Atlantic is a British black-and-white film directed and produced by Ewald André Dupont and starring Franklin Dyall and Madeleine Carroll. Originally, two versions were made, the English and German-language version Atlantik were shot simultaneously. Subsequently, the production of a French version began in spring 1930 using different footage and partially an altered storyline. The fourth version was released as a silent film.
Plot
Atlantic is a drama film based on the and set aboard a fictional ship, called the Atlantic. The main plotline revolves around a man who has a shipboard affair with a fellow passenger, which is eventually discovered by his wife. The ship also has aboard an elderly couple, the Rools, who are on their anniversary cruise. Midway across the Atlantic Ocean, the Atlantic strikes an iceberg and is damaged to the point where it is sinking into the Atlantic. A shortage of lifeboats causes the crew to only allow women and children in and many couples are separated. Mrs. Rool refuses to leave her husband and after the boats are gone all the passengers gather on the deck and sing "Nearer, My God, to Thee" as the Atlantic sinks into the ocean. The final scenes depict a group of passengers saying the Lord's Prayer in a flooding lounge.
Cast
Franklin Dyall as John Rool
Madeleine Carroll as Monica
John Stuart as Lawrence
Ellaline Terriss as Alice Rool
Monty Banks as Dandy
Donald Calthrop as Pointer
John Longden as Lanchester
Arthur Hardy as Maj Boldy
Helen Haye as Clara Tate-Hughes
D.A. Clarke-Smith as Freddie Tate-Hughes
Joan Barry as Betty Tate-Hughes
Francis Lister as Padre
Sydney Lynn as Captain Collins
Syd Crossley as Telegraphist
Dino Galvani as Steward
Danny Green as Passenger
Fanny Wright as Passenger
Production
An urban legend claimed for many years that the movie was filmed aboard the White Star Line ship RMS Majestic. However, this is untrue, as the White Star Line would never have permitted their current flagship to be used as a cinematic stand-in for the worst disaster in the company's history. Atlantic was instead partly filmed on board a P&O ship, the Mooltan. Indeed, the film was originally made as Titanic but after lawsuits it was renamed Atlantic. These lawsuits were initiated by the White Star Line, which owned the RMS Titanic, and which was still in operation at the time.. The final scene of the movie was filmed as a shot of the liner sinking, but it was removed at the last minute for fear of upsetting Titanic survivors. This cut footage is now considered to be lost.
Sound
Atlantic was one of the first British films made with the soundtrack optically recorded on the film, and was Germany's first sound movie feature. In England, it was released in both sound and silent prints. The French version was the fourth French feature with sound-on-film. As the first sound film about the sinking of the Titanic, it is also the first to feature the song "Nearer, My God to Thee," which is played by the ship's band and sung by passengers and crew.
