A Floating City (1871) · The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa (1872) · The Fur Country (1873) · Around the World in Eighty Days (1873) · The Mysterious Island (1874-75) · The Survivors of the Chancellor (1875) · Michael Strogoff (1876) · Off on a Comet (1877) · The Child of the Cavern (1877) · Dick Sand, A Captain at Fifteen (1878) · The Begum's Millions (1879) · Tribulations of a Chinaman in China (1879) · The Steam House (1880) · Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon (1881) · Godfrey Morgan (1882) · The Green Ray (1882) · Kéraban the Inflexible (1883) · The Vanished Diamond (1884) · The Archipelago on Fire (1884) · Mathias Sandorf (1885) · The Lottery Ticket (1886) · Robur the Conqueror (1886) · North Against South (1887) · The Flight to France (1887) · Two Years' Vacation (1888) · Family Without a Name (1889) · The Purchase of the North Pole (1889) · César Cascabel (1890) · Mistress Branican (1891) · Carpathian Castle (1892) · Claudius Bombarnac (1892) · Foundling Mick (1893) · Captain Antifer (1894) · Propeller Island (1895) · Facing the Flag (1896) · Clovis Dardentor (1896) · An Antarctic Mystery (1897) · The Mighty Orinoco (1898) · The Will of an Eccentric (1899) · The Castaways of the Flag (1900) · The Village in the Treetops (1901) · The Sea Serpent (1901) · The Kip Brothers (1902) · Traveling Scholarships (1903) · A Drama in Livonia (1904) · Master of the World (1904) · Invasion of the Sea (1905)   Other works Novels The Waif of the Cynthia (1885) · The Lighthouse at the End of the World (1905) · The Golden Volcano (1906) · The Thompson Travel Agency (1907) · The Chase of the Golden Meteor (1908) · The Danube Pilot (1908) · The Survivors of the 'Jonathan' (1909) · The Secret of William Storitz (1910) · The Barsac Mission (1919) · Paris in the Twentieth Century (1994, written 1863) Collections Doctor Ox (1874) · Yesterday and Tomorrow (1910) Short stories "A Drama in Mexico" (1851) · "A Drama in the Air" (1851) · "Martin Paz" (1852) · "Master Zacharius" (1854) · "A Winter Amid the Ice" (1855) · "The Count of Chanteleine" (1864) · "The Blockade Runners" (1865) · "Dr. Ox's Experiment" (1872) · "An Ideal City" (1875) · "The Mutineers of the Bounty" (1879) · "Ten Hours Hunting" (1881) · "Frritt-Flacc" (1884) · "Gil Braltar" (1887) · "In the Year 2889" (1889) · "Adventures of the Rat Family" (1891) · "Mr. Ray Sharp and Miss Me Flat" (1893) · "The Eternal Adam" (1910) Non-fiction Histoire des grands voyages et des grands voyageurs