Plot Summary for
Seven Waves Away (1957)
After their luxury liner is sunk, a group of over twenty survivors take refuge in a life boat made for only nine. Included in the group are an old opera singer, a nuclear physicist, his wife and child, a General, a play-write and his dog, a college professor, a gambler and his mistress, the ship's nurse, and several members of the crew, including the Captain and executive officer. Soon, the captain dies from his injuries. The executive officer must take charge, and as a hurricane approaches, and their food and water run out, he must decide who to put over the side, and who stays and gets a chance at survival.

Summary written by Mike Hatchett {hatchetts13@webtv.net}



viewer's comments:



- Engrossing until the end

Tyrone Power forsakes his "handsome man" image to star in this film, skillfully made (on a limited budget, I'm sure). The b&w photography is among the best I've ever seen. Supporting characters are slightly over-the-top, but solidly entertaining. The one drawback is when the drama shifts abruptly into documentary-style at the very end. So two points off for the sudden and unwarranted mood change. Could easily have had a sequel -- glad it didn't. An 8!




- Very good

I liked this much in the way of Hitchcock's better known Lifeboat. Great character study of Tyrone Power in one of his last roles. Movie was shot in a large tank it seems as echos are heard. The only problem I have and I don't know if it's a goof or continuity problem is the fate of the first three characters and the dog on the floating wooden raft at the beginning of the movie. After Alec Holmes(Power)leaves them what happens to them? Otherwise a good flick. I like to point out that three Upstairs Downstairs alumni appear in this movie: Gordon Jackson, David Langton & Clive Morton. Power is great in a character twisting role as the first understanding acting captain and then as the more manaical Ahab like character who sacrifices peoples lives.




- Very good survival at sea drama.

A group of disparate passengers and crew attempt to survive in an overcrowded lifeboat.

This film features a nice, taut story line involving survival at sea. The acting and characters are good all the way around. You will definitely get involved and thinking as events unfold.

I was definitely kept entertained by this movie.

Other thoughts - Tyrone Power was fine as the ship's officer left to make life and death decisions. Mei Zetterling was good as his pretty, ship's nurse girlfriend. All thru the movie, I was pretty much in favor of Power's decisions, but at the end I realized, Whoops, there was another way to do this!

Final rating - 8 out of 10 stars for a movie definitely worth seeing.




- Underappreciated Classic

Once seen, never forgotten. Very few films have ever moved onto Hitchcock's ground and beaten him, but this is one: ultimately it's a much superior film to Lifeboat, made with impressive conviction and passion.

If I went to the theater tomorrow and saw a film this good, I would think I had died and gone to heaven. Hollywood can do it, it just doesn't want to.




- Strong, very strong

Some movies ask questions you'd rather not hear, and come up with answers you'd rather not believe are true. This is one of them. People put in an impossible situation, where rising to the best people can be isn't exactly what you think it should be. And of course, people being plain old selfish and short sighted. Perhaps the most interesting point in the movie, spoiler here, is contemplating what they've done--throwing the weak and the sick overboard to assure that most will survive. After the fact, they look for someone to blame, happy that they're alive, yet not wanting to take responsibility for the deeds that were required for them to live.

This is one of those movies that really requires attention--there are some silly stereotypes, like the hard bitten party girl, old before her time with a foppish husband; the stuffy bloated egotistical general, etc. grist from the mill of fifties writers. But Tyrone Power puts in one of his best performances, known more for swashbuckling, he really shows he has some strong acting. He was always a bit underappreciated in his time.

This is a dark movie, best viewed at night, so it will haunt you--not because it's a horror, but because it's true. What people do to survive is always a concept worth exploring, but despite the lack of any gruesome modern effects, or blood or really anything of the sort, this movie is deeply unsettling. When faced with killing the weak, the helpless, the old, the sick, the hurt, in order to live, what would any of us do?




- A sane alternative to "Titanic"

I haven't seen this film in many years, but I have never forgotten it. It proves you can make a harrowing high-seas adventure with life-and-death philosophical overtones on a tiny budget in a tiny set without going overboard (pun intended) like the bloated "Titanic." In some ways, I prefer this gritty, direct film more than Alfred Hitchcock's very similar "Lifeboat." This film has fewer glamorous eccentricities and gets down to the painful, shocking task of sacrificing lives. Tyrone Power might seem miscast as the captain, but this is not a glamor-boy role and as I recall he handles it quite well. If you're in the mood for hard-hitting, serious drama, this is the picture for you.



Full Cast and Crew for
Seven Waves Away (1957)


Directed by
Richard Sale

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Sale

Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
Tyrone Power .... Crescent Star Executive Officer Alec Holmes
Mai Zetterling .... Julie White, Nurse
Lloyd Nolan .... Frank Kelly (officer on Crescent Star)
Stephen Boyd .... Will McKinley, Officer on Crescent Star
Moira Lister .... Mrs. Edith Middleton
James Hayter .... 'Cookie' Morrow, crewmember
Marie Lohr .... Mrs. Dorothy Knudson, Singer
Finlay Currie .... Mr. Wheaton
John Stratton .... Jimmy 'Sparks' Clary
Victor Maddern .... Willy Hawkins
Eddie Byrne .... Michael Faroni
Noel Willman .... Aubrey Clark, Playwright
Moultrie Kelsall .... Daniel Cane
Robert Harris .... Arthur J. Middleton
Gordon Jackson .... John Merritt, crewman
Clive Morton .... Major General Barrington
David Langton .... John Hayden
Ralph Michael .... George Kilgore, Nuclear Physicist
Orlando Martins .... Sam Holly
Danny Green .... Joe Woolsek
Laurence Naismith .... Crescent Star Captain Paul Darrow
Sheila Manahan .... Woman on Raft
Clare Austin .... Ruth Spencer
Jill Melford .... Mrs. Kilgore
Ferdy Mayne .... Solly Daniels
John Gray .... Aussie 'Digger' Smith
Meurig Wyn-Jones .... Peter Kilgore
Austin Trevor .... Edward Wilton
Derek Sydney .... Mario Pasquale
Colin Broadley .... Mickey Stokes




Also Known As:
Abandon Ship! (1957) (USA)
Seven Days from Now (1957) (USA)
Runtime: USA:100 min / 97 min (Encore-Action Library Print)
Country: UK
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Sound Mix: Mono
Certification: Finland:K-16 / Sweden:15