Deluge (1933) User Reviews

The destruction of New York is quite breath taking

[dls-3 · 7/10 · 13 June 1999]

I only heard about this movie about two weeks ago as I was checking some distributors of science fiction movies. I enjoy sci fi movies of the 60's and before so this fell right into my lap.

I bought this movie as a matter of fact today and have seen the collapse of New York 3 times today. No doubt I will be seeing it a few more times before I can put it to rest.

Seeing the destruction of New York puts a lump in my throat. Even though this movie is what is considered a disaster film using paper mache models, it looks quite impressive and real. The special effects don't leave too much to the imagination. See the Empire State Building crumble in a flash as well as every other skyscraper and then watch the city get washed over by the Hudson River.

This movie is quite tragic. Here we have a hero (Sidney Blackmer) who was very good to his wife and children and supposedly they had been lost by the earthquake and tidal wave.

Then he meets the swimmer (Peggy Shannon). They have their trials because like any other disaster movie, there are the good guys (the people who are trying to rebuild their lives and help each other, respect each other), and then there are the renegades who try to force their will on others through violence and gangs.

An unusual film for its time

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 19 December 2023]

This very ambitious B film starts out with an elongated vision of the destruction of most of civilization. Done with miniatures and matte shots, it is nowhere near as convincing as the earthquake effects in SAN FRANCISCO, but it does have a nightmarish quality which is hard to resist. After this spectacular opening, the story settles down to focus on some survivors and their attempts to cope with their plight.

Peggy Shannon easily takes what acting honors are to be had. Looking her up, I was saddened to learn of her early death at 34 due to alcoholism. Sidney Blackmer is rather wooden and unconvincing as the hero. Still, this film is compulsively watchable with a lot of pre-code atmosphere. Shannon is seen in something close to a bikini, and an early scene of her being mauled by Ralf Harolde is quite graphic. In a later scene, an old geezer wins an auction for a Venus DeMilo statue which he states will "come in handy for the long winter months ahead."

The film is short, fun, has a wall-to-wall music score, and plays a bit like the feature version of a serial. I found it quite unique and never dull.

Disturbing disaster film rescued from the abyss

[ChungMo · 5/10 · 25 December 2004]

I saw this soon after a print was discovered in an Italian film vault. No one had subtitled it as of yet. The theater, Film Forum, here in New York City, hired an Italian translator to keep the audience up on the dialog and story.

It's remarkable how many films from the past 20 years were prefigured by this film. In a way, the "Day After Tomorrow" could be considered a remake. The destruction of New York is quite harrowing, actually more harrowing then the stupid "Day After Tomorrow". The special effect people orchestrated numerous shots that show masses of people perishing in the collapse of the city. And it's not in that distanced way that removes the human element from the horror. Actors are integrated into the effect work in creative ways. A recent example would be the monster films of Shusuke Kaneko. After the city has completely crumbled, the ground breaks open and the wreckage falls into a crevice. Then a tsunami inundates the remaining ruins! Yikes!

The rest of the film is done in a typical early 30's melodramatic style. Judging from the other comments here, the translator sort of soft-pedaled the racy parts. The film didn't hold up very well here but I think this could very well be the first post-apocalyptic film ever made.

Lost and Found

[drednm · 22 June 2017]

The history of this once-lost classic film (now available on DVD) is fascinating, but it's nothing compared to the film itself.

Running about 70 minutes, this disaster movie gets right to with the destruction of most of the world by earthquakes and tsunamis. Much early footage shows the flooding of New York City and the toppling of skyscrapers. Yes, these are obviously models and yes there is a good deal of rear projection, but just go with it. It's pretty impressive.

After the apocalypse, it seems old mountain areas have been spared and there are survivors. Martin (Sidney Blackmer) has been separated from his wife (Lois Wilson) and kids. Claire (Peggy Shannon) has washed up on a beach and found by a demented loner Jepson (Fred Kohler). There's also a ragtag village in the mountains run by Tom (Matt Moore) and a group of marauders whose main goal seems to be stealing women.

All these disparate people come together after Claire escapes from Jepson and is rescued by Martin. Jepson joins up with the marauders and they go after Martin and Claire. Enter Tom and the villagers.

The ending is a real surprise and raises the question of what laws and rules should survive the Apocalypse and carry over into the New Society. What is man's purpose after civilization has been destroyed? How does man move on? Peggy Shannon and Sidney Blackmer are good in a very understated way. So are Matt Moore and Lois Wilson. This is definitely a must-see for fans of science fiction and disaster movies, but keep in mind the small budget this film was made on. You'll be thinking about this film long after it has ended.

"We're pretty much alone in the world, aren't we?"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 7/10 · 21 November 2020]

It is fascinating to see in this 1931 film the tropes that would become commonplace in disaster and post-apocalyptic movies from the 1970's onwards. You have the growing panic as authorities realise what is coming. You have the massive scenes of destruction by quakes and tides which for the time look amazing. You have the bleak post disaster landscapes. You have people falling into barbarism. You have wrecked towns trying to work together to rebuild and keep up some semblance of civilisation. You have people parted from their loved ones. It's all there in an inchoate form.

The acting is solid, particularly Peggy Shannon in a sensuous pre-code performance as Claire and Fred Kohler as the lustful Jepson who would do anything to acquire Claire like an object, including murder. Also liked Lois Wilson as the mother of two Helen. After such a spectacular start the film still manages to keep your interest in the personal dramas up to the poignant ending.

If you see this in a good print you'll appreciate the excellent cinematography by Norbert Brodine. Felix E. Feist directs with a sure hand, especially laudable considering this was his first feature film.

Not just the disaster....but what life is like after the disaster.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 8 January 2020]

"Deluge" is a disaster film that was considered lost until very recently. Fortunately, a pristine English language print has been located in France...and someone posted it to YouTube. And, in many ways, it plays like an early and cheap Irwin Allen epic!

The film is unusual in that there isn't a lot of context for what occurs. Instead, in the first few minutes of the film, you see a disaster strike the United States...what happens elsewhere isn't addressed. A combination of earthquakes and floods end up destroying most of the country....and this portion of the film lasts surprisingly long.

Next, you begin to see scenes with survivors. Many of them are scum and all law and order has broken down. One story involves a pretty young woman...and men are just aching to rape her. This is a very adult portion of the picture...and you see a surprising amount of skin...which proves this clearly is a Pre-Code picture! Can the woman manage to evade the rape gangs and can her male protector ever locate his lost family?

The biggest problem with the film are the disaster sequences. Technology for recreating these was pretty primitive in 1933...and the cheapness of the production belies that it's pretty cheap even compared to what larger studios might have been able to make. Perhaps folks in the day just accepted it and weren't so critical of the special effects, but by today's standards they are super-primitive and unconvincing.

As for the story that follows, I appreciated it much more....mostly because it focuses on human nature, which ain't always pretty! It's quite well written and intelligent. Folks start killing each other right and left....which is exactly what I assume would happen in such a situation. It also talks about practical matters...such as what to do when you are separated from your family and assume they must be dead....as the disaster in the film seemed to have wiped out a HUGE percentage of the people.

Overall, it's a film worth seeing...just try not to be too critical of the first portion of the movie....the cheapness of the effects are pretty obvious. And the story more than makes up for these deficiencies.

Deluge--A Disaster Film That Was No Disaster!

[malvernp · 7/10 · 7 April 2021]

I just saw this film (once considered "lost") for the very first time. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise--a genre hybrid combining its major "disaster" theme with that of a "survival against all odds" idea touched with a pre-code permissiveness that would allow the shapely Peggy Shannon to be barely clothed at times. Deluge is generally considered to be the first sound "disaster" movie made in Hollywood, and is well remembered for its primitive but effective special effects and creative use of miniature models to simulate the destruction of New York City.

Deluge is all the more impressive when recognized as the first feature film directed by the then 27 year old Felix Feist. He would go on to a rather undistinguished career made notable by his helming of several movie shorts in the Pete Smith Specialties and Passing Parade series.

Leading lady Peggy Shannon--a year younger than Feist at 26--bore a slight resemblance to Lee Remick. She might have had a major career based on her attractive performance in Deluge. Alas, the cumulative effects of alcoholism would bring it to a halt and unfulfilled at the age of 34. A few weeks after her death, her second husband committed suicide.

Leading man Sidney Blackmer--age 38 when he made Deluge--next appeared as one of the three villains in the Robert Donat classic version of The Count of Monte Cristo. He went on to enjoy a long and successful film and Broadway stage career highlighted by numerous portrayals of President Theodore Roosevelt. Blackmer originated the role of Doc on Broadway in Come Back, Little Sheba.

Secondary female lead Lois Wilson will be remembered by silent film fans as one of the stars of the Western classic The Covered Wagon directed by James Cruze.

Principal supporting actor Fred Kohler, Sr. Was one of the screen's greatest "nasties." Few could convey an aura of scary menace as well as he did. Kohler's son (Fred, Jr.) picked up where he left off.

The early pre-disaster segment of Deluge featured two fine character actors--Samuel S. Hinds and Edward Van Sloan. Hinds is probably best remembered as James Stewart's father in It's A Wonderful Life. Van Sloan will always be recalled as the vampire hunter in the original film version of Dracula.

In 1936-just three years after Deluge was made--MGM released the memorable disaster-melodrama blockbuster San Francisco. The improvements in special effects "magic" evidenced in the latter film over the earlier one are astonishing. But the longest journey has to start with the first step.

Surprisingly Good - Deluge - The Granddaddy of Disaster Films

[arthur_tafero · 6/10 · 16 May 2021]

The first fifteen minutes or so of this film were interesting, but not particularly engaging. The special effects were both amateurish and surprisingly good at the same time. Some of them were poorly done; but many of them were quite effective. But it was not all the death and destruction that made the film rise above a predictable path to conclusion; there was a great plot twist and complication that raised the film a level or two above the usual disaster film. And that complication was the following: What would you do if you thought your loved ones had perished in a disaster? Would you kill yourself? Would you go on in a state of massive depression? Or would you try to move on with your life? This film answers those questions and more. Highly recommended.

A Highly unusual film! See it if you can!!

[Rambler · 9/10 · 24 January 2000]

I have always wondered about the disappearance of "Deluge". Why for so many years, seemingly since it's release in 1933, this film vanished from the face of the earth. After seeing it, courtesy of the efforts of Mr. Wade Williams & Co., I'm still puzzled, but I have a theory. In 1933, "the code" was enacted that pretty much took care of sex and violence in Hollywood. While not an explicit film by any means, "Deluge" does deal fairly frankly with sexuality, lust and rape. I wonder if RKO discovered they had a film that they could not re-release, much like the fabled lost Warner Bros. comedy "Convention City". It's a shame for, while it is a dated film, I find it quite unique and surprising for it's era and a fairly successful attempt to create something different in an era when films were already becoming cookie cutter by-products of the studio machine (not that many of those cookies aren't tasty, mind you). And even though the only available copy at this writing is dubbed into Italian, I don't find that a hinderance. An excellent job was done in subtitling the film, and much of the film is visual anyway. One thing that is somewhat bothersome: IMDb lists the running time as 70 minutes--the tape's running time is 59 minutes. What's missing?? Something so heinous that even the Italian censors couldn't let it be shown? The mind boggles! By the way, I have recently heard that the French film archive holds a copy of this film as well...I wonder....in Anglais, mais non?

Good Disaster Flick for its time period.

[mandagrammy · 6/10 · 12 April 2023]

Although the film starts out in the disaster film genre, it soon turns into a survival, mixed with love story. Normally the two don't go together that often, but it this case the pieces fit together quite well. As for the disaster part of the film, I was actually impressed on how well they showed the vast destruction considering the time period in which the film was made. It might have seemed crude by 21st century standards, but I imagine that audiences in the 1930's were very excited by what they saw on the screen. As for the love story in the second half, the conflict seemed very natural, rather than contrived. The only thing I found disturbing was the ending, which left too much to the imagination, rather than a definitive answer. All in all, it is a film to watch for buffs of the oldest films.

Famous low budget Sci-Fi tried taking on the end of the world in 1933, and was lost until recently.

[larry41onEbay · 5/10 · 29 October 2017]

A rumbling, gurgling: thriller, titled 'Deluge,' unfolds Itself a little clearer after being found in better shape. For years you could not see it anywhere, then a subtitled version in fair shape was found in Italy. Then in 2016 a composite dupe negative was discovered and a better, though not perfect copy is now available. But what of the content, is it a good film?

SPOILERS:

After starting in 1933 (pre-Code) USA with the actions of alarmed meteorological experts and then showing what purport to be major coastal cities demolished by earthquakes and a flood, "Deluge," turns to melodramatic villainy and romance. It is remarkable how soon the few remaining mortals regain their composure after the world disaster and become quite interested in living in caverns and shacks. There is the handsome but not precisely brainy hero who battles with a rugged scoundrel to save a fair college graduate, presumed at the time to be the only woman alive in that part of the world.

Most of the incidents in this rumbling and gurgling thriller occur somewhere about forty miles from "where New York City was." Martin Webster, the stop-look-and- listen hero, tells Claire Arlington, the pale, blonde co-ed and marvelous swimmer in panties and bra, that they cannot be far from where his country home once stood. Martin has lost his wife and two children, or thinks he has. Being a brave young chap, however, he succeeds in forgetting them and falls madly in love with Claire. It would seem that Claire is happy, until a shooting affray starts. The vile Jephson and his fierce underlings fortunately decide not to continue the attack in the day, but to wait for night. It is nothing short of a miracle (or script writing) how Martin and Claire elude Jephson.

And just when Martin tells other survivors found at a settlement that Claire is his wife, he learns that the charming Mrs. Webster and her youngsters are alive and well. This leads to a certain acidity on Claire's part, but she decides to do the gallant thing in the end, by swimming out to sea. In fact, she is called upon to do a great deal of long-distance swimming throughout this melodrama.

The best moments in the film are those concerned with the excited weather men and scientists. The destruction of skyscrapers is never particularly real and the rushing waters seem strangely out of focus at times. The dialogue never rises above the action of the story and the players deserve sympathy.

Bottom line: It's more important to see this once lost oddity with low budget but massive model and miniature work than to celebrate it's story and acting. See it with low expectations and you'll be impressed until you get bored.

Interesting, early (pre-code) cosy-catastrophe

[jamesrupert2014 · 9/10 · 30 April 2019]

America is shattered by earthquakes and inundated by tidal waves in this excellent early environmental-disaster film. When the destruction ends, the story follows Martin Webster (Sidney Blackmer), as survivor separated from his family, Claire (Peggy Shannon), a beautiful young woman who washes ashore near the cabin of brutal Jepson (Fred Kohler), and a handful of people trying to rebuild society. The destruction scenes are outstanding (for the time) and were recycled in a number of films and serials (e.g. 'King of the Rocket Men' (1949)) and the scenes of the tidal wave washing over the Statue of Liberty was redone in Roland Emmerich's '2012' (2009). The pre-code film as a brutal edge, there are numerous 'extra judicial' killings and a number of references made to violent off-screen rapes. Also notably pre-code, Claire wears a skimpy 2-piece bathing suit (or maybe it's underwear) when she escapes from Jepson (one piece of which is missing when she is found by Martin). Peggy Shannon is lovely as Claire and her final scene is quite unexpected and poignant, especially considering the young starlet's sad early death. Typical of movies (and maybe life in general), destruction and violence is more interesting than construction and peace, so the story bogs down a bit after New York collapses and the desperados are supressed, but the last scene is quite good and worth waiting for. Some viewers might be offended by the dated comic-relief provided by a couple of eye-rolling African-American stereotypes amongst the survivors, but this is an 85 year old film and times have changed. A good-quality version of the film is currently available on YouTube.

Unfortunate flaws, but still fairly entertaining

[I_Ailurophile · 7/10 · 4 January 2022]

In 'Deluge' one readily recognizes the through line from the brisk, ham-handed, direct storytelling of the early 1930s to modern brusque, ham-fisted, forthright big-budget blockbusters, especially the likes of '2012' and 'The day after tomorrow.' It turns out that the diaster movie has changed little over these past several decades, save for the means by which destruction is exhibited. In this instance, instead of proliferate CGI, what we get above are all models in miniature, being shaken apart and or submerged in artificially choppy water to simulate earthquakes and tsunamis. Of course there are also the radio reports and scientists rushing about and arguing, set pieces set to sunder, and a little bit of stock footage, too. Less impressive are the attempts at showing sped-up footage of crowds running while shots of those miniatures loom in the background. The titular tragedy fills roughly the first third of the feature, and though a bit of a mixed bag looks better than not - yet still starts to be a bit much a solid few minutes before the tumult terminates.

Of much greater interest is the narrative that follows in the aftermath - the story of survivors finding camaraderie, and trying to get by in light of the utter collapse of cities and civilization. The threads are familiar to the point of being timeless, but duly engaging nonetheless as we see figures well-meaning and virtuous, or cruel and conniving, and the emergence of scattered enclaves of likewise varying temperament.. Further recognizable themes present including patriarchy, sexism, and outright misogyny; hope, loss, and love; - and, regrettably, outdated moralizing about the social responsibilities of marriage and repopulation; the devaluation of strong, able, independent single women; and the contrasting depiction of the loyal, demure housewife as saintly, pure, and righteous.

For what it's worth - though flawed, I do think 'Deluge' bears capable writing in all regards. Characters have diverse personalities, interests, and motivations, and dialogue is believable and duly stimulating. The scene writing and storytelling is reasonably absorbing. I just rather wish the picture didn't also carry the unfortunate characteristic sensibilities of 1930s cinema.

I quite like the cast, all demonstrating their skills with robust performances. Peggy Shannon especially impresses in the major role of Claire, illustrating dynamic range, poise, and physicality; she's a credit to the feature, and would that she figured still more prominently. Felix E. Feist's direction is generally unremarkable, but fine; sound design is a little lacking, with the sound effects for firearms being particularly wanting. Otherwise, however, I think the film's craft was given fair attention. We're treated to some swell set design and decoration; costume design, hair, and makeup are considered well; and aspects like the music and editing are rather rich and engrossing. Honestly, the overall production design and art direction are quite good.

'Deluge' doesn't necessarily feel entirely balanced, even as enthusiastic effects in the first act would seem to equalize with the greater length of mostly adept storytelling. Acknowledging the time in which the movie was made, it's still a bit of a blemish for all but two cast members to be as white as snow, and the black characters somewhat feel like stereotypes. For all that, the greatest problem remains the indelicate, old-fashioned, male-centered perspective that so emphatically misuses the best and most likable character. If not for the picture's treatment of Claire, I would most certainly hold it in higher esteem.

Still, though imperfect, more so than not I think this is well made, and entertaining. A slightly more careful hand would have gone a long way, yet at that, the feature scarcely claims any faults that haven't been common to cinema at large. Even for those viewers who dislike the effects-laden "disaster porn" that populate modern summer blockbuster offerings, I think 'Deluge' has sufficient worth to make it a decent watch for most anyone. Keeping in mind the blunders, these are 66 minutes that are more enjoyable than not.

Scaling Issues

[boblipton · 5/10 · 28 August 2019]

There's a huge earthquake that devastates the world, and a follow-up tidal wave. Civilization ends, as does almost all of humanity. Sidney Blackmer is making his way alone since his wife, Lois Moran, and children vanished. Peggy Shannon shows up at Fred Kohler's shack in her underwear. When he menaces her, she swims off. Eventually she comes on Blackmer, who treats her like a lady in the lost world. Meanwhile, Kohler tracks her -- women are in uniquely short supply -- and meets up with a bunch of men who have been kicked out of a community severl miles off. They decide to kill Blackmer and figure out how to split Miss Shannon later.

I read S. Fowler Wright's novel about fifty years ago. I don't have much recollection of it, beyond the impression that it was a clunky novel meant to be in the H.G. Wells "scientific romance" style. The film version retains the clunkiness. Alas, most science fiction movies of the era have the same issue, as a marvelous situation is fitted into a standard plot -- often with El Brendel added for inane comic relief. The opening sequences, with the destruction going on, is marvelously epic, with fine miniature work by Ned Mann showing the destruction of Manhattan by water. The rest of it, alas, drops from the epic to the small, and that is quite a shock.

The performance are good, and the print from the French national archives as presented by Kino/Lorber demonstrates that black&white camerawork was just as good 85 years ago as it ever would be. While the verisimilitude is right, and the message that we must live our lives on a daily basis is true, the changes in scale, in a "For G*d, for country and for Yale" progression doesn't make good storytelling.

Early Hollywood "End of the World" Film Quite Good

[cloud_nine · 6 March 2002]

I read about this movie years ago but thinking that no prints existed, only recently looked for a rental copy. It was much better than reviews lead me to believe. The destruction of New York City was quite convincing especially when the earth opened up and the ocean rushed in. The screenwriters were smart not to offer any explanation for the disaster. Perhaps this was due to time and budget constraints. The scientists' bewilderment added to the tension.

The survivors' story was credible even though the lead characters were somewhat stupid. Martin and Claire spent the night in a tunnel knowing full well that armed men were coming for them at first light. They could have easily escaped during the night.

The story had several gaps probably due to lost or deteriorated film. How did Martin become separated from his wife and children? Why did each think the other was dead? The Statue of Liberty was still standing at the end of the storm sequence. Did it survive?

The Italian dialog was distracting and the English subtitles did not convey everything that was spoken. There was something said about Louisiana sinking and New Orleans being flooded. When survivors in the settlement cannot raise anything on the radio, a boy says to an adult, "Now you can be the fire chief". I'm going out on a limb and say the boy is referring to comedian Ed Wynn who portrayed the Texaco Fire Chief on an early radio program. This must have been very confusing to foreign audiences.

The actress who played Claire, Peggy Shannon, was strikingly beautiful with a modern look not normally seen in movies of that period. How sad that she died of alcoholism just 8 years after the movie was released.

Cinema's first 'Disaster' Movie

[springfieldrental · 8/10 · 31 January 2023]

Big-budgeted disaster films, showing cataclysmic destruction of the earth by natural forces, have long been popular with the movie public. Many of these films include post-apocalyptic plots of the world's few survivors. Cinema's first "disaster" movie was August 1933 "Deluge."

RKO Radio Pictures' distributed the Admiral Production film. Admiral was a second-tier studio, but was able to fund a relatively large budget for the 'Grade-B' movie. Film critics praised the special effects occurring in the first third of "Deluge." "These effects are undoubtedly quite an achievement for the early 1930s," writes Mark Welsh, "even if the crumbling buildings are still obviously models, but the drowning of cities by mighty waves is fairly credible." So impressive were those early effects that RKO rented "Deluge's" footage to other studios to use in such films as 1935 'S. O. S Tidal Wave' and 1949 'King of the Rocket Man' among others. The 2004 disaster movie 'The Day After Tomorrow,' uses almost the exact gigantic wave action scenes in the same city, New York City, as the 1933 Admiral picture. The extensive use of its footage in other movies explains why "Deluge" was withdrawn from the market and was considered lost until an Italian print was discovered in 1981. A full English version emerged in 2016 and was fully restored.

As a 'post-apocalyptic' film, "Deluge's" catastrophe came about by a combination of an extreme low pressure system and a massive earthquake off the Eastern shore at the same time, creating floods throughout most of the world. Only higher elevations had remained dry, although they too have been damaged by the quakes. The movie focuses on the Webster family, Martin (Sidney Blackmer) and wife Helen (Lois Wilson), who are separated by the rising seas. Martin is separated from his family and is alone in a seaside (now high up) shack when he finds professional swimmer Claire (Peggy Shannon) passed out on the shore. She had just escaped the clutches of two ravenous men and has swum miles to arrive at the footsteps of Martin's abode, where the two fall in love. They end up in a former vacation resort town where the pair discover a surprise that'll change their relationship. Says film critic Danny March, echoing the consensus of "Deluge's" achilles heel: "the massive special effects sequence that starts the movie had a lot more thought put into it than all of the characters who wandered around after."

Actress Peggy Shannon's tragic life was all too common in early Hollywood. As a former Ziegfeld chorus girl on the Broadway stage in the 1920's, Shannon was spotted by Paramount Pictures and tabbed to be the next Clara Bow "It" girl. Hours after arriving in Hollywood, she replaced Bow after the star had a nervous breakdown a couple of days before filming 1931's 'The Secret Call.' With a whirlwind schedule of several movie appearances in such a short stretch, Shannon began to hit the bottle to decompress after 16-hour work days. By the time she appeared in "Deluge," her reputation as a difficult and temperamental actress was well known throughout Hollywood,. After a couple years on the stage back East, she returned to film, but with minor roles.

Her husband, Albert Roberts, returned to the couple's North Hollywood apartment from a fishing vacation in May 1941 to see Shannon slumped on the kitchen table, a cigarette in her mouth and an empty glass in her hand, dead. An autopsy revealed she expired 12 hours earlier brought on by a heart attack with a damaged liver. Husband Roberts was so distraught over her premature death at 34 that three weeks later he shot himself in the same chair Shannon had died. He left a suicide note exclaiming, "I am very much in love with my wife, Peggy Shannon. In this spot she died, so in reverence to her, you will find me in the same spot."

Lost and Found

[gavin6942 · 5/10 · 13 October 2017]

A massive earthquake strikes the United States, which destroys the West Coast and unleashes a massive flood that threatens to destroy the East Coast as well.

S. Fowler Wright, the author of the novel upon which the film was based, began pitching a script based on the book to studios in 1933. He accepted an offer from Worldwide Studios for $5,000 for the options. An independent, Admiral Productions, produced the film with a budget of $171,000. Wright later watched the final scenes being shot and was disappointed to learn that producers had made changes and chose to not use the ending of the book as the film's ending. He later wrote in his diary that he felt the film was "ghastly" and advised his children not to see it.

Not being familiar with the book, I could not say what changes were made and what would make the film version "ghastly". It is, however, rather boring. For a film about a world-destroying flood, most of the short run time is about a group of men sitting around chatting, planning on how to get women to marry them. I suppose there is historic value to the film and I am glad it has gone from "lost" to restored, but it may have had a better reputation lost than actually viewed.

Remarkable rescue of "lost" film

[petrilloi · 9/10 · 26 February 2010]

Pretty interesting film with a downbeat ending. The special effects are great for 1933. By the way, the box INCORRECTLY lists running time of 59 minutes! This version actually is 67 minutes. It is unfortunate that it is dubbed (if it hadn't been found in Italy it might have retained its soundtrack). Still its great to have at all. Thank God for Forry Ackerman! We'll never see his like again. He and the late Bill Everson were truly irreplaceable Film researchers. Where in our disposable subculture will we find people interested in knowing about things that happened before a year or two ago. The internet age has wreaked havoc with fact-finding and accurate information. If you don't browse, you will never know anything beyond the narrow scope of search engine results.

It Was "OK" For Its Day

[StrictlyConfidential · 4/10 · 25 September 2018]

If I'm not mistaken - I believe that 1933's "Deluge" is very likely the original Hollywood mega-disaster movie.

Now 85 years old - This film's massive "tsunami" effects are, indeed, pretty lame and laughable by the rigid CGI standards of today - But, all the same, they are still worth a view.

I mean - It was kinda fun to watch NYC come toppling down as the impact of the tsunami's force hit the east coast of the USA with a big bang.

Filmed in b&w - I was quite satisfied that "Deluge" only had a running time of just 70 minutes. 'Cause I found that the story was starting to get out of hand once the 4-sided "love-triangle" business got introduced into all of the drama.

Remarkable early special effects film

[Chappie-4 · 24 January 2001]

As a young man in the early 30's I attended a small theater in Brooklyn, NY showing the film Deluge. The memory of the devastation depicted in the film has remained with me through the years. I feel that a similar film made today, with all the special effects, would not have the impact felt at that time.

Of course there are many films from that era which are well remembered today while Deluge did not stand the test of time that I feel it deserved.

Years later I read an article concerning films that were lost due to deterioration and Deluge e was mentioned. We can all be indebted to IMDb for providing an opportunity to rediscover films such as Deluge.

Exceptional effects for the time

[DebraIonaVogel · 9/10 · 23 December 2020]

A giant earthquake rips through the United States causing havoc and destruction.

The models and special effects were, for the time, astounding. In fact, they're still better than some of the Sy Fy channel's efforts!

I imagine a young Irwin Allen becoming inspired while watching this gem.

This pre-code 1933 movie made it very perilous for a woman on her own. But, our protagonist is one tough dame. She'll get by just fine.

It's a good little movie and definitely worth your time.

Not Very Good

[januszlvii · 3/10 · 12 March 2022]

I saw a good print on YouTube ( better then many films on TV ( specifically Rio Conchos which badly needs remastering)), but I do not think Deluge is a good film at all. With the exception of the beginning, which features the destruction of New York City and is well done, it is more like a soap opera then a disaster film. It is not even close to being on the same level as the earlier Winning of Barbara Worth which had a great flood scene ( of course that did Star Ronald Colman and Gary Cooper), let alone Towering Inferno, which is still the best disaster film of all time. Peggy Shannon ( Claire) does a decent job and is nice to look at, but it did not make me like the movie. 3/10 stars. 2 for the beginning and 1 for Shannon and nothing for anything else.

Remarkable near-lost gem, daring and dramatically powerful

[JimTK · 9/10 · 4 February 2023]

This film begins like an apocalyptical disaster-movie, as a series of unexplainable natural disasters around the world devastate human civilization. What follows is the story of how the survivors, repristinated to a primitive and semi-savage condition, struggle to survive in a world where not only food and resources are scarce, but also law enforcement and organized government are missing. The first segment of the film deals with the disasters, mostly by ellipsis (people listen to radio news or receive reports by wire), also employing stock footage of real disasters such as sea storms. But some scenes were made with the use of miniatures and optical effects, and the result was quite impressive for its time (especially the destruction of NYC). The second part focuses on a man (Blackmer) whom the disasters separate from his wife (L. Wilson) and children. Living in a shack and part of a collapsed tunnel, he has to survive through hardships and attacks of outlaws; thinking his wife dead, he meets another woman (P. Shannon), who's also trying to evade the bandits, and a love triangle is established. A remarkable film -- for decades deemed lost -- dramatically powerful, thought-provoking regarding human behavior when not restrained by social conventions and legal authority, quite daring in the display of how men deal with women under such conditions. With no name actors nor renowned director, this little known film is a notable cinematic achievement.

remembrance of film

[canscene · 31 March 2003]

I saw this film in England in 1934 at the age of 16 and was highly impressed with the special effects. Oddly enough Sydney Blackmer played the hero in this although in many other films he was cast in villainous roles. Remember him as the "kindly" neighbour in Rosemary's Baby?

I had read the book only a year or so before seeing the film and was absolutely flabbergasted with the disaster scenes. In view of our knowledge of global warming, a remake might well be highly topical and thought provoking.

Awesome flick!!!

[stwebb1 · 10/10 · 15 April 2017]

I too own this movie. I really, truly enjoyed this movie! I think this is a forerunner of the San Francisco Earthquake movie about the 1933 earthquake, as well as the later movie San Andreas Fault. This movie is a classic. There were several others, including Avalanche, etc. Put this movie on your bucket list!!!