The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake
Encyclopedia
The Great Los Angeles Earthquake is a 1990 television film about a massive earthquake that strikes Los Angeles, California
. The movie stars Joanna Kerns
in the movie's lead role, seismologist Clare Winslow, who tries to warn city leaders of the possibility that a powerful earthquake may strike southern California.
(USGS) research post. The scene then cuts to a teenage girl on a date with her boyfriend at the Earthquake Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood
. The girl is later revealed to be Heather, daughter of Clare Winslow (Joanna Kerns
), who is the chief seismologist of the U.S.G.S. office in Pasadena, California
. A highly demanding job, it requires Clare to travel the world as at the beginning of the movie she has just returned from a month's long trip from Mexico City in which she reviewed data that was learned from the severe 1985 Mexico City Earthquake
. This fact has caused some strain with Clare and her family, nevertheless her husband Steve (Dan Lauria
) remains supportive of her job.
Upon her return to southern California, Clare is alerted by her staff, among whom is her assistant Jerry Soloway (Ed Begley, Jr.
), that they have been studying a series of tremors that have been taking place near the beachside community of Bombay Beach near Los Angeles. The tremors are occurring along California's famed San Andreas Fault
and after reviewing the data Clare reluctantly decides that the U.S.G.S. should raise a mid-level C earthquake alert, fearing that a significant earthquake could be imminent. She is advised by her boss and friend Ray Goodrich (Richard Herd
), director of the main U.S.G.S office in Virginia, to review the data a little more before making her call. Goodrich turns out to be right as it is revealed that the tremors are just normal activity along the fault. In an effort to support some interest, and hopefully some money, for the U.S.G.S., Goodrich convinces Clare to accept an informative interview with Kevin Conrad (Richard Masur
), a sensationalist television reporter. Reluctant Clare agrees only to later on have the interview blow up in her face when Conrad prematurely airs a highly edited version of the interview which raises the notion that an earthquake is imminent, which ultimately creates a political firestorm. At the same time Clare and her team begin to notice some unusual activity along the lesser known Newport-Inglewood Fault
. Analyzing this information, she is able to conclude that there is a better-than-average chance that a massive earthquake will strike and cause severe damage to Southern California ... and the likelihood of said earthquake happening is imminent, just along another fault.
Clare's husband Steve happens to be working closely with high-powered and wealthy real estate developer Warren Cates (Robert Ginty
) who faces losing money and his socio-political reputation from public fear of the possibility of the earthquake. Warren threatens Clare and attempts to have her fired from her job which puts some tension between Steve and Clare. Nevertheless, Clare tries to alert the more skeptical city and state government officials including Chad Spaulding (Joe Spano
) of the Office of Emergency Management. Her releationship with Spaulding is severely strained for many reasons. First it is learned that Spaulding owes his highly political job to the likes of Warren Cates, who pressures Spaulding into squashing any public reminders that Southern California is overdue for a big quake. Additionally it is hinted at several times throughout the film that two years previously Clare and her team had convinced Spaulding, along with city and state politicians, that a big quake was imminent leading to a series of public emergency preparations. In the end, however, the prediction turned out to be a false warning, creating a public embarrassment, explaining the reasons for Clare's reluctance to raise an alert, despite convincing evidence. Fearing embarrassment and possible political fallout from this new threat, Spaulding decides to ignore her warnings.
As this unfolds, Clare's family dynamic is further explored through her strained, though loving, relationship with teenage daughter Heather (Holly Fields), which is mirrored by the relationship of Clare's mother Anita Parker (Bonnie Bartlett
) and Clare's sister Laurie (Lindsay Frost
), who are estranged from one another due to Anita's open resentment of Laurie's romantic relationship with L.A.P.D.
officer Matt (Alan Autry
).
As the tremors continue several other anomalies begin to occur that continue to raise Clare's concern. A severe drop in oil well pressure from the Baldwin Hills oil wells located outside the city in addition to a major methane gas rapture along Farfaix Avenue in Hollywood are all anomalies Clare has seen predate big earthquakes in the past. Clare's warning falls on deaf ears, however, she is vindicated after a moderate 5.7 quake strikes the city causing only some moderate damage. Clare and her team are received favorably by the press as it is felt that there attention to the warning signs predicted the quake, albeit a smaller one. Nevertheless after reviewing data she and Soloway realize that the moderate quake was only a foreshock and that a much larger quake is just around the corner. Worrying her even more is that the quake occurred at the intersection of the Newport-Inglewood and Whitter faults, along the lesser known but highly dangerous Elysian Park Fault, which runs directly under downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. After reviewing her findings with other U.S.G.S. offices and Cal-Tech State University, Clare alerts Goodrich in Virginia that she in accordance with other U.S.G.S. offices in the state agree to raise an A level earthquake alert for Southern California, calling for a quake of a least a magnitude 7.0 to occur within the next 72 hours.
Warning city officials, it is agreed not to go public until the city and the state have all their preparations in place. Nonetheless, Kevin Conrad discovers the story and ultimately broadcasts a news conference to alert citizens of the looming threat. For most residents, however, it will already be too late. Not long after preparations and evacuations begin, the long-feared earthquake strikes when Elysian Park Fault gives way. An initial shock of magnitude 8.0 followed shortly by an aftershock of magnitude 7.2 causes massive damage and kills thousands - among the victims is Anita, who had been trapped in a high-rise condominium elevator with Laurie during the quake. During the time that they are trapped, they reconcile shortly before Laurie is rescued by other survivors, but Anita is less fortunate and dies when the elevator crashes to the bottom of the shaft (during an aftershock, which happens just as she is within grasp of a rescuer). Another victim is Miguel, son of Clare's housekeeper Sonia, who is crushed and fatally injured during the collapse of his high school gymnasium during his graduation rehearsal. Steve Winslow is thought to be dead after being crushed by a wall at the airport, but he is revealed to have survived the quake at the end of the film.
More gratifying deaths include those of Warren Cates, who is thrown to his death from his skyscraper window; and Chad Spaulding, who (during a major aftershock) is electrocuted while attempting to escape from the USGS safety bunker beneath City Hall — after which his body is crushed beneath tons of office furniture, which come crashing down as the ceiling collapses. A more redeeming storyline is that of Kevin Conrad, who is transformed from a cutthroat reporter looking for a hot story into a more sensitive and humanitarian character deeply affected by the tragedy and devastation; at the end of the movie, during a live remote, Conrad tearfully remarks that the death toll could top the number of casualties seen during the American Civil War
— just before the live transmission is lost.
The remainder of the movie centers on the political and social fallout following the earthquake, and Winslows' attempts to reunite with her family (from whom she had become separated).
The epilogue of the film states the likelihood of major earthquakes striking several American citites in the next several years along with their expected magnitudes. At the end it is stated that of all the cities mentioned Los Angeles is currently the most prepared city.
which rocked San Francisco in October 1989, and in addition seismologist at the time were predicting a massive earthquake to strike along the New Madrid Fault line, which runs along the Mississippi River, an event which ultimately did not occur.
The original airing included a number of scenes and subplots that were removed from later airings; one of the excised storylines included an assassination attempt on South African trade minister David Motubu (Brock Peters
), who is under the protection of security agent Roy Bryant (Clarence Gilyard, Jr.). The earthquake thwarts the assassin's initial attempt on Motubu's life, although Motubu's personal guard and Bryant's partner are both killed. Although Laurie's police officer boyfriend Matt (who is Bryant's good friend) tries to intervene in the destroyed streets of L.A., Roy falls victim to the assassin's gunfire, but only before Motubu kills the assassin himself.
The miniseries was re-aired in the Spring of 1991, sans the above mentioned scenes were cut from the film in order to have it run in a three hour time slot on one night. The cuts nevertheless left the film running short so scenes that were excised from the films original airing, were broadcast in this airing. In subsequent years the movie would periodically be re-run over the Lifetime movie channel, however, its was drastically cut in order to fit a two-hour time slot. This led to a lot of scenes and subplots to be deleted, in addition to a lot of plot lines not being resolved.
All scenes were restored for the mini-series DVD release.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The movie stars Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy Growing Pains from 1985-1992.-Early life:...
in the movie's lead role, seismologist Clare Winslow, who tries to warn city leaders of the possibility that a powerful earthquake may strike southern California.
Plot
The movie begins with a small tremor beginning in the hills outside of Los Angeles near a United States Geological SurveyUnited States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
(USGS) research post. The scene then cuts to a teenage girl on a date with her boyfriend at the Earthquake Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...
. The girl is later revealed to be Heather, daughter of Clare Winslow (Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy Growing Pains from 1985-1992.-Early life:...
), who is the chief seismologist of the U.S.G.S. office in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. A highly demanding job, it requires Clare to travel the world as at the beginning of the movie she has just returned from a month's long trip from Mexico City in which she reviewed data that was learned from the severe 1985 Mexico City Earthquake
1985 Mexico City earthquake
The 1985 Mexico City earthquake, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck Mexico City on the early morning of 19 September 1985 at around 7:19 AM , caused the deaths of at least 10,000 people and serious damage to the greater Mexico City Area. The complete seismic event...
. This fact has caused some strain with Clare and her family, nevertheless her husband Steve (Dan Lauria
Dan Lauria
Daniel Joseph "Dan" Lauria is an American television and film actor.-Early life:Lauria, an Italian-American, was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Carmela and Joseph J. Lauria. He also lived in Lindenhurst, New York...
) remains supportive of her job.
Upon her return to southern California, Clare is alerted by her staff, among whom is her assistant Jerry Soloway (Ed Begley, Jr.
Ed Begley, Jr.
Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
), that they have been studying a series of tremors that have been taking place near the beachside community of Bombay Beach near Los Angeles. The tremors are occurring along California's famed San Andreas Fault
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental strike-slip fault that runs a length of roughly through California in the United States. The fault's motion is right-lateral strike-slip...
and after reviewing the data Clare reluctantly decides that the U.S.G.S. should raise a mid-level C earthquake alert, fearing that a significant earthquake could be imminent. She is advised by her boss and friend Ray Goodrich (Richard Herd
Richard Herd
Richard Herd, Jr. is an American actor in television and film. He is well known in the science fiction community for his role in the 1983 NBC miniseries V and the 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, as John, the Visitors' Supreme Commander...
), director of the main U.S.G.S office in Virginia, to review the data a little more before making her call. Goodrich turns out to be right as it is revealed that the tremors are just normal activity along the fault. In an effort to support some interest, and hopefully some money, for the U.S.G.S., Goodrich convinces Clare to accept an informative interview with Kevin Conrad (Richard Masur
Richard Masur
Richard Masur is an American actor who has appeared in more than 80 movies during his career. From 1995-1999, he served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild . Masur sits on the Corporate Board of the Motion Picture & Television Fund.-Biography:Masur was born in New York City to a...
), a sensationalist television reporter. Reluctant Clare agrees only to later on have the interview blow up in her face when Conrad prematurely airs a highly edited version of the interview which raises the notion that an earthquake is imminent, which ultimately creates a political firestorm. At the same time Clare and her team begin to notice some unusual activity along the lesser known Newport-Inglewood Fault
Newport-Inglewood Fault
The Newport-Inglewood Fault is a right-lateral fault in Southern California. The fault extends for from Culver City southeast to Newport Beach at which point it runs out into the Pacific Ocean. The fault can be seen on the Earth's surface as line of hills extending from Signal Hill to Culver City...
. Analyzing this information, she is able to conclude that there is a better-than-average chance that a massive earthquake will strike and cause severe damage to Southern California ... and the likelihood of said earthquake happening is imminent, just along another fault.
Clare's husband Steve happens to be working closely with high-powered and wealthy real estate developer Warren Cates (Robert Ginty
Robert Ginty
Robert Ginty was an American movie actor, producer, scenarist, and director of movies and TV series episodes.-Early life:...
) who faces losing money and his socio-political reputation from public fear of the possibility of the earthquake. Warren threatens Clare and attempts to have her fired from her job which puts some tension between Steve and Clare. Nevertheless, Clare tries to alert the more skeptical city and state government officials including Chad Spaulding (Joe Spano
Joe Spano
Joseph Peter "Joe" Spano is an American actor who came to prominence through his role as Lt. Henry Goldblume on Hill Street Blues and is now well known for his work in NCIS as FBI Special Agent Tobias Fornell....
) of the Office of Emergency Management. Her releationship with Spaulding is severely strained for many reasons. First it is learned that Spaulding owes his highly political job to the likes of Warren Cates, who pressures Spaulding into squashing any public reminders that Southern California is overdue for a big quake. Additionally it is hinted at several times throughout the film that two years previously Clare and her team had convinced Spaulding, along with city and state politicians, that a big quake was imminent leading to a series of public emergency preparations. In the end, however, the prediction turned out to be a false warning, creating a public embarrassment, explaining the reasons for Clare's reluctance to raise an alert, despite convincing evidence. Fearing embarrassment and possible political fallout from this new threat, Spaulding decides to ignore her warnings.
As this unfolds, Clare's family dynamic is further explored through her strained, though loving, relationship with teenage daughter Heather (Holly Fields), which is mirrored by the relationship of Clare's mother Anita Parker (Bonnie Bartlett
Bonnie Bartlett
Bonnie Bartlett is an American television and film actress. Her career spans over 50 years, with her first major role being on a 1950s daytime drama, Love of Life. She is best known for her role as Ellen Craig on the medical drama series St. Elsewhere. She and her husband, actor William Daniels,...
) and Clare's sister Laurie (Lindsay Frost
Lindsay Frost
Lindsay E. Frost is an American actress.Frost, who was born in Los Angeles, California, is the daughter of actor Warren Frost, and sister of Mark Frost and writer Scott Frost. She is married to actor Rick Giolito....
), who are estranged from one another due to Anita's open resentment of Laurie's romantic relationship with L.A.P.D.
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
officer Matt (Alan Autry
Alan Autry
Carlos Alan Autry is an American actor, politician, and former National Football League football player. He is best known for his role as Captain Bubba Skinner on the television series In the Heat of the Night; he also has been in numerous movies and other television shows...
).
As the tremors continue several other anomalies begin to occur that continue to raise Clare's concern. A severe drop in oil well pressure from the Baldwin Hills oil wells located outside the city in addition to a major methane gas rapture along Farfaix Avenue in Hollywood are all anomalies Clare has seen predate big earthquakes in the past. Clare's warning falls on deaf ears, however, she is vindicated after a moderate 5.7 quake strikes the city causing only some moderate damage. Clare and her team are received favorably by the press as it is felt that there attention to the warning signs predicted the quake, albeit a smaller one. Nevertheless after reviewing data she and Soloway realize that the moderate quake was only a foreshock and that a much larger quake is just around the corner. Worrying her even more is that the quake occurred at the intersection of the Newport-Inglewood and Whitter faults, along the lesser known but highly dangerous Elysian Park Fault, which runs directly under downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. After reviewing her findings with other U.S.G.S. offices and Cal-Tech State University, Clare alerts Goodrich in Virginia that she in accordance with other U.S.G.S. offices in the state agree to raise an A level earthquake alert for Southern California, calling for a quake of a least a magnitude 7.0 to occur within the next 72 hours.
Warning city officials, it is agreed not to go public until the city and the state have all their preparations in place. Nonetheless, Kevin Conrad discovers the story and ultimately broadcasts a news conference to alert citizens of the looming threat. For most residents, however, it will already be too late. Not long after preparations and evacuations begin, the long-feared earthquake strikes when Elysian Park Fault gives way. An initial shock of magnitude 8.0 followed shortly by an aftershock of magnitude 7.2 causes massive damage and kills thousands - among the victims is Anita, who had been trapped in a high-rise condominium elevator with Laurie during the quake. During the time that they are trapped, they reconcile shortly before Laurie is rescued by other survivors, but Anita is less fortunate and dies when the elevator crashes to the bottom of the shaft (during an aftershock, which happens just as she is within grasp of a rescuer). Another victim is Miguel, son of Clare's housekeeper Sonia, who is crushed and fatally injured during the collapse of his high school gymnasium during his graduation rehearsal. Steve Winslow is thought to be dead after being crushed by a wall at the airport, but he is revealed to have survived the quake at the end of the film.
More gratifying deaths include those of Warren Cates, who is thrown to his death from his skyscraper window; and Chad Spaulding, who (during a major aftershock) is electrocuted while attempting to escape from the USGS safety bunker beneath City Hall — after which his body is crushed beneath tons of office furniture, which come crashing down as the ceiling collapses. A more redeeming storyline is that of Kevin Conrad, who is transformed from a cutthroat reporter looking for a hot story into a more sensitive and humanitarian character deeply affected by the tragedy and devastation; at the end of the movie, during a live remote, Conrad tearfully remarks that the death toll could top the number of casualties seen during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
— just before the live transmission is lost.
The remainder of the movie centers on the political and social fallout following the earthquake, and Winslows' attempts to reunite with her family (from whom she had become separated).
The epilogue of the film states the likelihood of major earthquakes striking several American citites in the next several years along with their expected magnitudes. At the end it is stated that of all the cities mentioned Los Angeles is currently the most prepared city.
Broadcast History
The movie was aired over a two night period on NBC during November 1990. There had been some public interest in earthquakes following the Loma Prieta EarthquakeLoma Prieta earthquake
The Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
which rocked San Francisco in October 1989, and in addition seismologist at the time were predicting a massive earthquake to strike along the New Madrid Fault line, which runs along the Mississippi River, an event which ultimately did not occur.
The original airing included a number of scenes and subplots that were removed from later airings; one of the excised storylines included an assassination attempt on South African trade minister David Motubu (Brock Peters
Brock Peters
Brock Peters was an American actor, best known for playing the role of Tom Robinson in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird...
), who is under the protection of security agent Roy Bryant (Clarence Gilyard, Jr.). The earthquake thwarts the assassin's initial attempt on Motubu's life, although Motubu's personal guard and Bryant's partner are both killed. Although Laurie's police officer boyfriend Matt (who is Bryant's good friend) tries to intervene in the destroyed streets of L.A., Roy falls victim to the assassin's gunfire, but only before Motubu kills the assassin himself.
The miniseries was re-aired in the Spring of 1991, sans the above mentioned scenes were cut from the film in order to have it run in a three hour time slot on one night. The cuts nevertheless left the film running short so scenes that were excised from the films original airing, were broadcast in this airing. In subsequent years the movie would periodically be re-run over the Lifetime movie channel, however, its was drastically cut in order to fit a two-hour time slot. This led to a lot of scenes and subplots to be deleted, in addition to a lot of plot lines not being resolved.
All scenes were restored for the mini-series DVD release.
Trivia
- Scenes involving emergency personnel getting ready for the earthquake, mainly cop and fire companies being sent out, were taken from the opening of the 1972 television series Emergency!Emergency!Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
.
- The Winslow's house in Pasadena, was the same house used for Tony Nelson's Cocoa Beach, FloridaCocoa Beach, FloridaCocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,482 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2008, the city had a population of 11,920...
home in I Dream of JeannieI Dream of JeannieI Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
.
- The mini-series was one of the last disaster flicks made before the general use of computer generated (CGI) effects. Special effects used since the early days of motion picture such as shaking cameras, sets built on moveable slides, matte paintings, and miniatures of the Los Angeles skyline were used extensively.