1969 comedy adventure film by Jack Arnold, Ricou Browning
Hello Down There (rereleased in 1974 as Sub-A-Dub-Dub) is a 1969 American comedy-adventure film starring Tony Randall and Janet Leigh that was released by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by George Sherman and Ivan Tors and directed by Jack Arnold and Ricou Browning (underwater sequences). The screenplay was written by John McGreevey and Frank Telford.
Plot
Fred Miller must prove that his new design for an underwater home is viable by convincing his family to live in it for 30 days. His son and daughter are members of an emerging rock band, and they invite the two other band members to live with them during the experiment. Their temporary home, which Miller dubs the "Green Onion," is 90 feet below the surface of the ocean and is filled with modern appliances and amenities for housewife Vivian, all designed by Miller. A large opening in the floor provides direct access to and from the sea.
The group are soon joined by a live-in seal named Gladys and a pair of dolphins that stay close at hand and fend off sharks. The family is confronted by many obstacles, including a rival designer from Undersea Development, Inc. who begins to cause problems.[1]
Meanwhile, the band's single has gotten the attention of record executive Nate Ashbury, who wants to sign them. He books them for a televised performance on The Merv Griffin Show without first communicating with them. After learning that they are living under the sea, he schemes to bring Griffin and the TV crew down to the Green Onion, but the navy is alerted to the sound of the music and becomes suspicious.[2]
Production
Hello Down There was filmed from October to December 1967, with interior scenes shot at Ivan Tors Studios (now known as Greenwich Studios) in Miami, Florida. The underwater sequences were photographed at Ivan Tors Underwater Studios in The Bahamas. Tors had been successful producing a number of scuba-diving and marine mammal-themed television series, including Sea Hunt and Flipper.[3]</ref>
The film's 1974 re-release was part of the "Paramount Family Matinee" series.
The film's 1974 re-release was part of the "Paramount Family Matinee" series.
Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic A.H. Weiler called the film an "amiable mishmash" and wrote: "Mr. Randall, looking woebegone and harried, berates his nervous spouse: 'You can't ignore 71 per cent of the earth's surface simply because it's under water.' In the case of 'Hello Down There', it should definitely be ignored."[4]
A Daily News review was also lukewarm, calling Hello Down There a "typical, routine family comedy for general audiences" while praising the underwater photography as well as the seal and dolphins "... who seem to act more sensibly than the adults."[5]
Critical appraisal
Biographer Dana M. Reemes, in his Directed by Jack Arnold (1988) writes:
The picture attempted something rather difficult in those days [of the late 1960s], a G-rated family picture designed to cut across all age groups and bridge the “ generation gap” The premise was, to say, at least unusual…There are a few underwater thrills with sharks and dolphins…The whole thing adds up to highly improbable light entertainment.[6]
Music soundtrack
The film features the following songs:
| Song Name |
Lyrics By |
Music By |
Performed by
|
| "Hello, Down There" |
Jeff Barry |
Jeff Barry |
Jeff Barry
|
| "I Can Love You" |
Jeff Barry |
Jeff Barry |
Harold and the Hang-Ups
|
| "Hey, Little Goldfish" |
Jeff Barry |
Jeff Barry |
Harold and the Hang-Ups
|
| "Glub" |
Jeff Barry |
Jeff Barry |
Harold and the Hang-Ups
|
| "Just One More Chance" |
Sam Coslow |
Arthur Johnston |
Harold and the Hang-Ups w/Tony Randall
|
