On the Beach [1959]
“On the Beach”, the film from 1959, features as its core the end of the world, or at least the human world. There’s no last minute miracle that saves humankind. The End!
There’s this young wife and mother who goes defiantly from “there’s got to be hope” to her last chilling words of resignation, “I think I’ll have that cup of tea now”. Then there’s that very last scene, a lifeless city and that final image of the banner proclaiming “There Is Still Time … Brother”.
This is the sort of cinema experience that just sticks a knife into you and keeps it twisting and twisting and twisting. It shakes you to the core, or at least it did that to me.
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An interesting film that differs slightly from the book. You recall the scientist character played by Fred Astaire. In the film he kills himself by running his race car in the garage and inhaling the fumes. The book has him putting it on blocks and leaving the wheels off. This is so the when they go flat the weight of the car won't ruin them. Then he takes out the plugs and pours oil into the heads so it will not seize. The bodywork is given 3 coats of wax which is not removed. In other words he preserves the car so that who or whatever might find it, will be able to enjoy it. Only then does he take a pill to end his life. The hope of hope in this action adds so much more the the poignancy of the situation.
May I also recommend "A Town like Alice" (Also by Nevil Shute) Made into a film with Peter Finch and Virginia McKenna in 1951. This is abridged (although they did a mini series in 1981 which was more complete). It has a great hero, strong, courageous and caring but it is the female heroine that is the most interesting. A forerunner of feminism. It is her strength that he falls for.
273kelvin
Level 8
Jan 2, 2019
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@johnprytz Yes I get that its just the book version adds more to the story.
One of the best differences is in "Brighton Rock". Grahame Greene wrote the film ending too which has a terrible phonograph recording of her now dead love telling her that he hates her. The film has the record sticking on "I suppose that you want me to say that I love you..I love you...". The book just says "Then she went home to play his record and face the greatest hurt of all". Both endings work equally in their respective mediums.
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