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''On the Beach'' is a 1959 American black-and-white post-apocalyptic science fiction drama film from United Artists, produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins.〔Mitchell 2001, pp. 177–183.〕 The film is based on Nevil Shute's 1957 novel of the same name depicting a nuclear war and its aftermath.〔Weaver (2011, pp. 62–71. )〕 Unlike the novel, no blame is placed on whoever started the war; it is hinted in the film, that the threat of annihilation may have arisen from an accident (for example, a fault in a few vacuum tubes or transistor circuits, as in the similarly themed 1964 film ''Fail-Safe''). ==Plot== During 1964, in the months following World War III, the conflict has devastated the northern hemisphere, polluting the atmosphere with nuclear fallout, killing all life there. Air currents are slowly carrying the fallout south; the only areas still habitable are in the far reaches of the southern hemisphere. From Australia, survivors detect an incomprehensible Morse code signal coming from the west coast of the United States. The last American nuclear submarine, USS ''Sawfish'', under Royal Australian Navy command, is ordered to sail north to the U. S. to attempt to make contact with the sender of the Morse signal. The submarine is commanded by Captain Dwight Towers (Gregory Peck), who must leave his new friend, the alcoholic Moira Davidson (Ava Gardner). The Australian government arranges for its citizens to receive suicide pills or prepared injections, so that they may end things quickly before there is prolonged suffering from radiation sickness. An Australian naval officer, Peter Holmes (Anthony Perkins) and his wife, Mary, who is in denial about the impending disaster, have a baby daughter. Assigned to travel with the American sub for several weeks, Peter tries to explain to Mary how to euthanize their baby and then kill herself in case he is not yet home when the end comes; Mary reacts very emotionally at the prospect of killing her daughter and herself. One scientist's theory is that the radiation level near the Arctic Ocean could be lower than that found at the mid-northern hemisphere, which might indicate the radiation could disperse before reaching the southern hemisphere. This theory is to be explored along with the submarine's main mission. After sailing to Point Barrow, Alaska, they determine that radiation levels are, on the contrary, intensifying. Near San Diego, the ship's communications officer, in a radiation and oxygen suit, is sent ashore to a power station. He discovers the mysterious signal is the result of a tilted Coca-Cola bottle having been suspended by its neck with an open window's shade pull cord; the shade then fluttering from random ocean breezes and the suspended bottle's weight tapping out random signals on a "live" telegraph key. Using proper Morse Code, the officer sends a message describing the situation and then returns to the sub. ''Sawfish'' and her crew return to Australia and try to enjoy what pleasures remain to them before the end. Scientist Julian Osborn (Fred Astaire) wins the Australian Grand Prix, in which many racers, with nothing left to lose, die in various accidents. Dwight and Moira embark on a weekend fishing trip in the country. Retreating to the resort for the night, they share a romantic interlude inside their room as, outside, a gathering storm howls. Returning to Melbourne, Towers learns one of his crew has developed radiation sickness; the deadly radiation has arrived in Melbourne. Osborn kills himself by carbon monoxide poisoning in his closed garage, with his race car's engine running. Others line up to receive their suicide pills. Mary Holmes becomes emotionally unbalanced and must be sedated. Later, she regains lucidity in time for her, Peter and their baby daughter to face the end by consuming the fatal drug. Dwight wants to stay with Moira but many of his remaining crew want to head for home to die in the U.S.; Commander Towers chooses his duty over his love for Moira and joins his crew as they attempt to make it back to the radioactive ruins of America. Moira watches as the USS ''Sawfish'' leaves Australian territorial waters, then submerge for the final voyage home. The deserted, windblown streets of Melbourne are punctuated by the rise of dramatic, strident music over a single powerful image of a previously seen street banner that pleads to the world, to the future: "There is still time ... Brother". Nuclear war and the end of humanity can still be prevented. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「On the Beach (1959 film)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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