Le Capitaine Nemo et la Ville sous-marine

Exciting and thrilling submarine movie dealing with the Nautilus captained by Nemo well played by Robert Ryan who along with his crew save some survivors of a drowning from a shipwrecked . When a ship is sunk , some passengers (Chuck Connors , Nanette Newman , Luciana Paluzzi , Alan Cuthbertson..) are rescued by a submarine and they are taken and get thoroughly involved with power-hungry captain Nemo (Robert Ryan) and take an extraordinary adventure underseas in an advanced city ; however they may be trapped for the rest of their lives. Prisoners at first, they are now treated as guests to view the underwater world and to hunt under the waves. Nemo will also tells them about the riveting underwater city of the future .

Silly but agreeable adventure with action , thrills , love story , full of fun and amusement , including some spectacular sets . Surprise-filled entertainment and with plenty of action on middling scale with acceptable though Naif special effects and some submarines by maquette or scale model . The underwater scenes , pyrotechnics, flood , flamboyant FX to make large-size Squid seem like horrible monster , all of them are spectacular and the film is another acceptable British product . Edge-of-the seat thrilling scenes as when happens an exciting pursuit among two submarines : Nautilus 1 and Nautilus 2 . Director James Hill renewed his acquaintance for little boys with this enjoyable and amusing movie . Our heroes incarnated by a throughly believable casting of the first-rate character players get stuck in the underwater city and Nautilus , undergoing numerous adventures and suffering innumerable perils . Memorable and great cast as Robert Ryan , Chuck Connors as a senator , both of whom have to grit their teeth and play it for real . English's Kenneth Connor and Bill Fraser provide light and brief relief and some laughters as a couple of not-too-intelligent greedy men . They were a pair who worked as a comical duo in various films . Gaudy camera work by excellent cameraman Alan Hume , the cinematography results to be clear and glimmer . Atmospheric and vivid score by Walter Stott .

The motion picture made at Metro Goldwyn Mayer British studios was middling directed by James Hill . He was an expert on children films and serials for showing at schoolboy cinema . Hill designed his acquaintance with amusements for the young generation and costume adventures blending with Lions (Born free , The lions are free , The lion at world's end) , Horses (Black Beauty) , Foxes (The Belstone Fox) , Elephants ( An Elephant called Slowly) and sea animals as Sharks and Squid like this ¨Captain Nemo and underwater city¨. ¨Born Free¨ remains his triumph in which the way the protagonists romp with three lionesses who play Elsa at several stages of growth is near-miraculous . Forever in search of a similar movie to equal this hit , he never quite found it . James Hill best movie turned out to be ¨Studio in terror¨ a Sherlock versus Jack Ripper terror thriller with lurid killings . Other films dealing with Jules Verne's Captain Nemo and his Nautilus are the following : the vintage story are an old mute (1916) by Stuart Paton . The classic movie marvelously directed by Richard Fleischer starred by Kirk Douglas , James Mason , Peter Lorre , Paul Lukas . And for TV directed by Rod Hardy with Michael Caine , Mia Sara and Patrick Dempsey ; and directed by Michael Anderson with Ben Cross and Richard Crenna ; furthermore a cartoon movie directed by Arthur Rankin. The motion picture will appeal to fantasy-adventure buffs and it's a wonderful popcorn story . Rating : 5, 5 . Acceptable and passable .

In the incredible futuristic world of Jules Verne, the story of Captain Nemo and his crew are forever etched in the minds of adventure seeking readers. This movie is called " Captain Nemo and the Underwater city " and set in the world of the 1800's. The story is taken from one of the many adventurous stories concerning Verne's mysterious Captain Nemo (Robert Ryan). In this chapter a group of drowning passengers are rescued by Nemo's futuristic crew and taken to his incredible Underwater city. There they discover a fantastic world which he offers then as a permanent resident. However several of the survivors don't which to remain and try to escape. The stars playing the reluctantly survivors include Chuck Connors, Bill Fraser, Kenneth Connor and Allan Cuthbertson. The others include Helena Beckett (Nanette Newman) and Phillip Beckett (Christopher Hartstone). The film is a genuine Classic and one which entertains audiences as well today and it did back in 1969. Great fun. ****

Despite having Captain Nemo and the Nautilus, this does not appear to be a sequel or prequel to "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea". Instead, it takes a few story elements and weaves an all-new tale--one where Nemo seems like a pretty cool guy and all the people from the Earth's surface are total jerks! Talk about role reversals!

The film begins during the US Civil War. A ship from America to England is foundering in a storm. Eventually, when it sinks, six of the passengers are rescued by a passing submarine--Nemo and his Nautilus. At first Nemo is very brusque and gloomy, but soon he warms up to the passengers--announcing they are on their way to Nemo's underwater paradise. And the place IS terrific--like Heaven on Earth. Yet despite the people being kind and the city being paradise, most of the rescued people behave like boorish jerks. Two only see ways to exploit the city and cannot appreciate anything of its beauty. One is an angry claustrophobe who tries to destroy the city simply because he will not be allowed to return home since Nemo wants to keep the city a secret. Another is a Senator who is on a diplomatic mission and he insists on completing his mission--even though his country is in the middle of annihilating itself. And the final two are a mother and child who don't seem like total jerks! There is quite a bit to like about this fantasy film. I much prefer seeing a kinder, gentler Nemo and his hopeful vision for the future. Plus for 1969, the special effects and underwater scenes are pretty nice (aside from the silly monster). And, the story and acting are pretty good. My biggest complaint about the film are the characters from the surface. While it is hard to believe that they would not love this wonderful kingdom, the fact that they seem so unreal--like caricatures--that bothered me. Again and again, they were offered kindness and friendship yet they acted horribly--and for little discernible reason. Greed alone did not explain all this, though the film does amply illustrate that humans suck. I which these people had been more complex--it might have made the film a lot more enjoyable. However, despite this, the movie is a nice adventure--well worth seeing.

By the way, at one point in the film, Nemo tells the guests that they are 10,000 leagues under the surface. Judging by the types of fish you see and the few scenes where you can see light from the surface, the city (if it were real) is about 100 feet or less from the surface.

This film is a pleasant surprise with much charm. No, it is not on the same level of Hollywood's best adventure-fantasies, but I thought it better than other Jules Verne adaptations, such as the recent TV movies or something like FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON.

This particular motion picture is neither a sequel nor a prequel to 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA nor MYSTERIOUS ISLAND; indeed, its premise (which one may or may not warm up to) is to ignore the other tales and try acting alone as its own story. The result is a weird amalgam of 20,000LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and LOST HORIZON.

It benefits from some lavish, if glossy sets, and the casting of Robert Ryan as Nemo, which for its time was offbeat. In recent years, stars, such as those of Michael Cain and Patrick Stewart, have played Nemo so far differently from Verne's original that Ryan's interpretation almost seems faithful. While purists may be put off by Ryan being so very American and lacking the swarthiness, exoticism, and aristocracy of previous actors, he nevertheless exudes a saturnine authority and substance that's right.

All in all, the movie falls short of the eyefilling fun of the best Verne adaptations, but it's still watchable. It must be seen letter-boxed.

Shipwreck survivors are rescued by an authoritarian ruler of a secret underwater city during the 19th century. Nice underwater photography, enough action and special effects to offset wooden acting and less-than-sublime script. (Rating B+)