Earthquake

Earthquake is a 1974 American ensemble disaster drama film directed and produced by Mark Robson and starring Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner. The plot concerns the struggle for survival after a catastrophic earthquake destroys most of the city of Los Angeles, California. Directed by Robson with a screenplay by George Fox and Mario Puzo, the film starred a large cast of well-known actors, including Heston, Gardner, George Kennedy, Lorne Greene, Geneviève Bujold, Richard Roundtree, Marjoe Gortner, Barry Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principal, and (under an alias) Walter Matthau. It is notable for the use of an innovative sound effect called Sensurround, which created the sense of actually experiencing an earthquake in theatres. Plot Athletic former college football star Stewart Graff (Charlton Heston), in a dysfunctional marriage to Remy (Ava Gardner), is arguing with her after she fakes another suicide attempt when a mild earthquake jolts the Los Angeles metro area. Angered by his wife's manipulations, Graff leaves for work, stopping to visit Denise Marshall (Genevieve Bujold), a part-time actress and widow of a co-worker who he assigned to the project that accidentally killed him. Feeling obligated to help her and her ten-year-old son, Corry, Graff brings the boy an autographed football from his college days, and briefly helps Denise rehearse her lines before a film shoot she has later that morning. Los Angeles Police Department officer Lew Slade (George Kennedy) is in pursuit of a car thief, when intercepted by a rival deputy from the neighboring Los Angeles County Sheriff district when he crosses jurisdictional lines. Already enemies who have had run-ins with each other over previous incidents, Slade hits the deputy, resulting in his suspension. Disheartened, Slade heads to a neighborhood bar.