The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
- Information at Internet
Movie Database
- Themes
- Apocalyptic
- Reality is turned "upside down". The way
out is up to the bottom/back to the front.
- "Everybody is dead who was above us when the
ship turned over. Now they're underneath us. It's up to us to get
out of here."
- Baptism
- Baptism by water (when the ship is covered and
turns over), is followed by baptism by fire (when the ship
explodes). Those who began the journey by climbing up through the
Christmas Tree are saved.
- Entire film as baptism metaphor - choice, water
continues to pursue, journey through the water to freedom.
- Call
- The young priest calls the others to follow him.
"I found it! I've been too the engine room, and we're going to
go there! This Way!"
- Child as Mediator
- The child knows the map of the ship - he has spoken
with the captain.
- Death/Grief
- "Let the dead bury their dead." Nonni
leaves her dead brother Teddy in order to choose life and go on the
journey. Mr Rosen must also choose to leave Mrs Rosen after she
dies.
- Decision
- The younger priest is taking them through the
Engine Room after climbing up through the Christmas Tree. Some
decide not to go.
- Mrs Rosen: There's something different up there
than there is down here? Priest: Yes. There's life. And life always
matters very much. Mrs Rosen: All right. So I'll climb.
- Female Christ Figure
- Mrs Rosen - the former underwater swimming champion
- saves the priest (and thus the group), but loses her life while
doing so. She almost makes it to the end but does not leave the ship
alive.
- Greed/Institutional Evil
- The representative of the the worn-out ship's owner
insists on running the ship "full steam ahead" even though
the ship needs to take on more ballast if it is to survive any kind
of storm at all.
- Hope
- "Maybe by climbing out of here, we can
save ourselves." (DVD ch 12)
- Icon
- Mrs Rosen tells the priest to give the charm to
their grandson - a sign for life - life always matters very much.
- Journey
- Priest: That's the way! (Points toward Christmas
Tree which leads up to the bottom of the ship.) Man: Why should we
go. You don't know what you're talking about. Priest: I know this.
If we go, we have a chance. If we stay here, we'll certainly die.
Man: We are staying with the purser. (Already identified as the one
who keeps the ship comfortable.) (DVD ch 13)
- Liberation - Moses Figure
- The young priest leads the people through the water
and through adversity to freedom. He almost makes it to the end but
does not find freedom from the overturned ship himself. On the other
hand, he has found the "freedom" that one finds through
self-giving.
- Mrs Rosen - the former underwater swimming champion
- saves the priest (and thus the group), but loses her life while
doing so. She almost makes it to the end but does not leave the ship
alive.
- Sacrificial Death
- Older priest stays to take care of the weak and
injured even though he knows that the younger priest is finding a
way out. (DVD ch 12)
- The younger priest holds back the steam so the
others can pass, and then drops to his death. (DVD ch 22)
- Mrs Rosen - the former underwater swimming champion
- saves the priest (and thus the group), but loses her life while
doing so. She almost makes it to the end but does not leave the ship
alive.
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