Reader's Choice: Voyage of the Damned (1976)
Monday, February 24, 2020 at 3:01PM Last week by popular vote you selected this streaming film for screening & discussion...
by Nathaniel R
It lasted 30 days... You will remember it as long as you live."
So went one of the chief taglines for the Oscar hopeful Voyage of the Damned (1976). It reads like a threat -- when taglines attack! -- this promise of a long unforgettable sit. Having only viewed The Voyage of the Damned for the very first time this weekend, it's too soon to say if we'll remember it for as long as we live, but the other part of the statement is accurate. We won't make a snarky comment about the running time (too easy!) but the titular passage was indeed a month long moment of intensely shameful global history.
For those unfamilar with the history it goes, very briefly, like this...
Passengers angrily leaving the screening of a film within the film we were screening (Voyage of the Damned).
On May 13th of 1939, less than four months before World War II began, Germany let 900+ Jews leave the country on a ship bound for Havana, Cuba. This was an elaborate political maneuver, part PR move /all propaganda, as the Nazis fully intended that ship to return from Cuba with all of its passengers, having made its social chaos and anti-semitism stoking engineered point that no nation wanted the Jews. It was also unfathomably cruel, an elaborate 'psyche! we're still going to kill you after all.'
Voyage of the Damned let's you in on the Nazi plan from its very first scene, removing any ignorance from audiences now (should they chance upon the movie -- it's streaming on HBO) that might come from either a lack of education about global events of 1939 or an inability to infer meaning from movie titles; this isn't a leisure cruise and things won't end well for the passengers.
"The nightmare's nearly over, dearest."
Dame Wendy Hiller gets the first line of dialogue spoken once the ship's horn blows and we set sail 15 minutes into the film. The line's placement, given the broad and messy Oscar-nominated script to come, feels like accidental brilliance. The nightmare was of course just beginning. In 1939 most of the world's nations were still trying to either appease Hitler or stay neutral, assuming the fever would pass (sound familiar?). In Voyage we see this through multiple maddening off-ship arguments between politicians and bureaucrats and reporters (James Mason, Fernando Rey, Michael Constantine, among them). Most memorable in the off-ship sequences are Ben Gazarra as a righteously angry Jewish reporter and Orson Welles as a cigar-smoking amoral politician in Cuba. This shameful 'look the other way, protect your own pockets/power' default stance, is the hardest-hitting finger-waving subject of the movie.
But therein also lies the problem. Voyage of the Damned is so overstuffed with incident, subplot, and actual villains that that target isn't hit with anything like a bullseye. Not that the movie could have done without all three but the imbalance prevents smooth sailing into movie history.
the complex busy plot surrounding these two little girls reads as very important in the first few minutes. But the movie drops it for over an hour.
Incidents
The story itself is so fascinating and potent that it's hard not to long for something more Altmanesque wherein all the elements are woven together into fluid sequences where scenes never quite begin or end and the humanity is bustling and ever shifting within each frame. This Stuart Rosenberg (Cool Hand Luke, Amityville Horror) movie is far more pedestrian and TV episodic. It has a habit of jumping from one scene about two people into another and then to another, often filmed in closeup, rather than viewing the whole collection of characters as one complex human tapestry, always inhabiting the same 1939 hellscape. The characters disappear for such long stretches that sometimes you've forgotten all about them or who they were by the time they resurface. Even the most movie-friendly emotional episodes -like one man's quest to be reunited with his daughters --can feel like easily removeable subplots rather, than crucial moments in an evolving human tragedy.
Don't speak! (you're not pulling off these scenes)
Subplots
The less successful stories are... well, let us not speak of Malcolm McDowell and Lynn Fredrick's embarrassing youthful romance subplot or its undermotivated tragic ending. The latter does at least serve as connective thread between the film's two most hysterical sequences, the first a broadly acted mess (what is Sam Wanamaker doing?) and the other a polarizing but, we'd argue, awesome scene (more on that later in our favourite things about the picture).
Villains
Though Voyage of the Damned is most impactful when its shaming the non-Nazi world that let the Nazis happen, it dilutes the message by leaning heavily on the less abstract villain wearing the Swastika. Helmut Griem, just four years past his own 'neutrality' when it came to those same disruptive thugs in Cabaret, is now playing a true believer. He's so loathsome that I admit I was waiting for him to get his comeuppance throughout in a kind of Tarantino-revisionist desire for bloody revenge. Why are the captain and his crew (who all seem disgusted by the Nazis) and the 900 passengers (who definitely hate Nazis) letting this gang of about 5 Nazis get away with all of this? In one sequence a group of Jewish passengers have finally had enough of their lives as political sacrificial pawns and take up axes and hammers. Sadly, though believably given human nature and the chaos that springs from desperation, they don't aim the weapons at the actual Nazis on board but someone who is trying to figure out a way to help them.
That someone is the ship's captain (a beautifully solemn and stoic Max von Sydow) who exudes authority and righteous order; if people can't have safety and dignity in the world, by god they will have it on his ship!
Several readers assumed we would hate this picture so we must quickly state that we didn't. We just wished it were better. It could have been a great movie with a better screenplay, fewer broad or silly acting choices (why do only the lower class passengers speak with German accents when every single character is German?), and more artful multi-tasking direction.
a few favourite things...
...both scenes featuring Katharine Ross, who won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress before Oscar decided against her altogether, really sing. Practically a whole movie has passed by the time she shows up but she's worth the wait. Her first scene is a stereotypical hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold introduction but she plays it beautifully, leaning away from trope-mandated goodness and more into genuine confusion and improvisation... she's trying to figure out how to act in this confounding scenario she did not see coming even if you can still tell that her heart is gold. She's even better in her second (and only other) scene where we learn she is secretly Jewish and that her parents are onboard the ship that can't dock. It's the most exquisitely acted scene in the entire film with all three actors (ever reliable Yentl papa Nehemiah Persoff plays her father) delivering a gut-wrenching estranged-family mini-movie against the ticking clock of three absolutely inadequate minutes.
...Lee Grant famously nabbed an Oscar nomination and the clip that surely sealed it, despite Oscar passing on the movie as a whole, was her positively mental self-service hair salon. And herewith a very uncool confession: this sequence really got to me. But then I am quite regularly got by the always stellar Grant. I felt every snip of those scissors as if her character Lili Rosen was willing on a psychotic break rather than Grant doing the arguably easier acting choice of re-enacting one.
...Paul Koslo and "introducing Jonathan Pryce" as Aaron and Joseph. We rarely see them apart and they are not related. As such they are easy to view as gay lovers who have narrowly escaped death in concentration camps (the re-shaving of their heads being a Nazi threat on board). Were they meant to read as gay in 1976 or was this tacit unconscious acknowledgment that there were also gay victims of the Holocaust... without having to have the conscious bravely to actually depict it? It's difficult for us to guess in 2020 what was going through the minds of the filmmakers and actors in 1976 but Koslo & Pryce's close physical proximity throughout the picture makes their lack of romantic affection in their second scene together, a totally private reunion in their shared cabin, when they both had literally thought the other dead, the worst of their otherwise solid scenes.
But they're two of the more interesting characters in an overstuffed ship filled with many dud roles. If they were meant to be seen as a gay couple, than the depiction of Aaron as one of the most traditionally masculine* men on board is yet more interesting given the context of 1976. (*Aaron takes frequent beatings, takes charge in physically dangerous situations, and never once appears to be on the verge of an emotional breakdown like so many of the teary eyed or emotionally frayed men -- we're not condoning this view of masculinity, mind you, but it is the "traditional" one.)
... And Faye Dunaway in general. GODDESS. Voyage of the Damned was released the same year as Network, so we're talking supernova peak. The camera loves her so much one knows that it longs to become sentient and ditch the dreary prestige trappings, and just follow her into some other more fabulous movie entirely... or at least into her dressing room.
She is extra. Though she's a doomed Jewess and the coolest (in both senses) person in the room at all times, she also whip-smart and able to pragmatically set aside all the panic in service of her own fabulousity. She turns it out with a cheeky monocle and thigh-high dominatrix boots during the ship's incongruously festive and weirdly racist costume ball in which many of the Jewish prisoners are wearing "oriental" masks. Later that same evening she'll let her husband think he's seducing her while she's actually seducing him into undressing her.
...then she'll casually just hang there, half naked, in full view of the ship's doctor once he interrupts the nookie because someone else's husband went and died. This bitch cannot with everyone else's hysterics. The only people that ever ruffle her are her husband (Oskar Werner) -- in fairness that hairpiece is unnerving -- and Lee Grant with a pair of scissors.
All that said, Daniella Isaacs was correct in the comments on the readers poll that the more camp-friendly elements of Voyage are a bit hard to fully enjoy given the context in which they occur.
P.S. Oh yes, the mandatory awards chatter.
Because we know you love a list, the 'star' performances ranked
- Katharine Ross
- Lee Grant
there's a reason it was those two with awards shows... but the following four actors are in fine form, too - Nehemiah Persoff
- Max Von Sydow
- Orson Welles
- Maria Schell
- Victor Spinetti
others with good moments... - Faye Dunaway
- Helmut Griem
- Paul Koslo
- James Mason
- Janet Suzman
nothing much is asked of them beyond a single note... - Denholm Elliott
- Fernando Rey
- Michael Constantine
- Wendy Hiller
- Julie Harris
- Leonardo Rossiter
- Jose Ferrer
- Luther Adler
these characters make zero sense in the script - a tough break for two talented men - Oskar Werner
- Malcolm McDowell
no comment - Lynn Frederick
- Sam Wanamaker
Those are the only "single title card" players so they would have been the nominees if the SAG Awards had existed back then and had the film received a SAG Outstanding Cast nomination (which it probably would have given that EVERY star was in it). You know how we like to project backwards to discuss such things.
Seaman Berg can get it.
Among the expansive cast that weren't famous enough in 1976 to warrant their own card, our favourites were these four: Anthony Higgins as "Seaman Berg" who is way too sexy for this movie and unfortunately way too brave to notice that he won't survive a roomful of Nazis if he starts challenging them without backup; Ina Skriver, a Danish actress, who has a beautiful moment singing a German ballad to the passengers; Marika Rivera who cuts a funny blowsy figure as the madame of a bordello in Cuba; and Jonathan Pryce in his film debut.
Oscars vs Globes
Voyage of the Damned was clearly intended as one of the big Oscar players of 1976, arriving in all its slow paced prestige for Christmas in movie theaters. Yes, Hollywood has been releasing super depressing prestige dramas during the festive holiday week for aeons. Things didn't work out so well for the picture in that regard with just three nominations: Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actress (Lee Grant), and Original Score (Lalo Schifrin). The Golden Globes were kinder offering it twice as many nominations: Best Picture (Drama), Supporting Actor (Oskar Werner), Best Supporting Actress x 2 (Lee Grant AND Katharine Ross), Screenplay, and Score.
It's worth noting that the supporting lists at the Globes and the Oscars that year did not see eye to eye. As for Best Picture, though, Voyage of the Damned was the only Globe Drama nominee not to transfer to the corresponding Oscar nomination.
A comparison chart...
| GLOBES | OSCARS |
 |
 |
| Best Picture, Drama | Best Picture |
| All the President's Men | All the President's Men |
| Bound for Glory | Bound for Glory |
| Network | Network |
| Rocky ★ | Rocky ★ |
| Voyage of the Damned | Taxi Driver |
 |
 |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actor |
| Marty Feldman, Silent Movie | Ned Beatty, Network |
| Ron Howard, the Shootist | Burgess Meredith, Rocky |
| Laurence Olivier, Marathon Man ★ | Laurence Olivier, Marathon Man |
| Jason Robards, All the President's Men | Jason Robards, All the President's Men ★ |
| Oskar Werner, Voyage of the Damned | Burt Young, Rocky |
 |
 |
| Best Supporting Actress | Best Supporting Actress |
| Lee Grant, Voyage of the Damned | Jane Alexander, All the President's Men |
| Marthe Keller, Marathon Man | Jodie Foster, Taxi Driver |
| Piper Laurie, Carrie | Lee Grant, Voyage of the Damned |
| Bernadette Peters, Silent Movie | Piper Laurie, Carrie |
| Katharine Ross, Voyage of the Damned ★ | Beatrice Straight, Network ★ |
| Shelley Winters, Next Stop Greenwich Village |
Whether or not you prefer the Oscar list (and obviously every sane person is glad Taxi Driver snuck in there) it's always wonderful to be reminded that the Golden Globes often embrace comedy which is their best trait since it gives them their own identity and because comedy shouldn't be shunned when it's brilliant. (Bernadette Peters is hysterically funny in Silent Movie so well done there, Globes.)
Have you seen Voyage of the Damned? Do you also wish it would be remade with a more artful and commanding directorial hand? Do you want to do these Reader's Choice streaming convos more often? If so, speak up.
Reader Comments (50)
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Lee Grant is the gift that keeps on giving,i'd like a whole section on her Oscar noms and snubs.
The Cuban scenes are shot in Barcelona and you can totally tell.
No, but I'd like to (for the stars and for the awards history)
I don't know, as I haven't seen it
Yes, this was fun and a lovely long article that worked even though I haven't seen the film.
Hope you enjoyed doing it!
Edward -- i did. I always enjoy watching things and writing about them. The problem is always the time and which things to watch/write up.
No (though I will eventually see it)
Maybe? (I think it would be a good message given the current political environment)
Yes (It's always fun to get a first reaction to an older movie, in my opinion)
I would have nominated Phyllis Dalton, would you? Not a particularly inspired lineup that year. The winner should have been Ruth Morley for Taxi Driver but they don't even vote for that type of movie in 2020.
No
No
Yes
I'm now imagining a world with the phrase "Academy Award nominee Marty Feldman" ... Do you think that he was close to transferring his Globe nom to an Oscar nom?
I watched Voyage of the Damned and it was a little difficult for me beacuse i haved to watch it without subtitles so, probably i missed some sustantial parts in terms of dialogues but i clearly get the idea of the story.
The plot is interesting but the realization very lame, even the dramatization moments feels superficial to me. The story has so much characters that is difficult to create a connection with most of them. Even at the end when the text tell us what happened next with some characters seems a little forced and makes evident that the story could it be better if were more focused just in some characters instead of a random stories of the people on the boat.
The realization in terms of direction reminds me more a mini-series than a movie and at some point i thought would it work better in a TV format than a movie also considering the big number of character-stories that could it be tell so, this will be my answer to the second question.
Even when I don't have a streaming service I absolutely support the idea of do more often that Reader's Choice dynamic.
No
No
Yes
Nathaniel: I think a key thing in terms of conquering the time pressures on writing is only to write about the things you are most excited or compelled to write about. I'm not saying you don't do this, just saying that as someone who also writes, I find that when I'm excited or compelled, it hardly feels like work and the time magically expands to make room for it.
So if you do another one of these, make sure you again choose a bunch of films you want very much to watch.
James from Ames: A Feldman nomination would have been fun. But I think that 1976 is stacked with nominatable supporting actors. I think the five who were nominated are all terrific, but I think an equally powerful case could have been made for:
Robert Duvall in Network
Hal Holbrook in All the President's Men
Zero Mostel in The Front
Richard Pryor in Silver Streak
Carl Weathers in Rocky
As I say, stacked!
24 single title cards?? surely that's some kind of record
no wonder the film is so freakin' long
this was a very enjoyable read - almost enough to make me watch it
[but i'll be honest - i'll probably just watch the poseidon adventure yet again]
This is “trivia” listed for the film on its IMDB page:
Many people believed that Lynne Frederick was going to receive an Oscar nomination for her performance in this film. Instead, her co-star Lee Grant got the nomination. When Grant received the nomination, Frederick personally sent her flowers along with a congratulatory note. Although Grant ultimately didn't win, Frederick was very supportive of Grant and publicly campaigned for her to win.
Could this have been saved by editing? It sounds like the pieces are in place, just put together poorly. Or is it a case where a "director's cut" couldn't fix the problems?
NIce write up. Can we get JUDITH HEARNE now, please. :)
Yes Yes Yes
For me Faye Dunaway is the only thing worth remembering in the movie. Does anyone know if Network was made first? Was she still basking in a glorious glow from that movie? I thought she did a better job in the haircutting scene than Lee Grant did.
Has this story not been made into a miniseries? It seems like something that ABC would have taken on in the 90s. A bit harder to see it being done now, but I wouldn’t be shocked if this story emerges in the next few years as a doc or a feature given everything happening in politics.
Lee Grant shld've won for this n Lily Tomlin shld've won for Nashville the yr before.
I was also shocked to actually really like Lee Grant in this. A lot of the movie is a mess but her scenes are effective.
Havent seen it either, but fun write up. I DO think you should do more of these.
And I'll watch 'The Poseidon Adventure" with you, PAR.
Yes-It was very uneven but not a total waste of time for that cast.
Yes-And a better editor! Elimination of several scenes and a tighter edit of others would have helped tremendously.
Yes-Even if I didn't love the film I did love reading your reaction to it. More please!
I really thought you would do a supporting actress ranking.
Yes, more of these please :)
I thought your review was terrific. I wish the movie was that good.
To clear up a few things from these posts . . .
Voyage of the Damned feels like a television miniseries, because it was originally scripted to be one. The projected budget forced the producers to move from television to the cinema.
Network was released one month prior to Voyage of the Damned.
Most importantly, Lili Rosen (Lee Grant) does not shear the hair from her scalp as the result of a psychotic break. Rather, in the Jewish faith, mourners are prohibited from cutting their hair for a minimum of 30 days after a death. However, parents who have lost their child, as Lili grieves for her daughter Anna, are an exception. Those mourners may "make thee bald." Lili Rosen's actions are those of a devout Jew who is keening for the loss of her child.
Thank you, James. I didn't know that. That makes the scene even more poignant.
Damn Nathaniel, I just might call you Stella cause you just got your groove back. Watch out Claudio, the OG is coming for the MVP!
Props to the readership for resoundingly picking the correct choice for a Nathaniel piece.We may disagree alot, but you all showed with solidarity good taste in choosing what would work best as an article.
Such an insightful and in depth look at a film which is underrated without being all that good. I agree with the commenter above, it proved to be the right choice in providing your best article in a good while. The less spoken about the 'Renee/Nicole dream post', or as likely dubbed by the readers, 'The nightmare post', the better. Sorry The Tin Drum and Judith whatsername, I'm sure you'll be seen and written about when you're the best choice and the time is right. With this and The Film Bitch Awards, you're on a roll. I end this comment with a well-earned bravo good sir!
You just reminded me how shit Jane Alexander is in her tiny role in All The Presidents Men. Not shit per se, but a complete non entity. She has three deserved nominations then this turd in a punch bowl. Katharine Ross in a similar sized role missing out is made egregious by Alexander's inclusion.
The T: I think Jane Alexander is far from shit in All the President's Men - she is playing a character terrified to speak for fear of retribution from murky figures in the US government and she conveys the appropriate shock of someone who wants to do the right thing but is scared to. It's an understandable nomination. And is it the only Oscar-nominated role credited with no name? She's just called 'Bookkeeper' in the credits.
Edward L. -- Absolutely agree. The terror in her face is so real. Politicians are scarier than aliens.
Shit as in relative to taking a nomination spot. It was a great single expressionI admit, but if you think it's lineup worthy then I would have to put an asterix next to your name in any lineup or awards conversation.
I watched this a couple of weeks ago too - Anthony Higgins was my big take away too! Seaman Berg indeed!
The T: You're more than welcome to put an asterisk next to my name any time you like. Probably wise!
Selected this film because there’s a great Lee Grant interview in the current ‘Hollywood’ edition of Vanity Fair magazine.
*Don’t remake/reboot/re-imagine anymore past projects. Let’s bring some originality to the screen.
Oh Edward L. The moment I did that you would probably end up commenting a niche opinion on an Academy choice that only we too would share, so the asterisk would be turned into a gold star. :)
Well, that would be nice if so!
I have never seen this film. But it's fascinating that they could gather a cast this prestigious for such a low-key, workmanlike project. They were aiming for greatness, that is clear. And it's always fun to be reminded of what a huge star Faye Dunaway was...and is.
Edward L / The T. — Lee Grant was credited as Shoplifter for her Oscar nominated role in Detective Story.
And Joel Grey won an Oscar as Master of Ceremonies in Cabaret.
Thank you, Patrick T and James!
Yes.
No.
Yes.
Completelly agree about two things:
Grant and Ross gave the best performances;
"Seaman Berg" is really hot.
PS: Next "Reader's Choice": "Caged", 1950.
😉
That they were. I was meaning regardless of credited character name or lack thereof that is was a nothing role and unworthy of nomination. Especially since the two you point out were fantastic and worthy performances. Grey won and Lee got Cannes Best Actress and I would've been fine with her winning the Supporting Actress Oscar that year. Good little curios you picked up on though.
(Also yes to Fabio's suggestion of Caged!)
Now that's an all star cast.
One of the posters tries to sell it as an all star disaster movie
Is Voyage of the Damned the film with the MOST Oscar nominated / winning actors? Or is Murder on the Orient Express? Haven't seen Voyage but given the refugee situation around the world right now it would be very interesting to watch.
This is a long and interesting film that probably would have worked better as tv mini series. The various characters on the ship are not that compelling. They simply do not have enough back story for us to care for their fate. Faye Dunaway and Lee Grant have some fine moments. Orson Welles is also good. The scenes in Cuba are not very convincing. The script meanders at times and has no real hero at it's center. The most ridiculous scene is the extended visit to a Habana brothel with Katherine Ross as preposterous hooker. The film might have worked better with tighter script. I would have cut the scenes with Wendy Hiller and the over acting Sam Wannabaker. I wish something would have been done with the gay couple Koslo and Pryce. They are not even given a love scene. And yes Dunnaway looks every inch a movie goddess.
Voyage of the Damned is a beautiful
movie, I love those all stars movies of the 70's.
this movie deserved more Oscar noms.