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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 film starring Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, James Mason as Captain Nemo, Paul Lukas as Professor Aronnax and Peter Lorre as Conseil. It is the first Science-fiction film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, as well as the first and only Science-fiction film produced by Walt Disney himself. The film has become the most well-known adaptation of the book of the same name by Jules Verne.
The Nautilus as envisioned in the Walt Disney filmThe film received positive reactions, and has become a classic film of the Disney corporation. Audiences fondly remember it for the giant-squid battle and for the Nautilus itself, which have both become iconic images of both the film and Verne's original novel.
Even 50 years after the initial release 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is considered by many the most mature Disney live action production, rich in controversial and philosophical dialogue revolving around timeless issues, a fascinating display of pessimism (Nemo) versus optimism (Prof. Aronnax).
The film was also highly praised for the performances of the leading actors. This was the first time that major Hollywood stars such as Kirk Douglas, James Mason and Peter Lorre had appeared in a Disney film, although Robert Newton, a well-known actor in British films, had played Long John Silver in Disney's 1950 version of Treasure Island. Mason especially was singled out for his performance as Captain Nemo, and many people who first saw him onscreen in the film identify him most strongly with this role.
The film has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus of "One of Disney's finest live-action adventures, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea brings Jules Verne's classic sci-fi tale to vivid life, and features an awesome giant squid."[1] Critic Steve Biodrowski says that the film is "Far superior to the majority of genre efforts from the period (or any period, for that matter), with production design and technical effects that have dated hardly at all." and that it "may occasionally succumb to some of the problems inherent in the source material (the episodic nature does slow the pace), but the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses, making this one of the greatest science-fiction films ever made."[2]
In addition, the era in which events take place comes alive in meticulous artistic accuracy, down to the beard trim of the sailors, surpassed only by the riveted steel skin of the Nautilus. And yet the Disney version echoes the hopes and fears of audiences of the 1950s and beyond, equally illustrating the chances and the dangers of nuclear power. What was also well noted about the film was that the film's director, Richard Fleischer, was in fact the son of the man who was arguably Disney's biggest rival in the 1930's, Max Fleischer, creator of the Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons.
The film has inspired a dark ride at Tokyo DisneySea and a walkthrough at Disneyland Paris. Disneyland used the original sets as a walk-through attraction from 1955 to 1966. Walt Disney World Resort's Magic Kingdom also had 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage from 1971 to 1994 which consisted of a submarine ride, complete with the giant squid attack. For this ride, voice artist Peter Renaday stood in for James Mason in the role of Captain Nemo.
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