Ship of Fools (1965)
Ship of Fools starts out with a bang: Ernest Gold’s lively music makes you think of a Spanish circus, and you learn the ship is departing from Germany. Michael Dunn opens the movie by breaking the fourth wall and introducing himself as a passenger among the ship of fools. Everyone is a fool, he asserts.
But when the other characters enter the picture, it’s a bit of a letdown. Vivien Leigh has basically the same character as in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. Lee Marvin is an ex-baseball player with Daddy issues. George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley fight all the time but make up in the bedroom. The only interesting storyline, in my opinion, was Oskar Werner’s: he’s the ship’s doctor with a terminal illness who falls in love with an older woman on her way to prison (Simone Signoret). Simone was married to a political bigwig, and when the locals revolted, they chose to send her to prison as punishment.
One aspect of Ship of Fools was fantastic: director Stanley Kramer’s choice to use steady camerawork throughout the film. Many movies that take place on a ship have a constant bobbing and weaving of the camera, and usually it’s distracting. This movie is very steady, so you can focus on the drama and the acting instead. Vivien’s performance is very over-the-top, and George and Elizabeth’s fights seem petty and unimportant. But Simone and Oskar’s scenes together are very sweet.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More José Ferrer movies here!
More Vivien Leigh movies here!
But when the other characters enter the picture, it’s a bit of a letdown. Vivien Leigh has basically the same character as in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. Lee Marvin is an ex-baseball player with Daddy issues. George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley fight all the time but make up in the bedroom. The only interesting storyline, in my opinion, was Oskar Werner’s: he’s the ship’s doctor with a terminal illness who falls in love with an older woman on her way to prison (Simone Signoret). Simone was married to a political bigwig, and when the locals revolted, they chose to send her to prison as punishment.
One aspect of Ship of Fools was fantastic: director Stanley Kramer’s choice to use steady camerawork throughout the film. Many movies that take place on a ship have a constant bobbing and weaving of the camera, and usually it’s distracting. This movie is very steady, so you can focus on the drama and the acting instead. Vivien’s performance is very over-the-top, and George and Elizabeth’s fights seem petty and unimportant. But Simone and Oskar’s scenes together are very sweet.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More José Ferrer movies here!
More Vivien Leigh movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Actor of 1965: Oskar Werner
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Dunn
Best Supporting Actress: Simone Signoret