Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageShip of Fools (1965)
Director: Stanley Kramer
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Don't look now, but as you might expect with message-mad Kramer at the helm of this adaptation of Katherine Anne Porter's novel, there's a heavy allegory aboard: it's 1933, the ship is German, and there's a Jew among the mixed bag of passengers. Yards and yards of liberal cliché are relentlessly unfolded, but the superb cast - struggling valiantly with the sort of problems more at home in disaster movies - make it almost watchable. Among them are Signoret as a drug-addicted countess mournfully loving the ship's doctor (Werner), Vivien Leigh as a divorcee looking for a last fling before middle-age sets in, and Michael Dunn as a marvellously sharp-tongued dwarf who finds himself in a minority group of two with the Jew (Rhümann).Author: TM
Cast & crew
Director: Stanley Kramer
Producer: Stanley Kramer
Cast: Simone Signoret, Oskar Werner, Vivien Leigh, José Ferrer, Lee Marvin, Michael Dunn, Heinz Rühmann, George Segal, Elizabeth Ashley, José Greco, Lilia Skala, Charles Korvin full cast
Duration: 149 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now