Beneath the 12-Mile Reef

I am a Floridian who doesn't live all that far from Tarpon Springs...the small town in which "Beneath the 12-Mile Reef" was set. Even today, it's big claim to fame is their sponge diving trade. And, when you see the youths jump into the harbor to recover the crucifix tossed into the water, well, that's a tradition the Greek Orthodox community still celebrates to this day. It's a lot more touristy today and if you visit the quaint little shops, you'll notice many sell copies of this film.

According to this story, the quality of the sponges the divers are retrieving has declined and the 12-Mile Reef is a piece of virgin territory where the sponges still are abundant. Naturally, it's tougher and more dangerous to go there...and some of it is because thieves and/or folks claiming the waters are theirs sometimes set upon the boats and steal their harvests.

While I really wanted to love "Beneath the 12-Mile Reef", I felt very ambivalent about it after seeing it. The film was okay...just a time-passer and apart from nice nice local scenery and underwater shots, the story just never impresses nor does it annoy.





By the way, some scenes were filmed in the Keys as well as the Bahamas. I assume they were picked mostly because the water is far clearer there and much better for underwater shots. I've scuba dove the areas and know that there's a huge difference in the clarity of these waters.

Directed by Robert D. Webb and released in 1953, this saga of competing sea sponge divers was noted for its drop-dead gorgeous cinematography and a brilliant score by composer Bernard Herrmann--and these remain the great assets of the film to this day.

The story is pure melodrama given an exotic twist. The Petrakis and Rhys families earn their livings by diving for sea sponges, but when the Rhys family, led by father Thomas (Richard Boone) resort to dirty tricks the Petrakis family, led by father Mike (Gilbert Roland) are forced to resort to risky dives at the dangerous 'Twelve Mile' reef; at the same time a love affair between son Tony Petrakis (Robert Wagner) and daughter Gwyneth Rhys (Terry Moore) further complicate the rivalry. Needless to say, tragedy results.

Both Wagner and Moore were considered rising stars when the film was made, and although Wagner makes for an unconvincing Greek both give enjoyable performances as the star-crossed lovers caught Romeo and Juliet fashion between battling families. Even so, the acting honors here go to Gilbert Roland and Richard Boone as the warring fathers with a special nod to Peter Graves as Arnold, an overly aggressive Rhys diver. Several notable character actors, including J. Carroll Nash, Jay Novello, and Harry Carey Jr. round out the cast.

Although the cast is solid, the plot is more than a little predictable--but the chief thing is the photography and the score. REEF was among the earliest productions made in Cinemascope, and everyone concerned was determined to make it as visually attractive as possible. The result is some truly beautiful cinematography, particularly in reference to the film's many underwater scenes. The score by Bernard Herrmann, who would later be best known for his work on such Hitchcock films as VERTIGO, also captures the beauty of the sea to remarkable effect.

Unfortunately, REEF seems to have fallen into public domain, and there are numerous DVD and VHS releases on the market. In most cases they are abominable things: the cinemascope has been reduced to pan and scan, the colors are muddy, and the sound is poor. There are, however, at least a few available that give you some idea of what all the 1953 fuss was about. Although they are hardly renowned for the quality of their product, the Digiview Productions release is actually quite good; the Digital Gold release is also more than respectable.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

There are some films that can't be labeled as classics, but they have a good story and are generally entertaining. I would say this one falls into that category. Don't look for great acting. If you can imagine Robert Wagner as an ebullient young Greek, then you'll know what I mean. The story centers on some fishing families in coastal Florida and competition to get a good harvest of sponges. Most areas have been over-harvested and to get a good haul, father and son Mike and Tony Petrakis (Roland and Wagner) are forced to go to the 12-mile reef, a dangerous place where divers might slip off the reef and get the bends when they come back up. In the meantime, Tony falls for the non-Greek daughter (Moore) of a rival fishing family who stole their sponges from them. The cinematography, in Cinemascope, is attractive as is the music score, a treat for both eyes and ears. When the divers are in the water, composer Bernard Herrmann really whips it up, with harps and everything. While no masterpiece, "Reef" is, for me, satisfying.

2 rival groups of divers , a Greek family and the Conch family compete for sponge fishing beds off the Florida coast. But the the son , Robert Wagner, and the youngest daughter, Terry Moore, fall in love and both of whom replay Romeo and Juliet in Tarpon Springs Florida . As quarrells emerge between two families , Montagues and Capulets lookalike . Then , some thieves rob the valuable sponges and the Greek family decide to go fishing at the risked 12-mile reef.

This swimsuit love story results to be a plain , simple and lightweight entertainment with good actors and passable direction. It has thrills , fights , romance , constant quarrelling and a lot of diving . Being well worth watching for the notable Technicolor cinematography in CinemaScope by cameraman Edward Cronjager , the magnificent musical score by the great composer Bernard Herrmann , Hitchcock ordinary , adequate production design from Lyle Wheeler and George Patrick , as well as the young and extremely attractive protagonist duo . Starred by the beefcake and charming Robert Wagner ; by the time Wagner played a lot of adventure, Western and Wartime movies such as: The silver whip , The mountain , Prince Valiant , Broken lance , The white feather, Stopover Tokyo, , In love and war ,Between heaven and hell . It is best remembered thanks to gorgeous and incredibly young Terry Moore , stunningly shown in a bathing suit . Along with a long plethora of prestigious secondaries such as : Gilbert Roland, Richard Boone , Peter Graves , Harry Carey Jr , J. Carroll Naish Angelica Clark , Jay Novello , among others . And as narrator shows up Rock Hudson . The highlights of the movie are the impressive underwater scenes when Robert Wagner scrapping with an octopus and a fierce sea fight at the climax of the film in which Robert Wagner and Peter Graves battle each other surrounded by the ocean kelp that threatens to strangle them . It contains a thrilling and lively soundtrack by Herrmann providing a classic and sensitive score . Extraordinarily photographed in the Florida coastline filled with reef , keys and sea animals: guppy, urchin, carp , blowfish , carp , ray , shark , clownfish , goldfish , cleaner fish and other reef fish , all of them enhanced thanks to big screen , being one of the early CinemaScope pictures . The motion picture was lavishly produced by Robert Bassler and uncredited the powerful producer Daryl F Zanuck , being professionally directed by Robert D Webb . He was a fine craftsman and expert professional . At the beginning Webb worked as a director assistant , producer and subsequently filmmaker . He made all kinds of genres as Western : White feather, The proud ones, The jackals ; Adventures : Pirates of Tortuga , Seven cities of gold, The way of gold ; Noir : The Cape town affair ,The spider , The Caribbean mystery ; Warlike: The Glory brigade, 7 women from hell and Scifi: On the threshold of space. Although he also made documentary and TV episodes as Daniel Boone and Temple Huston series . Rating : 5.5/10 . Enjoyable family fare that will appeal to adventure fans . Well worth seeing .

Robert Webb directs this terrific underwater adventure. Two families of different ethnic background rival for sponges in the Gulf of Mexico off the west coast of Florida. One family of Greek decent is led by Mike Petrakis(Gilbert Roland)and his son Tony(Robert Wagner). Their efforts of diving for valuable sponges are thwarted by Thomas Rhys(Richard Boone)and his team of divers. Arnold(Peter Graves)is the aggressive diver that leads raids on the Petrakis sponge hauls as well as competes with young Tony for the affection of Gwyneth Rhys(Terry Moore). Highlights are Wagner fighting with an octopus; Moore in a swimsuit; and the great underwater scenes. Notice Wagner's dyed black hair. In supporting roles are two veteran actors J. Carrol Naish and Jay Novello. It is said this is the third movie filmed in Cinemascope. It garnered critical acclaim for the breakthrough underwater cinematography.