The Great Los Angeles Earthquake
| The Great Los Angeles Earthquake | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by |
William Bast Paul Huson |
| Directed by | Larry Elikann |
| Starring |
Joanna Kerns Dan Lauria Lindsay Frost Joe Spano Michael T. Weiss Richard Masur Ed Begley, Jr. |
| Theme music composer | David Shire |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Frank von Zerneck Robert M. Sertner |
| Cinematography | Dennis C. Lewiston |
| Editor(s) |
Stephen Adrianson Gregory Prange |
| Running time | 180 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Von Zerneck Sertner Films |
| Distributor | NBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release |
|
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.
The movie begins with a small tremor beginning in the hills outside of Los Angeles near a United States Geological Survey (USGS) research post which cuts to a scene of 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 a seismologist with the U.S.G.S.
Clare and her staff, among whom is her assistant Jerry Soloway (Ed Begley, Jr.), have been studying a series of tremors that have been taking place near Los Angeles. Analyzing this information, she is able to conclude that there is a better-than-average chance that a massive earthquake will strike along the San Andreas Fault and cause severe damage to Los Angeles ... and the likelihood of said earthquake happening is imminent. She conducts an informative interview with Kevin Conrad (Richard Masur), a sensationalist television reporter who prematurely airs the interview, creating a political firestorm and causing tension between Clare and her husband Steve (Dan Lauria).
Steve happens to be working closely with high-powered and wealthy real estate developer Wendell 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. Nevertheless, Clare tries to alert the more skeptical city and state government officials including Chad Spaulding (Joe Spano) of the Office of Emergency Management, but fearing political fallout and possible panic, they decide to ignore her warnings.
As this unfolds, Clare's family dynamic is further explored through her strained 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).
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Wikipedia