A massive earthquake strikes the United States, which destroys the West Coast and unleashes a massive flood that threatens to destroy the East Coast as well.
S. Fowler Wright, the author of the novel upon which the film was based, began pitching a script based on the book to studios in 1933. He accepted an offer from Worldwide Studios for $5,000 for the options. An independent, Admiral Productions, produced the film with a budget of $171,000. Wright later watched the final scenes being shot and was disappointed to learn that producers had made changes and chose to not use the ending of the book as the film's ending. He later wrote in his diary that he felt the film was "ghastly" and advised his children not to see it.
Not being familiar with the book, I could not say what changes were made and what would make the film version "ghastly". It is, however, rather boring. For a film about a world-destroying flood, most of the short run time is about a group of men sitting around chatting, planning on how to get women to marry them. I suppose there is historic value to the film and I am glad it has gone from "lost" to restored, but it may have had a better reputation lost than actually viewed.
S. Fowler Wright, the author of the novel upon which the film was based, began pitching a script based on the book to studios in 1933. He accepted an offer from Worldwide Studios for $5,000 for the options. An independent, Admiral Productions, produced the film with a budget of $171,000. Wright later watched the final scenes being shot and was disappointed to learn that producers had made changes and chose to not use the ending of the book as the film's ending. He later wrote in his diary that he felt the film was "ghastly" and advised his children not to see it.
Not being familiar with the book, I could not say what changes were made and what would make the film version "ghastly". It is, however, rather boring. For a film about a world-destroying flood, most of the short run time is about a group of men sitting around chatting, planning on how to get women to marry them. I suppose there is historic value to the film and I am glad it has gone from "lost" to restored, but it may have had a better reputation lost than actually viewed.