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Beneath the 12-Mile Reef is a landmark, or rather watermark. The third ever CinemaScope production this was a prestige release, with Florida, Key West location Technicolor filming of never-before-achieved underwater cinematography, and four-channel stereo recording of a superlative Bernard Herrmann score. Even a still-impressive underwater battle with an octopus pre-dates the more famous giant squid of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954). The humans aren't bad either, with a young Robert Wagner making a charismatic if ethnically unconvincing Greek lead as sponge fisherman Tony, and Terry Moore playing Juliet to his Romeo with real vivacity. --Gary S. Dalkin

From the Back Cover
A story of competing boat crews diving for valuable sponges off the coast of Key West, Florida, Beneath the 12-Mile Reef develops into a Romeo and Juliet tale of young love developing between members of rival families. Distinguished as Hollywood's first underwater movie filmed in CinemaScope, Beneath the 12-Mile Reef received an Academy Award nomination for best color cinematography. The film featured an exotic tropical locale, incredible ocean scenery and a deep-sea battle with a giant octopus. Additional aquatic sequences were filmed in the waters off Catalina Island and St. Thomas, the Virgin islands. The young lovers are played by Robert Wagner (It Takes A Thief and Hart to Hart) and Terry Moore (Hollywood pin-up and widow to Howard Hughes). The film also stars Gilbert Roland, Peter Graves (Mission Impossible) and perennial tough-guy Richard Boone.