THE NEPTUNE FACTOR
US, 1973, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ben Gazzara, Walter Pidgeon, Ernest Borgnine, Yvette Mimieux.
Directed by Daniel Petrie.
The Neptune Factor is an underwater sea adventure – with the elements of the disaster film, so popular at the time. The Poseidon Adventure had appeared the year before.
Ben Gazzara stars as the commander of a submarine in charge of a mission to find out what went wrong with a laboratory under sea after an earthquake. Walter Pidgeon is the scientist, as is Yvette Mimieux, and Ernest Borgnine is the chief diver.
The film relies on special effects, underwater photography, editing and pace to keep the action going and the audience wondering what will happen – even though it anticipates that the mission will be successful. Director is Daniel Petrie who worked in television with such significant telemovies as Eleanor and Franklin, Sybil, before making The Betsy, Resurrection and Fort Apache, the Bronx for the big screen. He went back to television films again with very interesting films as The Dollmaker, The Execution of Raymond Graham, My Name is Bill W. and a remake of Inherit the Wind.
1. The meaning of the title? Its sub-title about a sea odyssey? Was it a sea odyssey? Or was it just Boys' Own Adventure? For whom was it made?
2. Comment on the underwater environment of the film. How well was it photographed? The impressions of being submerged underwater and within the water? The musical accompaniment? How well filmed was this underwater environment? Comment on the use of fish, the sea, 1ight and darkness, the movement of the submarine in the water, etc.
3. How good an adventure was it? Was it exciting? Was the conflict of wills important? The motivation of the search for human life? The risk of making decisions? How do these add up to provide an overall excitement?
4. The film was science fiction? How good a science fiction film was it? The exploration of the sea and human potential of exploring the sea and living in it? How plausible was the story? The picturing of the craft itself? The gigantic growths of fish etc.?
5. How interesting were the people in the film? Were they real characters? Or did they just represent various attitudes for the clash for the adventure and for the decisions? Why?
6. How impressive was the presentation of the crew, their training, their reactions in crises, their use of their
emotions? The concern for people's lives when in danger?
7. How well did you identify with Commander Blake? Was he too hard a man? Why? Did he make the safe decisions? Should he have taken risks? Was Dr Jensen a credible heroine? Her emotional balance? Her risking the lives of everyone else (even though what happened was happy in the end?)
8. Mack as the ordinary seaman? Did audiences identify with him? His contribution and courage?
9. The other characters, especially the Professor and his wisdom and hesitation? The people on land who had to make the decisions?
10. Comment on the picture of the dangers in the sea, the rescue, the struggle with the fish, the horror of death, the relief of survival.
11. What picture of heroism did the film give?
