Pleasing skin-diving adventure, simple-minded but satisfying, has a young native of Majorca attempting to woo a pretty New York model with big talk of the boats he owns; turns out he's just the caretaker of the sailing vessels, and ends up stealing one for a three-week jaunt after two adventurers convince the couple that a million dollars' worth of gold coins went down with an African ship in the Mediterranean. Based on Steve Fisher's uncredited book "The Girl in the Red Bikini", the film (originally presented in CinemaScope and 3-D) allows Joanne Dru to let her hair down for once. Ofttimes cast as a frontier wife or nurse, Dru proves to be an attractive partner in the plan, even as male-female tensions aboard ship threaten to erupt. The action is slow in coming (a rather sleepy shark swims by twice, and a Portuguese Man of War stings Mark Stevens somewhere on his body), but the colorful locations and underwater photography make up for the lack of plot and wooden line-readings. ** from ****
18 Reviews
Leonard Maltin Hated this Movie
boblipton1 September 2017
Tonight at the Museum of Modern Art, the people who supervised its 3-D restoration explained that Leonard Maltin gave this a Bomb rating and speculated that it was because he had seen it in a flat pan-and-scan version on TV; if one saw it as the film makers intended, in a theater, in 3-D, it was pretty good.
Yes and no. Anything with a screenplay by W.R. Burnett will have my respectful attention, and I have long liked Joanne Dru, well more than her career calls for; her appearance in two John Ford westerns and RED RIVER is more than enough in the way of credentials for me. Also, Byron Haskins uses the 3-D cameras to record underwater Technicolor like nobody's business. As the first half of the story progressed, I was uncomfortable with Asher Dann's monotonic performance as Majorcan eye candy for the girls, but could see the way that Burnett's script was leading the cast into a sordid tale of cross and double cross, with a fight over sunken gold and Joanne Dru. true, Robert Strauss as the dumb wisecracker he had played in STALAG 17 couldn't manage a decent line reading either, but at least Miss Dru and Mark Stevens could... and some of the lines were stinkers.
Still, it was going along well enough. Until the intermission, and when we returned, three sailors couldn't figure out how to get sea weed out of the propellers. Nor do Portuguese man-of-wars act like that. So long as the plot dealt with human greed and weakness, it was fine. Apparently Burnett has no interest in the sea, its flora nor its fauna, even though that's about half the movie.
As a result, my opinion of this movie went from "Very good. Maybe excellent" to "Watchable". It stayed that way for the rest of the picture, even as I noted the sharks made of rubber and the plot holes; the camera-work remained great.
Which means that the fellows were right. It didn't deserve the Bomb rating that Maltin gave it. But neither should you watch it except in 3-D.
Yes and no. Anything with a screenplay by W.R. Burnett will have my respectful attention, and I have long liked Joanne Dru, well more than her career calls for; her appearance in two John Ford westerns and RED RIVER is more than enough in the way of credentials for me. Also, Byron Haskins uses the 3-D cameras to record underwater Technicolor like nobody's business. As the first half of the story progressed, I was uncomfortable with Asher Dann's monotonic performance as Majorcan eye candy for the girls, but could see the way that Burnett's script was leading the cast into a sordid tale of cross and double cross, with a fight over sunken gold and Joanne Dru. true, Robert Strauss as the dumb wisecracker he had played in STALAG 17 couldn't manage a decent line reading either, but at least Miss Dru and Mark Stevens could... and some of the lines were stinkers.
Still, it was going along well enough. Until the intermission, and when we returned, three sailors couldn't figure out how to get sea weed out of the propellers. Nor do Portuguese man-of-wars act like that. So long as the plot dealt with human greed and weakness, it was fine. Apparently Burnett has no interest in the sea, its flora nor its fauna, even though that's about half the movie.
As a result, my opinion of this movie went from "Very good. Maybe excellent" to "Watchable". It stayed that way for the rest of the picture, even as I noted the sharks made of rubber and the plot holes; the camera-work remained great.
Which means that the fellows were right. It didn't deserve the Bomb rating that Maltin gave it. But neither should you watch it except in 3-D.
Fun, mindless adventure flick
barbett-125 March 2024
September Storm is obviously one of those kind of movies they just don't make anymore. In the 1950s and early 60s, the ingredients for an adventure movie were an exotic locale, a handsome hero, a sassy and pretty girl and a couple of bad guys. This movie has all these ingredients and they are mostly put to good use. The story itself is simple: two shady characters convince a Majorcan sailor to use his boss's yacht to recover sunken gold. A lovely American model is thrown in to keep things interesting. The voyage leads to cross and double-cross as the men quarrel over the money and the "dame". Underwater scenes are actually filmed very well considering the period, although the use of a rubber shark is unconvincing. There are several cringey moments of sexism in the dialog that are reflective of the period. Perhaps the most outstanding is when the bad guy says something to the effect of "Why do I gotta cook? - we gotta woman".
There is some glaring unevenness in the characters. One moment they are literally trying to kill one another and in the following scene they're all one big happy crew. The ending is kind of open-ended and a tad unsatisfying but at least nobody got killed.
There is some glaring unevenness in the characters. One moment they are literally trying to kill one another and in the following scene they're all one big happy crew. The ending is kind of open-ended and a tad unsatisfying but at least nobody got killed.
never saw the film,
herewardpooley10 July 2009
but my family and I watched part of it being filmed in Mallorca. I was in love with Joanne Dru and blown away by the huge lights and a camera about a hundred times the size of our Bell and Howell, all mounted on a barge, as they filmed the principal actors on a diving board. Many takes, each time with the assistant director screaming "Silencio Po favor" to all the tourists on the beach. The funny thing was that we all did fall silent.
One of the actors had to spin a coin in the air and catch it. He kept dropping it in the water, the director would shout "Cut" and a boy would be dispatched into the water to retrieve what was supposed to be a gold coin. Such a waste of a large crew's time must make producers crazy and directors nervous, let alone the poor actors.
One of the actors had to spin a coin in the air and catch it. He kept dropping it in the water, the director would shout "Cut" and a boy would be dispatched into the water to retrieve what was supposed to be a gold coin. Such a waste of a large crew's time must make producers crazy and directors nervous, let alone the poor actors.
Nearly As Compelling As Uncle Harvey's Vacation Slides
abooboo-211 April 2001
A question for the makers of this film: Why would you kick things off with virtually unintelligible voice-over narration from an uninteresting minor character who can barely speak English? That sort of throws things out of whack right off the bat. Well, that and opening credits that flash by so fast the viewer has no time to read them. And let's not forget muddy-looking stock footage and horrendous sound. To be fair, the abysmal production values are actually a perfect complement to the atrocious script and "characterizations". One truly pities the film's clumsy attempts to create conflict and generate suspense.
Not what you would call a terribly deep film, we learn early on that Joanne Dru's fetching woman on the beach character is really, get this, a model, who's worked in New York and Paris (but tragically hasn't yet been to Milan). Later we learn that if this mysterious, fascinating woman ever did come across a fortune in gold, she would "spend it". One also has to admire her very mature refusal to hold silly things like rape attempts against the men who perpetrate them. Very big of her.
The best thing about the film is unquestionably the name of the character played by newcomer Asher Dann - Manuel del Rio Montoya. In fact, those are the highlights of the show, those scenes where he gets to introduce himself and proudly recites his name. It's certainly much better than lines like "Manuel hit his head", when the shipmates are being tossed about in a sudden storm (hence the title - I guess APRIL STORM just didn't have quite the same ring to it). And I thought poor Manuel's staggering and wobbling was just a routine case of sea-sickness.
Towards the end, it becomes sadly apparent that the producers were trying for something along the lines of TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, where greed and suspicion among a small, hastily put together band of fortune hunters spoils their chance. Evidently, Manuel wasn't the only person who hit his head. Lastly, Robert Strauss should never be permitted to appear shirtless in any motion picture, major or minor. Where is a uniform production code when you need one?
Not what you would call a terribly deep film, we learn early on that Joanne Dru's fetching woman on the beach character is really, get this, a model, who's worked in New York and Paris (but tragically hasn't yet been to Milan). Later we learn that if this mysterious, fascinating woman ever did come across a fortune in gold, she would "spend it". One also has to admire her very mature refusal to hold silly things like rape attempts against the men who perpetrate them. Very big of her.
The best thing about the film is unquestionably the name of the character played by newcomer Asher Dann - Manuel del Rio Montoya. In fact, those are the highlights of the show, those scenes where he gets to introduce himself and proudly recites his name. It's certainly much better than lines like "Manuel hit his head", when the shipmates are being tossed about in a sudden storm (hence the title - I guess APRIL STORM just didn't have quite the same ring to it). And I thought poor Manuel's staggering and wobbling was just a routine case of sea-sickness.
Towards the end, it becomes sadly apparent that the producers were trying for something along the lines of TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, where greed and suspicion among a small, hastily put together band of fortune hunters spoils their chance. Evidently, Manuel wasn't the only person who hit his head. Lastly, Robert Strauss should never be permitted to appear shirtless in any motion picture, major or minor. Where is a uniform production code when you need one?
A soggy, dreary TURKEY!
bearndahl9 May 2000
This awful mess is one of the worst films I have ever viewed. It is hard to imagine a film that could make Mallorca look drab and uninteresting, but this one succeeds. The acting, for the most part, is non-existent. The dialog is utterly inane. The fact that this was originally made in 3-D is no excuse for the cheap, cheap, CHEAP look of this film. There is really nothing about this film to recommend. Can this turkey and throw it away!
Not Much of A Storm
zardoz-1318 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This potboiler about a search for Spanish coins is very shallow, with little drama, but it boasts superb 3-D photography and stunning underwater scenery. Mark Stevens and his sidekick Robert Strauss convince Joanne Dru about the treasure and they rope a young man who serves as a custodian of sorts for a wealthy man's yacht. The storm scenes are the best part of the movie, and the shark scenes aren't bad either.
Joanne Dru looks good!
Chazzzzz28 October 1999
I can recall seeing Joanne Dru many times in films while I was growing up, noticing that she always seemed to have a rather large mouth. Time has changed things. Her mouth looks rather normal now, but her beauty has increased quite a bit. She has never looked better! The film, however, needs some work. The photography is simultaneously good and bad. Good underwater work, but overall it's grainy. The story, about lost treasure, and the acting by everybody else is so-so at best. Joanne did well. Still, I can recommend this film on the beauty of Joanne and the underwater scenes, which were very well done. I gave it a 7.
Mike & the 'bots would have loved this!!!
Mark_D-226 October 1999
"September Storm" is the kind of underwater adventure movie best seen by those who have never really seen an underwater adventure movie before (and therefore are less likely to be disappointed by it). It concerns the usual treasure hunters looking for the usual underwater treasure in the usual way. The film's only novelty was that it was shot in a Cinemascope 3-D fashion, which is, of course, lost on television (in fact, the movie looks like it was shot on outdated film stock). Joanne Dru and Mark Stevens are adequate in their performances, but the remainder of the cast give performances on the level of a mediocre 60's sit-com. And the dialogue is filled with moments that MST3K would have given anything to have taken on (potential references to "Gilligan's Island" abound). How ever did they miss this one??
Sunken Treasure
quentinex26 January 2017
Surprisingly good adventure film featuring Joanne Dru, as captivating as ever. Actually she's even better than usual.
An old-fashioned treasure hunt in a Mediterranean setting. Perhaps I have a soft spot for this largely forgotten film because it takes me back to vague childhood recollections of vacations spent in and around the Ballearic islands. Watching it now is like taking a holiday back to those simpler days.
A few twists and turns in the plot keep things interesting; some are variations on familiar themes and story lines, but ultimately September Storm takes on a life of its own. Let down somewhat by a few of the special effects, but if you can suspend your disbelief somewhat, you'll find a film that could have used some extra finesse, but is essentially well put together.
Gorgeous settings and underwater photography have been poorly cropped by pan and scan and as a result the action doesn't read as well as it should. Much better than expected overall. A very pleasant piece of escapism.
You have to see it to believe it!
An old-fashioned treasure hunt in a Mediterranean setting. Perhaps I have a soft spot for this largely forgotten film because it takes me back to vague childhood recollections of vacations spent in and around the Ballearic islands. Watching it now is like taking a holiday back to those simpler days.
A few twists and turns in the plot keep things interesting; some are variations on familiar themes and story lines, but ultimately September Storm takes on a life of its own. Let down somewhat by a few of the special effects, but if you can suspend your disbelief somewhat, you'll find a film that could have used some extra finesse, but is essentially well put together.
Gorgeous settings and underwater photography have been poorly cropped by pan and scan and as a result the action doesn't read as well as it should. Much better than expected overall. A very pleasant piece of escapism.
You have to see it to believe it!
A Classic!
Joey_Mac4 July 2001
I was very surprised to see the terrible reviews this film got on IMDb. I also saw this film at 6:00 a.m. on American Movie Classics and I was hooked from beginning to end. The whole movie just has a good feel to it and the underwater photography is gorgeous and at times, breathtaking. The shark attack may not have been "Jaws" material, but that's not the point of the movie. The acting was fine, regardless of what anyone says, and although it may not have been the most original movie ever, people need to just start enjoying movies for what they are. STOP ANALYZING MOVIES!! OR JUST DON'T WATCH THEM!!!! The movie has enough entertainment value to keep you interested and if for nothing else, see it for the underwater sequences. This movie is not half as bad as people make it out to be.
One Dimensional Fortune Hunters in 3D
TheFearmakers29 May 2020
For a 3D movie with a giant shark on the poster, it's amazing how much time's wasted at a Spanish (i.e. Spain-set) nightclub, which includes an extremely drawn-out Flamenco dance. All viewed by the four main characters that consist of two important pairs...
The first begins the picture: An extremely perfect-looking young Spanish guy who pretends to own the yacht of a vacationing millionaire (his boss), and a pretty yet slightly aged American model who he's making up the lie for: They go diving when the other two check out the vessel...
Actor Mark Stevens usually preferred directing adventurous b-pictures. This one a treasure hunt with only one shark... made of what looks like Styrofoam. His partner is a joke-around rummy familiar in sea-set Neo Noirs, and it's goofy Robert Strauss playing this very goofy character, and an extremely creepy one too...
That only Anne, played by red-head in a red bikini Joanne Dru... once they're all board the yacht and set out after a cache of buried gold coins... is partially aware/suspicious of...
Meanwhile, she's shying away from gigolo Asher Dann (from New York but looking genuinely Spanish) and it takes Stevens' maverick Joe Balfour to get badly injured for her to fall in love... or at least like...
Stevens the Humphrey Bogart from AFRICAN QUEEN type of sweaty-chested scoundrel, but his character's pretty dull, leaving Strauss as sidekick Archie to keep refilling the comic relief, even through the titular storm that mostly occurs at night, and is hardly visible to the audience...
Then there are the usual treasure seeking double-crosses and 11th hour greed-driven mad-impulse. But SEPTEMBER STORM, while a pretty dull cinematic tempest, is pretty fantastic to look at... and feels, for better or worse, like hanging out under the early 1960's Technicolor sunshine.
The first begins the picture: An extremely perfect-looking young Spanish guy who pretends to own the yacht of a vacationing millionaire (his boss), and a pretty yet slightly aged American model who he's making up the lie for: They go diving when the other two check out the vessel...
Actor Mark Stevens usually preferred directing adventurous b-pictures. This one a treasure hunt with only one shark... made of what looks like Styrofoam. His partner is a joke-around rummy familiar in sea-set Neo Noirs, and it's goofy Robert Strauss playing this very goofy character, and an extremely creepy one too...
That only Anne, played by red-head in a red bikini Joanne Dru... once they're all board the yacht and set out after a cache of buried gold coins... is partially aware/suspicious of...
Meanwhile, she's shying away from gigolo Asher Dann (from New York but looking genuinely Spanish) and it takes Stevens' maverick Joe Balfour to get badly injured for her to fall in love... or at least like...
Stevens the Humphrey Bogart from AFRICAN QUEEN type of sweaty-chested scoundrel, but his character's pretty dull, leaving Strauss as sidekick Archie to keep refilling the comic relief, even through the titular storm that mostly occurs at night, and is hardly visible to the audience...
Then there are the usual treasure seeking double-crosses and 11th hour greed-driven mad-impulse. But SEPTEMBER STORM, while a pretty dull cinematic tempest, is pretty fantastic to look at... and feels, for better or worse, like hanging out under the early 1960's Technicolor sunshine.
What Can I Say But I Enjoyed It!
daoldiges21 May 2018
Reading the other reviews here I can't say that all of the technical criticisms leveled against September Storm are untrue, but having seen it in 3-D on the big screen recently I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Yes, many of the props were amateurish, but overall I think the 3-D combined with the beautiful setting and all made it lovely and fun to watch. The only criticism I have was that in the middle of the film they all go out to dinner at a supper club type place and there was a musical-dance number as part of the entertainment, which while it was good, was way too long.
Don't waste your time with this one.
Teenie11 September 2000
Why, oh why do I waste my time watching 3rd run crap like this? I believed that this film was something worth watching at 6:00 a.m. on American Movie Classics, but boy, was I wrong! I'd have done better watching old reruns of "Let's Make a Deal." This film looks as if it were shot with a Brownie camera, the quality is so bad. It also resembles one of those old Italian sword and sandal jobs, with scenes switching back and forth for no reason. The film editor must've completed a correspondence course from the Rinky-Dink School of Film Editing. At least they could have asked Ivan Tors for a real shark during the underwater shark attack scene.
Mark Stevens looks sickly, Joanne Dru is OK, Robert Strauss is at his comic best, although he tries to play it straight, and Asher Dunn - he's cute. That's all.
MST3K - go for it. Everyone else - skip it. Especially at 6:00 a.m.
Mark Stevens looks sickly, Joanne Dru is OK, Robert Strauss is at his comic best, although he tries to play it straight, and Asher Dunn - he's cute. That's all.
MST3K - go for it. Everyone else - skip it. Especially at 6:00 a.m.
Breezy sailing adventure, exceptional 3D
Sevenmercury722 February 2020
This exceeded my expectations, but only in 3D. It's phenomenal in that format. I defy anyone to watch the flat version and the stereoscopic version and not be a 3D convert afterwards. It's just pure magic. Almost every shot is either striking or has something interesting going on, dimensionally. A top-notch effort by the original filmmakers and, of course, the restoration team, without whose wizardly work we'd never have had this 3D treat.
I like the film itself for what it is--a breezy, slightly dopey sailing adventure with a hint of romance and a fun little treasure hunt thrown in. Joanne Dru is better than this film, Mark Stevens is perfect for it (and seems to be having a blast), while Asher Dann and Robert Strauss are just, well, there. I think the script squanders its chances of creating some real tension later on, which undermines what Dru is trying her best to wring out of the thin plot. Both the love triangle and the dark character twists are shrugged off. But there's a lot to enjoy here: the underwater scenes, the flamenco dance, the Mediterranean scenery, some fun banter, the boat itself in 3D, and the lovely Miss Dru. I've watched the movie three times already and I've liked it more each time, which bodes well for its longevity.
I like the film itself for what it is--a breezy, slightly dopey sailing adventure with a hint of romance and a fun little treasure hunt thrown in. Joanne Dru is better than this film, Mark Stevens is perfect for it (and seems to be having a blast), while Asher Dann and Robert Strauss are just, well, there. I think the script squanders its chances of creating some real tension later on, which undermines what Dru is trying her best to wring out of the thin plot. Both the love triangle and the dark character twists are shrugged off. But there's a lot to enjoy here: the underwater scenes, the flamenco dance, the Mediterranean scenery, some fun banter, the boat itself in 3D, and the lovely Miss Dru. I've watched the movie three times already and I've liked it more each time, which bodes well for its longevity.
Flamico dance of Ernesto and Charita is not lost
mmcgee28228 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The poster of the movie gave an Impression that it was an added 3D short to adventures of Sam space,no.The dancers were in the film.This film was practically entertaining.There was a strong focus on story plot and characters rather than throwing things at the camera .This movie is fun in 2d too.When Asher Dann's boss,played by Jean Pierre Kerien, go back home from his trip in Majorca, young handsome Asher has the boat to himself.He meets Joann Dru ,playing a model on vacation.They both decide to go underwater scuba diving for sea shells.Comes Mark Stevens and his side kick Robert Strauss,looking for adventure and excitement checking the ship.They all meet in surprise and decide to go looking for treasure,without Dann letting everyone know that this bosses ship and he ,Dann, does not own it.The 3D cinematography is excellent,although in the scene in which mark is talking about searching for gold to Jo,all her close up shots are flat,there are one or two other scenes with the same problems.Guess?the second print was missing or there was a camera problem at the time. Even though it was mono,the scene where Jo is playing her records in the yacht,the music sounds stereo,the music goes on the left side of the speaker as the scene she is on the left of the screen.The second scenes of the music is very stereo.The archivists must have tweet that part of the sound.Robert Strauss always plays small parts in films and disappears.In this case he show case how much he was a good actor in playing longer scenes in this film as Steve's best friend ,still plays the heavy.I don't know how they did this, but, Mark gets stung by a jelly fish and I think they used a real one.How did they prevent him from being stung?There are several music number in this film,as I stated one of them earlier.The band that was in the film was popular at the time and a record ,the song of the film, had come out.It was restore and played a s part of the ending credits in restoration .Asher is interviewed,shot in 3D,although older and has changed still handsome.I am not being personal neither,but, general.He does not remember that it was being played in theater in some areas in 3D .He remember that it was decided to show it flat.In the disc you got the 3D puppet animated short Adventures of Sam space,cause it was a part of the original release of the feature,but, you also got something added as extra.It's a British black and white variety short in 3d.Harmony Lane.It's not even on the i.m.d.b yet.It is the first time that it's being played in 3D .The theatrical release was not put out until year later ,when 3d was dead.The best parts of the revue,the ballet dancers.The Beverly sisters singing the standard side by side.Max Bygraves playing a record salesman in a skit and the customer wanting the records of Tennessee Ernie,Ford?and he does not have it,breaks out in a song.The Scottish kilt chorus dancers.In an interview the director,Lewis Gilbert,under the name Byron Gil stated that years later ,when he took his young son to a charlie Chaplin film ,that this short,in flat ,was second part of the show.The audience,of the time, did not like it and were booing it.He was glad that he did not use his real name,when he shot the short .This was worth the wait.I'm surprise that more 3D prints did not go out to more theaters.It was good.There was no 3twentieth century fox log.It was independently produced.03/28/17
Could have used a giant cephalopod
tomsview26 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
What's a sunken treasure movie without a tentacle snaking out of an underwater cave or a hole in the side of the ship à la "Beneath the 12-Mile Reef" or "Reap the Wild Wind", even if the actors have to help curl it around themselves.
Squid ink aside, "September Storm" was filmed on location in Majorca and set sail on a real ocean. It had a catchy original song, I'm Gonna Be By You", and featured a compact and attractive cast, including, top-billed, Joanne Dru.
Years later "The Deep" gained a lot of traction with Jacqueline Bisset in a wet T-shirt while "September Storm" was a little more demure with Joanne in a red bikini. In fact, the early title of the film was "The Girl in the Red Bikini" and much was made in the publicity about its skimpy dimensions.
Joanne always reminded me of those beautiful, grown up women the great magazine illustrators painted in the 40s and 50s with wide cheekbones and wide smiles. She was 38 when she made this, but she belies her age and her health concerns as well as an eventful personal life.
Three guys and a girl set sail on a luxury yacht. Each of the guys is a conman in his own way, but all are focussed on Anne Traymore (Joanne). Manuel (Asher Dann) pretends to be the owner of the yacht to impress her, while he is only the caretaker. The other two, Joe Balfour, played by a breezy, fit, tanned and lean Mark Stevens and side-kick Ernie Williams, played by Robert Strauss, are fortune hunters who pretend to hire the boat, but in reality are searching for sunken treasure.
They join forces to bring up a fortune in gold coins in some well-choreographed underwater action, although the shark they encounter resembles a plastic pool toy. The real demon of the deep turns out to be Ernie, who resents playing second fiddle to Joe, turns nasty and sleazy, giving the film a distinct change of mood.
It's watchable nonsense even if it didn't need the narration by the rich owner of the yacht, and the random Flamenco dancing, but Joanne lifts the movie a notch or two.
Squid ink aside, "September Storm" was filmed on location in Majorca and set sail on a real ocean. It had a catchy original song, I'm Gonna Be By You", and featured a compact and attractive cast, including, top-billed, Joanne Dru.
Years later "The Deep" gained a lot of traction with Jacqueline Bisset in a wet T-shirt while "September Storm" was a little more demure with Joanne in a red bikini. In fact, the early title of the film was "The Girl in the Red Bikini" and much was made in the publicity about its skimpy dimensions.
Joanne always reminded me of those beautiful, grown up women the great magazine illustrators painted in the 40s and 50s with wide cheekbones and wide smiles. She was 38 when she made this, but she belies her age and her health concerns as well as an eventful personal life.
Three guys and a girl set sail on a luxury yacht. Each of the guys is a conman in his own way, but all are focussed on Anne Traymore (Joanne). Manuel (Asher Dann) pretends to be the owner of the yacht to impress her, while he is only the caretaker. The other two, Joe Balfour, played by a breezy, fit, tanned and lean Mark Stevens and side-kick Ernie Williams, played by Robert Strauss, are fortune hunters who pretend to hire the boat, but in reality are searching for sunken treasure.
They join forces to bring up a fortune in gold coins in some well-choreographed underwater action, although the shark they encounter resembles a plastic pool toy. The real demon of the deep turns out to be Ernie, who resents playing second fiddle to Joe, turns nasty and sleazy, giving the film a distinct change of mood.
It's watchable nonsense even if it didn't need the narration by the rich owner of the yacht, and the random Flamenco dancing, but Joanne lifts the movie a notch or two.
A great quote from a lousy movie...
quakecity15 May 2000
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