Following a global nuclear catastrophe, Australia appears to be one of the few places still inhabited, though its residents understand it’s only a matter of time before deadly radiation reaches their shores. Prior to that event, the USS Sawfish, captained by the recently bereaved “Towers” (Gregory Peck), arrives with a crew struggling to maintain morale. The locals offer them hospitality and Towers quickly connects with local sailor “Holmes” (Anthony Perkins), whose wife “Mary” (Donna Anderson) has just had a baby, and also meets “Moira”—she emphasizes the spelling, m.o.i.r.a. I can’t think of many actresses who portray drunkenness as effectively as Ava Gardner, and it's after she’s been drinking that she and the captain begin to form a connection. She is also close with “Osborne” (Fred Astaire, in a role that feels underdeveloped), who races cars and serves as a confidant for her as her relationship with Towers deepens while he and his submarine head toward San Francisco to assess the state of their country. Strangely, when they arrive, there’s surprisingly little physical destruction visible; the only sign of humanity is found in discarded items like string and a Coke bottle! It's less a science fiction story and more an affecting, perceptive examination of how people confront grief, loneliness, and a grim certainty that undermines their previously stable and productive lives. The film largely centers on Peck’s restrained performance as his character navigates not only his own circumstances but also those of his crew, while Gardner delivers a memorable contribution with minimal dialogue but a powerful presence. The secondary storylines are less significant, although the Perkins/Anderson storyline presents a particularly distressing situation when they must consider what to do with the vulnerable infant facing an unavoidable fate. By the film's end, the pointlessness of military action is revealed in a strikingly straightforward and relatable way. It occasionally dips into melodrama, but I think that actually enhances the authenticity of a scenario where there are no victors—and for me, Gardner delivers one of her finest performances.

Source on TMDB