Ship of Fools Summary
MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Stanley Kramer
Genres: Drama
Rating:
The first person the audience sees in Ship of Fools is dwarf Michael_Dunn, who speaks to viewers directly and acts as a Greek chorus throughout the film. It begins on the deck of an ocean liner travelling from Vera Cruz to Bremerhaven. The time is the 1930s, so close and yet so far from war. The cross-section of humanity on board includes ship's doctor Oscar_Werner, Spanish political activist Simone_Signoret, aging coquette Vivien_Leigh, hedonistic baseball player Lee_Marvin, philosophical Jew Heinz_Ruhmann, a smattering of pro- and anti-Hitlerites (Jose_Ferrer plays the nastiest and most vocal "pro") and young lovers George_Segal and Elizabeth_Ashley. Yes, it's Grand_Hotel at sea, a feast for stargazers and an endurance test for those who aren't comfortable with non-stop speechmaking. Despite such lines as "What can the Nazis do? Kill all six million of us?," Ship of Fools manages to stay afloat throughout its 148 minutes. Michael_Dunn was nominated for an Academy Award for his interlocutory characterization; the rest of the performances range from brilliant to merely filling up the room. Other Oscars were presented to cinematographer Ernest Lazslo and to the art-direction staff. Ship of Fools was adapted by Abby_Mann from the novel by Katharine Ann Porter. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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