In the mid-1950s, eccentric film tycoon Howard Hughes was nearing the end of his tenure at RKO Pictures, but not before he would take a big swing with advancing technology to craft a new kind of action adventure tale. The world of scuba diving was a relatively new phenomenon, and in Underwater!, audiences were able to experience what it was like through a pioneering effort in underwater filming. With a mixture of on-location shooting and a newly constructed underwater tank on the RKO soundstage, you had a film that explored depths that most could only imagine. For the premiere, the studio amazingly really leaned into the aquatic theme of the film by asking guests to don scuba gear to view the film in an underwater screening. While the concept was interesting, the most famous development to come from this stunt was Hollywood getting more familiar with a young Jayne Mansfield after she fell in the pool. The film has mostly been forgotten since its release, but Warner Archive has given it a fresh new release so modern audiences can see what all the fuss was about.
As far as plot goes, things are pretty straight forward, if not a bit on the thin side. The hunky Johnny (Richard Egan) and his charming mercenary friend, Dominic (Gilbert Roland), believe they have discovered some valuable artifacts near a shipwreck off the coast of Cuba. After returning home, Dominic leads the campaign to convince Johnny and his lovely wife, Theresa (Jane Russell), to go on a more involved expedition to search for sunken treasure. She obviously eventually relents, as she gets caught up in the thrill of the adventure. Dominic courts the delightful Gloria (Lori Nelson) into providing the expedition boat, and a priest (Robert Keith) joins in on the journey, too, for reasons. The group comes to believe they are hot on the trail of a long lost life-size gold Madonna statue encrusted with precious gems that disappeared with the sinking of a 17th century ship. As with any good treasure-hunting picture, their adventure is filled with obstacles such as suspicious strangers, sharks, precarious treasure locations and more.
At a reasonable 99-minute runtime, the movie still feels incredibly padded, especially with unnecessarily long sequences showcasing the underwater exploration. It is understandable that this is the case since it was the main reason for its existence, but twenty minutes easily could have been lost without much of an impact. Many of the sequences are incredibly well done, though, such as when Johnny and Theresa are being pulled underwater behind the boat as they scan the sea floor for remnants of the wreckage. There are also some beautiful shots of the explorers swimming amongst sea turtles and other tropical fish that are really lovely. When we eventually get to the main excavation of the wreckage, things start to get pretty tense as all of the elements converge into one exciting climax. Adventures such as these became more fine-tuned as the years progressed and technology got even better, but this was an admirable entry into the aquatic genre.
The underwater action is the primary draw of the film, but one could argue that the opportunity to see the gorgeous Jane Russell in a swimsuit was an equal thrill for the audience. This is not a role where she is tapping into anything incredibly difficult for an actor, but she is more than convincing in her role. In fact, all of the performers are doing fine work in the face of poorly developed characters. Director John Sturges (The Great Escape) had the best films of his career in front of him, but his knack for composition is still readily apparent here. The film is a technical marvel, but that can only support a flimsy script so much. Underwater! is not a movie that is going to really surprise you in any particular way, but it works fairly well as a lazy afternoon weekend movie that showcases beautiful people in beautiful locations. If you have a soft spot for sea-based adventure films, I cannot see this one being a major miss for you.
Video Quality
Underwater! comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of the Warner Archive in an absolutely stunning 1080p transfer derived from a recent 4K scan of the original camera negative. The film is a bit of an oddball, as it was the first RKO picture to be filmed in the short-lived “Superscope,” giving this film a 2:1 aspect ratio that showcases breathtaking cinematography. Colors pop off the screen with a vibrancy that would make it rank near the top of classic film presentations. Look at the red on Russell’s costume in the interior boat scenes and tell me you would disagree. The underwater sequences are incredibly clear given the cutting edge way they were filmed, and the open-air portions of the film make you feel like you are watching a modern movie. That’s not to say that the filmic quality is compromised in the least; there is plenty of natural grain that yields spectacular detail. There is no hint of compression artifacts or banding to be found. Warner Archive has really outdone themselves with this one.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a strong DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that properly preserves the original mono sound. Normal dialogue is crystal clear without ever being compromised by special effects or score. The attempts at communication underwater are appropriately unintelligible, but provide a bit more spaciousness to the track with its reverberation. The enjoyable Roy Webb score is treated respectfully and balanced well within the mix. This is not a track filled with wall-to-wall action, but it does provide a presentation free of any major defects or digital anomalies that would compromise the enjoyment of the film.
Special Features
There are no special features included on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Underwater! is a film better known for its technical achievements and historical context rather than for being a beloved film. The script is drawn out to make the film a suitable length, but gorgeous cinematography and Jane Russell keep it from being a dud. The film is not the pinnacle of the genre, but it is a decent way to spend an hour-and-a-half in an air-conditioned room on a hot weekend. If you are going to check it out, Warner Archive has provided a true knockout of an A/V presentation. Seriously, this film probably looks better than when it had its debut. If you need a harmless treasure hunt in your life, this one should go on your list.
Underwater! can be purchased directly through Warner Archive or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
