About

Nuclear fallout from a Third World War permeates the air of the Northern Hemisphere, draining it of life. The remaining groups of human survivors live in the southern pockets of the planet, knowing that the poisonous clouds are slowly drifting towards them. One of the remaining communities is in Melbourne, where Commander Dwight Towers (Gregory Peck) is stationed with his submarine and crew, among them Lieutenant Commander Peter Holmes (Anthony Perkins) and Australian scientist Julian Osborn (Fred Astaire). Upon receiving an unexplainable Morse code signal from California, Commander Towers and his naval crew are determined to depart Australia to investigate its source. To do so, however, he must leave behind his friend and prospective lover, Moira Davidson (Ava Gardner) on a trek into the unknown.

On the Beach is guided by the power of its A-list cast. Peck brings his imposing gravitas to the lead role; Gardner mixes melancholic inebriation with genuine affection; Perkins (despite a fluctuating Australian accent) is intensely nervy; and Astaire shines in a rare non-dancing role, filling each scene with a caddish joie de vivre, while director Stanley Kramer ably juggles multiple narrative strands across the ensemble.

The film is adapted from British-Australian author Nevil Shrute's 1957 novel of the same name. Its Melbourne street photography and weaving of refrains from 'Waltzing Matilda' into its score infuse the 1950s Melbourne setting with a strong sense of place.

PG | Adult themes