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Of all the films made from works by Jules Verne, the 1954, Walt Disney Production of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA towers above each and every one af them. […]
There is nothing stylistically or structurally complex or difficult in Richard Fleischer’s orthodox treatment of the material. Formalism, straight, unpretentious style. and a slick, easy-going pace is strictly adhered to. Yet this method has curious, positive side-effects. Long master shots, carefully, colorfully and impeccably composed in Cinemascope, evoke a moody, intensely placid existence. One gets the feeling of actually living, in quiet and solitude, the viewer placed always in Captain Nemo'’s world below the surface of the sea.
But without the right performances, this atmosphere could not be sustained for long. As in Fleischer’s functional usage of actors in his tremendously under-rated FANTASTIC VOYAGE, the performers link together to create a feeling, a mood of being encased by seemingly incomprehensible mysteries and a frightening alien world that demands, and even invites, exploration in spite of, and maybe even because of, its inherent danger.
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