The Poseidon Adventure Quotations

The Poseidon Adventure is a 1972 action/adventure/disaster film based on a novel by Paul Gallico. It concerns the capsizing of a luxurious ocean liner by a tidal wave and the desperate struggle of a handful of survivors to journey up to the bottom of the hull of the liner before it sinks.

Directed by Ronald Neame. Screenplay written by Wendell Mayes and Stirling Silliphant.

Hell, upside down. Taglines

Reverend Frank Scott

So what resolution should we make for the new year? It's to let God know that you have the guts and the will to do it alone. Resolve to fight for yourselves, and for others, for those you love. And that part of God within you will be fighting with you all the way.
Please, God, not this woman. Not this woman.
[looking up to God] What more do you want of us? We've come all this way, no thanks to you. We did on our own no help from you. We did ask you to fight for us but damn it, don't fight against us! Leave us alone! How many more sacrifices? How much more blood? How many more lives? Belle wasn't enough. Acres wasn't. Now this girl! You want another life? Then take me! [turns to face the suriviors] You can make it, keep going! Rogo, get them through!

Others

Mike Rogo: You! Preacher! You lyin', murderin' son of a bitch! I started to believe in your promises, that we had a chance. What chance? You took from me the only thing I ever loved in the whole world, my Linda.
Linda Rogo: I'm going next. So if old fat ass gets stuck in there, I won't get stuck behind her.
Belle Rosen: You see, Mr. Scott? In the water, I'm a very skinny lady.

Dialogue

Chief Engineer Joe: Chief here. Go ahead.

Captain Harrison: Joe, what the hell's going on down there? Is there nothing more you can do with those stabilizers?

Chief Engineer Joe: There's nothing wrong with the stabilizers, so there's nothing more I can do with them. Besides I got my hands full with this pump! You know damn well what the trouble is - it's that bastard Linarcos!

Captain Harrison: Would you care to repeat yourself? He's standing right here.

Chief Engineer Joe: Good! I hope he heard me!

Nurse Gina Rowe: [patiently] They're suppositories, Mr. Rogo. You don't swallow them.

Mike Rogo: Then what the hell do you do with them?

Linda Rogo: For Christ's sake, I know what to do with suppositories! Just get them outta here!

Mr. Linarcos: Your business is to deliver this ship where we want it! When we want it!

Captain Harrison: Running an unstable ship at full ahead is dangerous!

Mr. Linarcos: I'm sure!

Captain Harrison: Especially one as old as this!

Mr. Linarcos: I'm sure I don't have to remind you of my legal right to have you relieved of command. Three other officers here have their Master's License. Now, order Full Ahead!

Captain Harrison: You irresponsible bastard.

Robin Shelby: Why don't you shove it?

Susan Shelby: [angrily] Don't you ever say that to me again!

Robin Shelby: Shove it! Shove it! Shove it!

Mike Rogo: You know what it means to be picked out from all the people aboard to sit at the Captain's table on New Year's Eve? Well, I'll tell ya what it means. It means that all your worries about those other women looking on ya is a lot of bull.

Linda Rogo: He only invited you because you're a Detective Lieutenant. Why don't you just go without me?

Mike Rogo: And what am I supposed to do at midnight? Kiss the Captain?

Linda Rogo: Don't knock it.

Mike Rogo: Linda, ya hear me?

Linda Rogo: Will you shut up? I'm busy in here!

Mike Rogo: You weren't on the streets that long! How many guys did you know! Do you realize how slim the chances are that even one of those characters is on this boat?

Linda Rogo: [affected accent] You don't have to shout.

Mike Rogo: [calmly] I said do you realize...

Linda Rogo: [shouts] I heard what you said!

Linda Rogo: Mike, I saw a young officer on deck the other day, and he looked pretty damn familiar... even with his clothes on.

Mike Rogo: So he recognized ya, so?

Linda Rogo: So doesn't that bother you?

Mike Rogo: If it bothered me, I wouldn'ta married ya.

Linda Rogo: Well, first you arrested me six times!

Mike Rogo: Well, I had to figure out some way to keep you off the streets... until you'd marry me!

Linda Rogo: Come here, you lousy cop.

Mike Rogo: This is the first trip since we got married.

Linda Rogo: Yeah, and why we didn't fly, I'll never know.

Reverend Frank Scott: Well, since I'm in charge. let's make a toast.

Linda Rogo: Great. What do we drink to?

Reverend Frank Scott: To love.

Linda Rogo: Here here, to love. [to Mike] To love, dummy!

Mike Rogo: Oh.

Captain Harrison: [discussing the approaching wave] It seems to be piling up those shallows... By the way, Happy New Year.

First Officer Larsen: Thank you, sir. Same to you.

Captain Harrison: [returning to the conversation] What's its speed?

First Officer Larsen: 60 knots, sir.

Captain Harrison: It must be mountainous...

Captain Harrison: [over intercom to radio room] Sparks!

Wireless Operator: Yes, sir!

Captain Harrison: Get of a Mayday!

Wireless Operator: [puzzled] Mayday, sir?

Captain Harrison: Yes, I said Mayday, Mayday, Mayday!

Linda Rogo: [dazed] Jesus Christ. What happened?

Reverend Frank Scott: We've turned over.

Mike Rogo: Linda, Linda honey, are you all right?

Linda Rogo: Hi... where the hell have you been?

Mike Rogo: What do you think? Flying around on my ass.

Purser: For God's sake, Reverend, what you're doing is suicide!

Reverend Frank Scott: We're cut off from the rest of the world. They can't get to us. Maybe we can got to them. You've said enough, now get out of the way.

Purser: Pray for us, but don't do this! [to the others] Climbing to another deck will kill you all!

Reverend Frank Scott: And sitting on our butts is not gonna to help us either! Maybe by climbing out of here, we can save ourselves. If you've got any sense, you'll come along with us. [to Rogo] Grab ahold.

Reverend Frank Scott: Your place is with the living. If you don't come with us, her death is meaningless, now come on.

Manny Rosen: All right, you go first. I want to stay with her a little longer.

Reverend Frank Scott: You've got one minute.

Manny Rosen: Belle, be careful.

Belle Rosen: You think I'm planning on being careless? [dives in]

Mike Rogo: What the hell does he think she's doing?!

Manny Rosen: Let her go. She knows what she's doing.

Mike Rogo: She's got nothin' on underneath.

Linda Rogo: Just panties. What else do I need?

Mike Rogo: What do you mean what else do you need?

Reverend Frank Scott: Rogo, give her your shirt.

Mike Rogo: My shirt?

Linda Rogo: Come on.

Mike Rogo: Linda, next time you put something on like I told you to put on!

James Martin: What kind of a policeman were you? You've done nothing but beef and complain. Always negative, always destructive. Well, now's you're chance to something positive for a change! [tauntingly] Are you quitting, Mr. Rogo? Are you going out with a whimper, on your belly?

Mike Rogo: All right, you. That's enough.

[Reverend Scott pulls Mike Rogo up from the water. Nearby lies the lifeless body of Mrs. Rosen, who had just died after saving Scott]

Mike Rogo: What the hell happened? You didn't pull the rope.

Reverend Frank Scott: I got trapped. Mrs. Rosen freed me.

Mike Rogo: Thanks Mrs. Rosen, if it hadn't been for you, none of us...[Scott grabs Rogo's arm, Rogo does a double take and realizes Mrs. Rosen is dead] Aww, Jesus!

Reverend Frank Scott: Go back and tell the others.

Mike Rogo: And what do I tell him?

Reverend Frank Scott: Tell him nothing!

Mike Rogo: Ya had a lotta guts, lady... a lotta guts.

Reverend Frank Scott: Through the kitchen and go deeper and deeper in the ship till we reach the hull. That way!

Mike Rogo: And you just kick out the bottom and we swim ashore, huh?

Linda Rogo: Or maybe you could yell "This is the police" and it'll open right up!

Mike Rogo: Don't be a smart ass!

Linda Rogo: This is a bunch of crap. We're sinking and nothing's going to keep us from drowning.

Mike Rogo: Keep moving.

Manny Rosen: He's right, Mrs. Rogo, there are air pockets all over the ship.

Linda Rogo: Air pockets?

Manny Rogen: Yes, just because that deck is flooded doesn't mean this one will.

Belle Rosen: You see, swimming through the corridors and up and down these stairwells, I'm the only one trained to do things like that.

Linda Rogo: Will you shut up?!

James Martin: What do I tell I tell the others?

Mike Rogo: Tell them to break out their hymnbooks and start singing "Nearer My God To Thee"!

[The deck behind the group is flooding rapidly.]

Nonnie Parry: How long will we stay afloat?

James Martin: [gently] Long enough.

Robin Shelby: The Andrea Doria stayed afloat 10 hours before she sank.

James Martin: You see, Nonnie, everything's gonna be alright. We have a long time to go.

Mike Rogo: Come on, keep moving, keep moving.

Taglines

Hell, upside down.
At midnight on New Year's Day the S.S. Poseidon was struck by a 90-foot tidal wave and capsized.
Who will survive in one of the greatest escape adventures ever!
Combining the talents of fifteen Academy Award Winners.

Primary cast

Gene Hackman: Rev. Frank Scott
Ernest Borgnine: Det. Lt. Mike Rogo
Carol Lynley: Nonnie Parry
Roddy McDowall: Acres
Stella Stevens: Linda Rogo
Shelley Winters: Belle Rosen
Jack Albertson: Manny Rosen
Pamela Sue Martin: Susan Shelby
Eric Shea: Robin Shelby
Arthur O'Connell: Chaplain John
Leslie Nielsen: Captain Harrison

Quoternity