Casual viewers could be forgiven for believing that this is an Irwin Allen production even though he had nothing to do with it. It bears a lot of his 1960's hallmarks such as a simplistic approach to story-line, showy-yet-tacky production design, name brand stars and unfunny comic relief. Connors plays a US Senator during The Civil War who is shipwrecked and picked up (along with five others) by Ryan, a gifted, but rather despotic inventor who has created an incredible underwater metropolis. Newman and her young son Hartstone, claustrophobe Cuthbertson and gold-obsessed brothers Fraser and Connor round out the "guests" of Ryan, who soon find that they aren't permitted to leave the underwater city. Ever. Most of the castaways greet this news with despair, but Newman and Hartstone actually discover they like the place. Where else could one enjoy an endless supply of gourmet seafood, live in rooms that are accented with pure gold and swim in the plant and rock accented community pool run by curvy Italian bombshell Paluzzi? Of course there is that pesky giant manta ray that occasionally swipes by for a bite of human flesh! Connors is his usual square-jawed self and, though not particularly well-cast, he does an adequate job. Ryan plays his role with an overdose of dourness, robbing the part of any irony, flair, camp or flavor. Newman is appealing (and even attempts a small bid at women's lib!), but isn't given much to do. Paluzzi (who is given one really ugly ball gown and an even worse hairdo to go with it in one scene) has a crazed musical number in which she opens a box and "plays" a golden stick with leaves on it as the camera attempts to focus on her through the cheesecloth. She and Newman go scuba diving and inexplicably have their hair fully exposed and unrestrained so that it floats everywhere including over their face masks! Fraser and Connor are presented as bumbling idiots and they only cease to be annoying when they finally begin to forgo their pointless buffoonery. Turner appears as Ryan's faithful first officer and has one of the few roles with more than one dimension. The film is packed with bright, colorful, eye-popping imagery along with many goofy costumes and props. Check out those scuba suits with the gold-plated tank holders and the clear "wings" on the shoulders! The alarms in the city have lobster claws on them! Some of the underwater photography is far too murky and under lit to enjoy fully. It isn't a bad time killer and fantasy fans will enjoy some of the model work, gadgetry and hilarious "science". Irwin Allen would actually tackle this material for television a few years later with Jose Ferrar as Nemo. Also, some of the elements seem to have inspired Ross Hunter's dreadful 1973 remake of "Lost Horizon".
