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Released to theatres in 1956, "The Phantom of 10,000
Leagues" features many actors that were celebrated for their presence
in B-movies. Director Dan Milner selected a variety of talented actors
to appear in the not-so-famous 80 minute film.
B-movie phenomenon, Kent Taylor, was chosen to play the lead role as the charming Dr. Ted Stevens. Born Louis William Weiss, Kent Taylor lived in many different states before settling with his family in Los Angeles, California. Taylor pursued acting after he met director, Henry King, and soon became modestly popular throughout the 40s and 50s as a B-movie actor. Though Taylor was often the star of low-budget films, he was never cast as a lead actor in any of the A-list movies that he acted in. Having acted in over 110 films throughout the course of his career, Taylor gave a notable performance as Doc Holiday in the 1942 film, "Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die". Though Taylor had a prominent presence in the film industry throughout the 30s and 40s, he found that fewer opportunities were coming his way and eventually turned to television in the 50s, landing the lead role in the 1958 series, "The Rough Riders".
In "The Phantom of 10,000 Leagues", Cathy Downs plays Lois King, the love interest of Dr. Stevens, and daughter of Professor King. Downs began her career in modeling and later turned to acting after signing a contract with 20th Century-Fox. Her film career began with a small roll in "The Dolly Sisters", filmed in 1945. The versatile actress earned much recognition after the release of "My Darling Clementine" released in 1946, where she landed the lead role. Downs was later cast in a variety of movies and acted in several western films. In the beginning of the 1950s, Downs appeared in multiple low-budget films, including a variety of science-fiction films. She was well-regarded within science-fiction fan circles as a memorable heroine of 1950s Sci-fi flicks. Following her many roles in low-budget films, Downs experienced a decline in her career and began working sporadically in television during the 60s. She is honored today with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to Motion Pictures.
Michael Whalen plays the obsessive Professor King, an oceanographer that has created a world of problems for the small Oceanside town. Whalen began his career as an entertainer by performing as a radio and vaudeville singer until he entered the film industry in 1935. Though there is not much history available on Whalen, it is clear that he was very involved with acting, as he appeared in over fifty films throughout the course of his career. Whalen was also considered the all-purpose leading man for 20th Century-Fox for many years.
Perhaps the most interesting element of "The Phantom of 10,000 Leagues" is the fact that both Dr. Stevens and Professor King are greatly intrigued by radiation and its effects under water. The difference between the two oceanographers lies in the fact that Dr. Stevens quit his experimentations due to the negative reactions that took place. Professor King however, becomes obsessed with under water radioactivity. His obsessions result in an unusual radioactive rock that rests at the bottom of the sea, and mutates an innocent sea turtle into a horrible ocean monster. The monster protects the radioactive rock, and kills divers and fishermen for no apparent reason.
Though the film is overly unrealistic, there are some elements of truth to the absurd suggestions made throughout the movie. There is no current documentation or proof that too much exposure to radiation can mutate someone or something. However, there is proof that too much radiation can negatively affect individuals. Too much exposure can result in radiation sickness or poison.
The most common form of radiation that individuals are exposed to is called ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is radiation with a very high level of energy. It has so much energy that when it interacts with an atom, the energy can remove electrons from their orbits. This causes the atom to become charged or ionized. Ionizing radiation produces immediate chemical effects on human tissue. Forms of ionizing radiation include x-rays, gamma rays, and particle bombardment such as alpha and beta particles, and neutrons.
Radiation sickness is generally associated with acute exposure to both ionizing and other forms of radiation. Radiation sickness has a characteristic set of symptoms that appear in an orderly fashion. Chronic exposure is commonly associated with delayed medical problems which may happen over a long period of time. Symptoms of radiation sickness or poison include: nausea and vomiting, weakness, fatigue, hair loss, and skin burns, to name a few. In "The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues", all of the victims that washed up on shore were found to be highly radioactive, and suffered from severe burns on their skin. This element of the film accurately depicts a reaction that a human being might have when experiencing too much exposure to radiation.
Though "The Phantom of 10,000 Leagues" is not considered a cult classic, it does maintain interesting elements that make for an entertaining viewing experience. Viewers should appreciate the film if for nothing more than the opportunity to laugh at the odd behavior of Professor King, and the idiosyncrasies of the FBI agent sent from Washington D.C. to solve the case.
