MovieChat Forums > The Poseidon Adventure (1972) Discussion > Nobody questions the lethality of Frank'...

Nobody questions the lethality of Frank's fall?


I think he could have easily survived. The height of the fall into water there would not have killed him, the fire he zipped through in a fraction of a second wouldn't have done much, he could have just swam to where they started in the engine room and made the climb over again. I was really anticipating him showing up in the end, I don't understand why the movie thought that was a convincing death

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My dad was an EMT. He actually witnessed someone falling into water with burning gasoline/oil on the surface and saw the guy pop out after swimming out from under it. I remember him telling us in great detail how Reverend Scott should have survived.

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Two things:

This is a movie with a plot dependent on the hero self-sacrificing.

The character wanted to die. See above.

But glad to hear the facts.

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He didn't resurface, so yes he must have it something underneath if it does need reasoning.

But as you say, it was plot dependent on self sacrifice.

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First there is a difference between self-sacrifying and the will to die. Second there is always the chance that God appreciates the WILL to sacrifice more than the offer
(Gen 22, 1-12).
So there was at least a (little cheesy) chance to save Frank in the end.

Sorry, not a native speaker.. .

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I guess there could also have been all manner of mangled steel beneath the surface as well.

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Good point

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His hands would have been in torturous pain from holding on to the scorching valve i’m glad we didn’t have to hear him screaming through the end of the film.

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