A
pre-code disaster film with some astounding special effects (including the
total destruction of New York City), 1933’s Deluge stars Sidney Blackmer (who
years later played Roman Castevet in 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby) as Martin, a man
who loses his entire family when unexplained meteorological events bring about
the near-destruction of the entire planet.
Convinced that his wife Helen (Lois Wilson) and their two children
perished during the cataclysmic event, Martin eventually meets and falls in
love with Claire (Peggy Shannon), a professional swimmer. But can the two avoid a roving gang of thugs,
one of whom (played by Fred Kohler) is bound and determined to make Claire his
wife?
Directed by Felix E. Feist, Deluge gets off to a quick start (the world
is all but destroyed by the 15-minute mark) and features scenes that, even
today, are a bit shocking (at one point, Martin stumbles upon the body of a young
girl, and the inference is that she was raped and killed by the gang that’s harassing
Claire).
The cast is serviceable (Peggy Shannon delivers the strongest
performance), and the post-apocalyptic storyline is good for a few thrills, but
it’s the special effects, complete with a tsunami that obliterates the Statue
of Liberty (a la The Day After Tomorrow), that make Deluge a must-see for classic
movie aficionados.
Rating 8 out of 10 (watch it now!)
No comments:
Post a Comment