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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)

1954 film

20000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 film about a ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings that encounters the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.

Directed by Richard Fleischer. Written by Earl Felton, based on the novel by Jules Verne.
Walt Disney's Mighty, Magnificent, Memorable 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!(taglines)
Got a whale of a tale to tell you, lads, a whale of a tale or two
'bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved,
On nights like this with the moon above,
A whale of a tale, and it's so true, I swear by my tattoo
Think of it: On the surface, there is hunger and fear. Men still exercise unjust laws. They fight and tear one another to pieces. A mere few feet beneath the waves, their reign ceases, their evil drowns. Here on the ocean floor is the only independence. Here, I am free. ~ Captain Nemo
She's showing us her heels, sir!
Well, hit her in the heels, then! Fire!
Aye aye, sir! Run her out smartly! ~ Carson & Captain Farragut
I am not what is called a "civilized man", Professor. I have done with society for reasons that seem good to me. Therefore I do not obey its laws. ~ Captain Nemo

Captain Nemo

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  • The natives over there are cannibals. They eat liars with the same enthusiasm as they eat honest men.
  • Think of it: On the surface, there is hunger and fear. Men still exercise unjust laws. They fight and tear one another to pieces. A mere few feet beneath the waves, their reign ceases, their evil drowns. Here on the ocean floor is the only independence. Here, I am free. Imagine what would happen if they controlled machines such as this submarine boat. Far better that they think there's a monster and hunt me with harpoons...
  • There is hope for the future. When the world is ready for a new and better life, all this will someday come to pass... in God's good time.

Ned Land

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  • [singing] Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads, a whale of a tale or two, 'bout the floppin' fish and the girls I've loved on nights like this with the moon above. A whale of a tale and it's all true, I swear by my tattoo. There was Mermaid Minnie; met her down in Madagascar. She would kiss me anytime that I would ask her. Then one evening, her flame of love blew out. Blow me down and pick me up, she swapped me for a trout!
  • There's one thing you ought to know, Professor: Nemo's cracked. I've yet to see the day you can make a deal with a mad dog. So while you're feeding him sugar, I'll be figuring a plan to muzzle him.

Professor Pierre Aronnax

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  • A strange twilight world opened up before me, and I felt as the first man to set foot on another planet, an intruder in this mystic garden of the deep.

Dialogue

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Reporter: We're interested in your opinion of this monster.
Professor Arronax: My opinion? Frankly, it's rather low at the moment.
Captain Farragut: Look alive there! Get your range and fire, Carson! What's the matter?
Carson: She's showing us her heels, sir!
Captain Farragut: Well, hit her in the heels, then! Fire!
Carson: Aye aye sir! Run her out smartly!
Conseil: I demand a fair trial!
Captain Nemo: You've had your trial. The sea brought you, the sea shall have you back.
Professor Arronax: You cannot do this! This is uncivilized!
Captain Nemo: I am not what is called a "civilized man", Professor. I have done with society for reasons that seem good to me. Therefore I do not obey its laws.
Professor Aronnax: [Observing the slave island] What is in those sacks they are carrying?
Captain Nemo: Nitrates and phosphate for ammunition. The seeds of war. They're loading a full cargo of death. And when that ship takes it home the world will die a little more. I was once one of those pitiful wretches you see down there. Look at it again, Professor, I don't want you to forget what you've seen here today.
Professor Aronnax: I've seen enough.
Captain Nemo: It's burned everlastingly in my memory.
Captain Nemo: [Noticing that Ned is eating with his knife] There's a fork on your left, Mr. Land, or aren't you accustomed to utensils?
Ned Land: [mouth full of food] I'm indifferent to 'em.
Captain Nemo: You were sent to get food, not treasure! You can't eat pieces of eight!
Ned Land: Eat? I can eat any time——
Captain Nemo: You place an absurd value on the cheapest of human commodities. Aboard the Nautilus we use such baubles for ballast.
[Nemo strolls over and opens a hatch to reveal a walk-in locker full of gold treasure. Ned stares.]
Ned Land: Ballast... [walks over and pulls a gilted item from the pile, smiling] ...I sure could lighten this ship!
Captain Nemo: [snatching the piece and depositing it back in the closet] The greatest treasures of all, Mister Land, are a sound mind and a full belly. I hope you remember that before stooping to pick up pennies.
Ned Land: You've been pickin' them up. And pickin' them up good! '...Ballast'!
Captain Nemo: Do you know the meaning of love, professor?
Professor Arronax: I believe I do.
Captain Nemo: What you fail to understand is the power of hate. It can fill the heart as surely as love can.
Professor Arronax: I'm sorry for you. It's a bitter substitute.
[After the Nautilus has rammed and sunk a munitions ship, destroying it with all hands]
Captain Nemo: I asked you to leave, Professor.
Professor Arronax: You also asked me ashore, to show me man's inhumanity to man. Why? To justify this? You are not only a murderer, you are a hypocrite. The proof lies out there.
Captain Nemo: You call that murder? Well, I see murder, too. Not on those drowned faces out there, but on the faces of dead thousands! They are the assassins, the dealers in death. I am the avenger! Is murder a right reserved for that hated nation? They've already taken everything else from me! Everything but my secrets, the secret of my submarine boat and the energy that propels it. They tried! They cast me in a prison, and when they failed... when they failed, they tortured my wife and young son to death.
Ned Land: [after Captain Farragut announces that he is ending the search] Cheer up, Professor. You'll forget all about fishing when you see the gals in Saigon.
Professor Aronnax: I thought they promised you a bonus if you harpooned this monster, Mr. Land.
Ned Land: Knowing full well I couldn't collect it. When I get back, I'm shipping out on the first whaler that'll take me. I won't get rich, but I won't be sitting around picking my teeth with my harpoon.
Conseil: Maybe we are lucky. It might have sunk us.
Ned Land: You scare me. Be a good loser, Professor. The fish that got away is always the biggest one.
Conseil: Ah, what a pity, Professor. I know you had visions of that monster mounted in the National Museum.
Captain Nemo: Mr. Land, you saved my life. Why?
Ned Land: That's a good question! Well, there's only one thing a fella can do when he's made a mistake as big as this.
Conseil: what?
Ned Land: Get drunk!
Ned Land: [as Vulcania explodes] Sorry I had to wallop you, Professor. But there wasn't time to stop for souvenirs.
Professor Aronnax: Perhaps you did mankind a service, Ned.

Taglines

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  • Walt Disney's Mighty, Magnificent, Memorable 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!
  • The mightiest motion picture of them all!

Cast

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