Review of On the Beach (1959) by Frederick M — 08 Aug 2010

A truly moving and somber drama set months before the extinction of the human race, this film is well beyond its time in its endlessly depressing portrayal of the coming tragedy. It's quite a stretch to imagine that everyone involved would be so at ease and not spend all their time preening about the end, but in a way, it's also quite humanistic to imagine that people don't necessarily accept their fate, but find ways to ignore it, each according to their own predispositions. As such, the most moving moments are when their efforts to ignore their fate break down.

While a modern retelling might see a more action related plot, the novel and film choose to focus on the characters relationships and the film is so much better for it. With solid performances from each actor, it's easy to accept their circumstances and reactions even by modern standards. Quite simply, an early classic of the post-apocalyptic ilk.