BENEATH THE TWELVE MILE REEF

US, 1953, 102 minutes, Colour.
Robert Wagner, Richard Boone, Terry Moore, Gilbert Roland, J. Carroll Naish.
Directed by Robert D. Webb.

Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef now looks like a very conventional drama set in Florida amongst Greek?) Americans who dive for sponges off the reefs. It is the story of a father and son (Gilbert Roland and Robert Wagner) and the clash with crooks (Richard Boone and Peter Graves). They move out to dangerous reefs where the father is killed. However, the son has to carry on the business along with his companion played by Terry Moore.

The film is colourful, recreates the atmosphere of Florida in the 50s amongst the Greek Americans. However, in its time it was the third film made in Cinemascope (after The Robe and How to Marry a Millionaire) and its cinematographer was nominated for an Oscar. This was the first contemporary action adventure made in Cinemascope.

1. How satisfying an adventure film, entertaining? Realism, ordinary fantasy adventure?

2. How well did the film work within the conventions of an adventure story, crises, characterization? The build-up for crises?

3. The importance of early Cinemascope, colour, Florida locations, the long attention to underwater photography and its impact in the film? The special effects of underwater photography, the sea life and the crises - especially for Tony? Ships? The importance of the musical score and. its style with the underwater photography?

4. How interesting was the plot? The Greek sponge fishers, the American sponge fishers and the clashes? The way of life and the interaction and the clashes, rivalry? The credibility of the underwater searching for sponges? The fights?

5. The Greek family: Mike and the patriarch of the family, his success and lack of success, money, relationship with his wife? His pride in his son? Daughter? The religious overtones, the blessing and Tony's getting the cross? A happy atmosphere? Yet the irony of the reef and the death of his son? The reef as a symbol of challenge and danger? His wife and her patience at home? Her reaction to her husband's death? Her not wanting Tony to go but her being reconciled to this? The moneylender and his attitudes? The old men on the ship?

6. The contrast with the Americans - their initial brutality, the respectability of the family and the father? Gwyneth's boyfriend and his brutality? The crises and the clash with the Greeks?

7. The symbolism of the reef and its danger, Mike's talk about it and Tony’s talk? The death of Mike, Tony and his living and succeeding?

8. The romantic overtones - the clash with the boy friend and his brutality to Tony, especially with Tony's grief at his father’s death? The final fight and reconciliation?

9. The adventure ingredients, the romantic ingredients and their blending? The appropriate happy ending? Ordinary themes of good and bad?