Earthquake (1974): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Earthquake is a 1974 action thriller directed by Mark Robson, starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and George Kennedy. It runs 2 hours 2 minutes and earned $79.7 million worldwide on a $7 million budget. It won 2 Oscars, including Sound and Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects). Critics gave it 56 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 2m (122 min)
- Director
- Mark Robson
- Original language
- Crp
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
- Budget
- $7M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Earthquake About?
The premise of Earthquake without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Following a catastrophic earthquake, a group of determined Haitians struggle to survive amidst widespread devastation and chaos. They face immense challenges as they navigate the destruction and search for loved ones in the aftermath of this historic disaster. The film portrays their resilience and the human cost of such a devastating natural event.
Earthquake Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- earthquake
- engineer
- widow
- love triangle
- gas explosion
- police brutality
- chaos
- destruction
- rescue
- panic
- danger
- fear
+38 more Show fewer
- suburbia
- near death experience
- 1970s
- police station
- car chase
- police chase
- explosion
- dam burst
- california
- natural disaster
- disaster
- reservoir dam
- hollywood sign
- national guard
- los angeles california
- father daughter relationship
- title spoken by character
- reference to frank gifford
- united states of america
- male protagonist
- suburb
- death of protagonist
- shooting
- disaster action
- chase
- child in jeopardy
- disaster drama
- dark comedy
- ensemble cast
- pursuit
- marital infidelity
- unfaithfulness
- all star cast
- grand hotel format
- heston and gardner
- robson and gardner
- hollywood sign destroyed
- upskirt
Earthquake Cast
Charlton Heston leads the cast, with Ava Gardner and George Kennedy. Directed by Mark Robson; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Mark Robson
Also Starring in Earthquake
· 6 moreMore from Mark Robson
More films directed by Mark Robson, best-rated first: Peyton Place, Valley of the Dolls, Avalanche Express and Lost Command.
Earthquake Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Earthquake 56 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 56 Metascore
User score 7.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 61% User score
See on TMDB
Earthquake Plot Summary
What happens in Earthquake from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The film commences with Stewart Graff (Charlton Heston) engaged in a jogging session beneath the iconic Hollywood sign, setting a seemingly ordinary day in motion. Upon returning home, he concludes his workout on a resistance machine, only to be met by his contentious wife, Remy Royce-Graff (Ava Gardner), who begins to provoke a rather explosive argument. ” This confrontation takes a chilling turn when, after showering and preparing to leave, he finds Remy sprawled unconscious with a bottle of pills at her side. Confronted with her ongoing battle against depression and her periodic suicide attempts, he instinctively prepares to induce vomiting. However, a sudden and violent tremor jolts the bedroom, prompting Remy to spring from the bed, revealing her deception.
Full summary
The whole story of Earthquake, scene by scene
Earthquake Box Office & Budget
Earthquake grossed $79.7 million worldwide on a $7 million budget, 11 times what it cost.
Worldwide gross
$79.7M
11× its budget
- US & Canada
- $79.7M
- Budget
- $7M
Earthquake Awards & Nominations
Earthquake won 2 Oscars, including Sound and Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects). Its biggest night was the Oscars 1975, with 2 wins from 5 nominations.
2 wins8 nominations3 ceremonies
-
Oscars 1975 2 wins · 5 nominations- Won Sound
- Won Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)
- Nominated Art Direction
- Nominated Cinematography
- Nominated Film Editing
-
Golden Globes 1975 2 nominations- Nominated Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Nominated Best Original Score – John Williams
-
BAFTA 1975 1 nomination- Nominated Best Sound
Earthquake Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.
- Featurette Josh Olson on EARTHQUAKE
How Well Do You Know Earthquake?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who plays the role of Stewart Graff?
Cars in Earthquake
72 cars on screen, including the 1973 Chevrolet Blazer and the 1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1.
-
1973 Chevrolet Blazer Main role -
1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 Important role -
1951 GMC New Design Important role -
1972 Honda XL 250 Important role
Earthquake Also Known As
18 alternative titles, including “Terremoto” and “地震”.
- Also known as
-
- Terremoto
- 地震
- Erdbeben
- Tremblement de terre
- Jordbävningen
- Földrengés
- Terramoto
- Zemětřesení
- רעידת אדמה
- Землетрясение
- Земетресение
- 대지진
+6 more Show fewer
- 大地震
- Trzęsienie ziemi
- Jordskælv
- Terratrèmol
- Σεισμός
- วันโลกแตก
Seen Earthquake?
Movies Like Earthquake
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Great Los Angeles Earthquake, Aftershock: Earthquake in New York and Aftershock.
Earthquake FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Earthquake, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Earthquake?
Earthquake runs 2 hours 2 minutes (122 minutes).
When was Earthquake released?
Earthquake was released on November 15, 1974.
Who directed Earthquake?
Earthquake was directed by Mark Robson.
More films by Mark Robson Who is in the cast of Earthquake?
Earthquake stars Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and George Kennedy, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Earthquake make at the box office?
Earthquake grossed $79.7 million worldwide on a budget of $7 million.
How is Earthquake rated?
Earthquake has 56 on Metacritic and 61% on TMDB.
What awards did Earthquake win?
Earthquake won 2 awards from 8 nominations, including Sound at the Oscars 1975.
Does Earthquake have a post-credit scene?
No. Earthquake has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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