Max’s Drive-In Movie – The Poseidon Adventure

I watched this around 5 months ago for the first time in about 10 years. Altogether, I’ve seen it around 7 to 8 times. I added another watch since I wanted to post this. Disaster movies are hardly ever on “great” lists, but this is a disaster movie done right. Watching it in hindsight, you wouldn’t think a movie full of stars would be this good. Many times, if you see a lot of stars advertised, they are mostly cameos, but this is not the case with this movie.  

I have a weak spot for this kind of movie. Horror and Disaster movies I fall for right away, and yes, I’ve seen a lot of bad movies that way. This one, though, has some smarts to it, and it is enjoyable. The set for this movie must have been super expensive and huge. It’s one of those films that has everything. Gripping adventure scenes, non-stop crises, drama, sadness, and hotpants. I was around 7 (1974) when I saw it on television, and I loved it. It’s a film that offers something for both kids and adults. As I’ve said before, I dislike the word dated, but aside from the clothing styles, it still holds up today. Plus, the special effects have a realism that I prefer over CGI; they just feel more authentic.

It has earned a reputation as the best disaster film of the seventies, not just for its impressive special effects but for its compelling story of survival. The film follows a select group of people fighting to stay alive, and despite some being a bit annoying, you find yourself rooting for them. If you love star power, this movie delivers, featuring Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, Roddy McDowall, Leslie Nielsen, and more.

The acting was very good in this, as expected with their talent level. The film was based on Paul Gallico’s 1969 novel of the same name. It follows the journey of passengers and crew trying to escape a capsized luxury ocean liner. The budget was 4.7 million, a great amount back in 1972. It made over 125 million, so it did well. If I had to pick the two stars that had the biggest impact in this movie, it would be Gene Hackman and Ernest Borginine. They developed a rivalry in this movie, and it worked well for the survivors. Shelly Winters also did a good job, along with everyone else. She gained 35 pounds for the part of Belle Rosen. Afterward, she complained that she was never able to get back to her original weight. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

The movie was directed by Ronald Neame. Also, don’t get this one confused with its “sequel” in 1979. That one wasn’t anywhere close to this one. 

PLOT

As the Poseidon sails on its final voyage before being retired, a festive New Year’s Eve party is underway. Meanwhile, the ship’s captain reluctantly follows orders from the ship’s owner to maintain high speed despite rough waters. Disaster strikes when a massive tsunami wave hits, flipping the ship upside down.

In the aftermath, a small group of survivors, led by the determined and strong-willed Reverend Frank Scott (Gene Hackman), must navigate their way upward toward the ship’s hull, which is now their only possible escape route. 

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

35 thoughts on “Max’s Drive-In Movie – The Poseidon Adventure”

  3. I haven’t seen it. Then again, the only version of “Titanic” I’ve seen is from 1953. I remember the 70s disaster film craze, including “Earthquake” in “Sensurround”, which shook the typewriters off the shelves of the typewriter store next to the theatre in my neighborhood. The store owner sued the theatre.

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    1. I read about that…Earthquake with the theater seats shaking. I had no clue though it was that strong.
      I like the Titanic of 1953 more…A Night To Remember I think. This one is a good adventure film and the actors had a decent script to work with.

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    1. Yes…the “movie of the week”…that is where I caught it. Shelley Winters was fantastic in this and everything she did.
      I just found this: it earned a Nielsen rating of 39.0 and an audience share of 62%, making it the sixth-highest rated film to ever air on network television.

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  6. Such a good take , Im going to watch this. I just about pulled the trigger a while back and will do it now. Seen this when it came out (sat through it a couple times). So right about Gene and Ernie and the rest of the cast. Loved the relationship between Stella and Ernie. Hackman had a pretty high batting average with me. So many good performances. Shelly is aggravating sometimes but I do like some of her work. Good in this. Great choice on her being an ex-swimmer. I love those ideas.

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    1. Thanks CB…I like that film with her called A Place in the Sun.
      This one has so much talent and they didn’t waste it with this. Watching this being older now…it still holds up to me. Oh Stella was great and the dynamic was really good with them.

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  7. I watched this when I was a pretty young kid because my babysitter was very excited it was on TV. This was my favorite babysitter so we had fun watching the movie (and stayed up late!).

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  8. Never saw this one, but of course there were a lot of clips shown on talk shows and such when it came out. The cast alone makes it worthwhile. Will have to look into it.

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  10. It really is a great cast. I love Shelly Winters and Ernest Borgnine in this. And Jack Albertson…he’s always superb…so natural. I saw this in the theater when it came out with my mom. Wonderful memory. The adventure/action of it was so compelling to me. And it was something that I could follow and understand at a young age.

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    1. That was me as well when I saw it a couple of years later. I was 7 but I was able to follow. What a cast…no one could afford a cast like that today hardly.

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    1. I’ve never seen Earthquake or the Inferno movie…but this one has a little bit of everything. It probably spawned some terrible movies…well yea…like the sequel with Michael Caine (who I like) and Sally Field…who I love.

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  13. a big truth or dare moment, I don’t remember much about any of the movies that were on while I was at the drive in…..there used to be dusk to dawn things, and well, um, I remember something about a pig in one of them…and well….just saying the back seat in a firebird is not all that comfortable..

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    1. I totally get it. My mom would make my big sister take me on her dates…so I saw a lot of drive in movies I shouldn’t had at 7-9 years old like Cheerleaders and other R rated movies. I got a quick education.

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  14. Fun fact: I watched that movie for the first time in 1980 during my first visit to the U.S. in a motel room in Yellowstone National Park – with an upside down stomach! 🙂

    My stomach had a rough time getting used to the combination of ice cold drinks and oftentimes greasy food, which knocked me out two or three times during that six-week visit. As a result, I was stuck in the motel while my parents and their friends visited some hot springs in Yellowstone!

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    1. LOL…and on top of all of that you had to watch a movie in an upside down ship lol.
      Oh that sucks that you were stuck there in the motel room.
      But…did ya like the movie? LOL

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  16. Pingback: Max’s Drive-In Movie – The Poseidon Adventure – MobsterTiger

  17. Total classic. I went to see this at the time at the cinema and it became my instant all-time fave movie until 1977, I was obsessed – exciting, tragic, and a fabulous cast, loved them all. Bought the book, drew the cinema poster, searched out other films the stars were in, and saw Irwin Allen as The Man, moving from kiddie faves Lost In Space, Time Tunnel, Land Of The Giants and others to blockbuster movies. The Towering Inferno was next, not as good, but decent, and it was all downhill after that!

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