On the Beach
“The Biggest Story of Our Time!”
Synopsis
In 1964, atomic war wipes out humanity in the northern hemisphere; one American submarine finds temporary safe haven in Australia, where life-as-usual covers growing despair. In denial about the loss of his wife and children in the holocaust, American Captain Towers meets careworn but gorgeous Moira Davidson, who begins to fall for him. The sub returns after reconnaissance a month (or less) before the end; will Towers and Moira find comfort with each other?
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official ClipOfficial
Type: Clip • Published 2026-07-27
Top Cast
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Gregory Peck
Dwight Towers
Ava Gardner
Moira Davidson
Fred Astaire
Julian Osborn
Anthony Perkins
Lt. Peter Holmes
Donna Anderson
Mary Holmes
Guy Doleman
Lt. Cmdr. Farrel
John Meillon
Ralph Swain
Harp McGuire
Lt. Sunderstrom
Lola Brooks
Lt. Hosgood
Ken Wayne
Lt. Benson
Joe McCormick
Ackerman
Lou Vernon
Bill Davidson
Kevin Brennan
Dr. King
John Tate
Adm. Bridie
Release History & Theatrical Window
Barcelona
Festival / Special Debut
December 17, 1959
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 3, 2004
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2.9M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.2M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.76x
-$700K deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Stanley Kramer
- Screenplay & Story
- John Paxton
- Original Score
- Ernest Gold
- Original Title
- On the Beach
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 14m
- Production Budget
- $2.9M
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.2M
- Production Studios
- Stanley Kramer Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Stanley Kramer
John Paxton, Nevil Shute
Ernest Gold
Giuseppe Rotunno
Frederic Knudtson
Stanley Kramer
Department Leadership Roster
John Paxton
Screenplay
Stanley Kramer
Director
Frederic Knudtson
Editor
Stanley Kramer
Producer
Giuseppe Rotunno
Director of Photography
Rudolph Sternad
Production Design
Ernest Gold
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for On the Beach.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring On the Beach.
Pandemic
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Apocalypse
The end of the world as we know it, and what comes after. Civilisation-wide collapse, mass extinction, the imminent end, and survival or rebuilding after catastrophe. Comedy, romance, horror, animation, action and disaster all welcome. A local disaster, ordinary dystopia, or incidental world-ending stakes alone is insufficient. Mainly English-language, with selected international exceptions. Individually selected films, not automatic franchise imports. Independently curated using BFI end-of-world and post-apocalyptic selections, with film-by-film editorial additions. Not an official BFI list.
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Movies
(Movies) Classic Hollywood
Films from Hollywood's Golden Age (roughly 1927-1969).
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Frequently Asked Questions About On the Beach
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is On the Beach about?
In 1964, atomic war wipes out humanity in the northern hemisphere; one American submarine finds temporary safe haven in Australia, where life-as-usual covers growing despair. In denial about the loss of his wife and children in the holocaust, American Captain Towers meets careworn but gorgeous Moira Davidson, who begins to fall for him. The sub returns after reconnaissance a month (or less) before the end; will Towers and Moira find comfort with each other?
Who directed On the Beach?
On the Beach was directed by Stanley Kramer.
Who stars in On the Beach?
The principal cast of On the Beach includes Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins, Donna Anderson.
When was On the Beach released and how long is it?
On the Beach was released in 1959 with a total runtime of 2h 14m.
What was the box office and production budget of On the Beach?
On the Beach had a reported production budget of $2.9M and grossed $2.2M at the worldwide box office (0.76 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for On the Beach?
The original motion picture soundtrack for On the Beach was composed by Ernest Gold.
Is On the Beach based on a book or true story?
On the Beach is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Nevil Shute".
What is the age rating and content advisory for On the Beach?
On the Beach holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.).