Beneath the 12-Mile Reef

1953 AdventureDrama 102 minutes Directed by Robert D. Webb

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About Beneath the 12-Mile Reef

Mike and Tony Petrakis, a Greek-American father and son, dive for sponges off Florida and fight the Rhys family over the grounds. Crooks rob them, and Mike takes the crew to the 12-mile reef. He falls from the reef and is killed. Tony keeps the business. He and Gwyneth Rhys have fallen in love.

Cast & crew

More about Beneath the 12-Mile Reef

Robert D. Webb directed. A. I. Bezzerides wrote the script. Robert Bassler produced. Edward Cronjager photographed it in Technicolor and CinemaScope. Bernard Herrmann wrote the music. William H. Reynolds edited. Wikipedia dates the release December 2, 1953, and times it at 102 minutes. Wikidata says 100 minutes. Wikipedia states a budget of $1.56 million, U.S. rentals of $3.6 million, and foreign rentals of $3.5 million. The box-office field here is the U.S. rental figure. Robert Wagner plays Tony. Terry Moore plays Gwyneth. Gilbert Roland and J. Carrol Naish are billed. Richard Boone, Peter Graves, Jay Novello, Harry Carey Jr., and Jacques Aubuchon are in the supporting cast. Shot at Key West and Tarpon Springs. Wikipedia calls it the third CinemaScope feature, after The Robe and How to Marry a Millionaire, and the first CinemaScope film shot underwater. Wikidata's company name 20th Century Studios is the later name.

Themes

  • Sponge divers against conch fishermen
  • A death on the reef
  • A romance across the feud
  • sponges
  • 12-mile reef
  • Florida
  • CinemaScope
  • Tony Petrakis

In film history

Wikipedia places it third in the CinemaScope series and first among CinemaScope films shot underwater.

Making

The underwater CinemaScope work was new for the process. The earlier CinemaScope releases were The Robe and How to Marry a Millionaire.

Audiences

Wikipedia gives U.S. rentals of $3.6 million and foreign rentals of $3.5 million.

Look

Edward Cronjager shot the Key West and Tarpon Springs waters in Technicolor CinemaScope. He was nominated for Best Cinematography, Color.

Technique

First CinemaScope feature shot underwater, and the third CinemaScope feature released.

Music

Bernard Herrmann composed the score.

Notes

  • Angela Clarke is on the catalog cast.
  • Wikidata lists a 100-minute running time against Wikipedia's 102.
  • Foreign rentals are given as $3.5 million, separate from the $3.6 million U.S. rentals.

Scenes

  • Mike takes the divers out to the 12-mile reef.
  • He falls from the reef and dies.
  • Tony and Gwyneth Rhys pair off across the family fight.

Also available

  • Internet Archive (beneath_the_12-mile_reef)
  • Wikimedia Commons (Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953) by Robert D. Webb.webm)