The Amazing Captain Nemo ** (1978, José Ferrer, Horst Buchholz, Mel Ferrer, Burgess Meredith, Lynda Day George) – Classic Movie Review 3727

Director Alex March’s 1978 movie finds that it is up to José Ferrer to take over as Jules Verne’s character Captain Nemo from James Mason in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and Robert Ryan in Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969) in this relatively weak third adventure. Those are tough acts to follow, but Ferrer does well.

This time, Nemo is discovered frozen aboard his abandoned super-submarine, The Nautilus, by a couple of US Navy men. They then chase another sub skippered by mad genius Professor Waldo Cunningham, the baddie who is out to destroy Washington.

The Amazing Captain Nemo proves mostly rather silly and unconvincing, despite the sterling efforts of the able crew of actors, including Horst Buchholz as King Tibor, Mel Ferrer as Dr Robert Cook, Burgess Meredith as Professor Cunningham, Lynda Day George, Richard Angarola, Burr DeBenning, Med Flory, Tom Hallick, Warren Stevens and Yale Summers.

See also Mysterious Island (1961), Verne’s sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

It comes from Irwin Allen Productions and Warner Bros, and was filmed at Warner Bros Burbank Studios.

The model submarine Nautilus used in filming was originally built as one of the Seaview filming models (eight feet long) for Irwin Allen’s 1960 movie Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 3727

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