I'm having trouble deciding whether this one or "The Towering Inferno" is my top disaster film choice. This compelling story follows an old ocean liner, headed for demolition, as it takes what turns out to be its final voyage. When the new year arrives, a massive tidal wave hits the ship, causing it to overturn. Chaos breaks loose on board, and a small group finds themselves confined to the ballroom, using their intelligence to locate the area of the hull that’s thinnest – and where rescuers would most likely appear – before the vessel meets a similar fate to the "Titanic"! Gene Hackman delivers a strong performance as an almost obsessive preacher who guides this diverse group through the ship's interior, encountering numerous dangerous situations. The acting is consistently good; Shelley Winters, with her Oscar nomination, stands out, along with Jack Albertson, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowall, and Red Buttons, all contributing to the growing feeling of dread as their mission becomes more hazardous. It doesn’t matter how important their characters are – they're all vulnerable, which really enhances the depth and believability of this intensely confined narrative that certainly makes you think twice about taking a cruise. The camera work is well-executed (you can tell it’s the camera moving, not the set!), and there are lots of special effects, challenges, and perilous hazards—ranging from simple staircases—to keep things engaging for a couple of hours, and even after nearly 50 years, I still enjoy watching it.

Source on TMDB