--- title: "Silent Running" year: 1972 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/silent-running" fi1m_score: 76 critics_score: 75 critics_reviews: 11 published: "2026-09-21T03:22:19.204862+00:00" updated: "2026-09-21T03:22:19.688535+00:00" region: "PE" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Silent Running (1972) Directed by Douglas Trumbull · 1h 29m · Adventure, Science Fiction, Drama **Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 75 from 11 reviews *In a sentence:* A sweaty botanist, three shuffling robots and the last trees in existence, drifting past Saturn while Joan Baez sings at them > Douglas Trumbull’s first film as director is a small, sincere science-fiction fable about a man who loves trees more than people, and its drones are among the most likeable machines ever put on screen. The speeches are shrill and the songs are worse, and we recommend it anyway. ## Synopsis Earth has no forests left. The last of them are kept under glass domes bolted to freighters parked beyond Saturn, and botanist Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern) has tended the ones aboard the Valley Forge for eight years. His three crewmates, John Keenan (Cliff Potts), Marty Barker (Ron Rifkin) and Andy Wolf (Jesse Vint), race buggies down the dome paths and eat food from packets while Lowell grows cantaloupes and lectures them about it. Then an order comes through: destroy the domes and bring the ships home for commercial service. Lowell will not accept it, and finds himself alone with three squat maintenance drones, which he names Huey, Dewey and Louie and teaches to plant seedlings and play poker. ## Review Douglas Trumbull did the effects for [*2001: A Space Odyssey*](https://film.one/film/2001-a-space-odyssey), and his first film as director is in part a reply to it. The same deep space, the same slow freighters, and instead of an astronaut who says almost nothing there is Bruce Dern, who will not stop talking. *Silent Running* is a small film about a man who loves trees more than he loves people, and it is sincere to the point of embarrassment. We like it a good deal, and we would not want it a minute smarter. The setup takes a quarter of an hour. Earth has no forests left; the last of them sit under glass domes on freighters parked beyond Saturn, and Freeman Lowell (Dern) has looked after the ones on the *Valley Forge* for eight years. His crewmates, Keenan (Cliff Potts), Barker (Ron Rifkin) and Wolf (Jesse Vint), race buggies down the dome paths and eat out of packets while Lowell grows cantaloupes and tells them what they are missing. Then the order comes to blow up the domes and bring the ships home. Lowell does not accept it. How he ends up alone with three maintenance drones we will let the film tell you; it does so fast. What follows is the film. Lowell names the drones Huey, Dewey and Louie, teaches them to plant seedlings, teaches them poker, and talks to them because there is no one else. The drones are played by actors inside the casings (Mark Persons, Steven Brown, Cheryl Sparks and Larry Whisenhunt share the credits), and because they are people rather than puppets they walk with a slight rock and turn their heads a fraction late, as if thinking. We laughed at the poker game, at a drone considering its hand, and then Trumbull cut to Lowell eating alone at a long mess table and we stopped. The company he has made for himself is company, and it is not enough. Charles F. Wheeler shoots the ship’s corridors in flat working light, grey metal and yellow stripes, and shoots the domes as if they were a park in late afternoon, sun through leaves, a rabbit in the grass. He does not overwork the contrast. The exteriors are Trumbull’s own, and they are the most convincing space freighters of their decade: long, boxy, hung with domes like lanterns, moving past Saturn’s rings slowly enough that you believe in the weight. Aaron Stell lets those shots run and cuts the arguments short, which is the right way round. The weakness is the talk. The script, by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino and Steven Bochco, gives Lowell speeches about what a forest smells like and what children have never seen, and Dern delivers them at a pitch just below shouting. Variety, at the time, thought him miscast, and we half see the case: he is twitchy, damp, a little frightening, not the gentle steward the poster wants. We think it is the film’s best decision, whether or not it was meant as one. A man who would do what Lowell does for a tree would look exactly like this. But the film does not always separate his conviction from its own, and there are stretches where it simply agrees with him. Then there are the songs. Peter Schickele’s score is spare and decent. The songs Joan Baez sings over the forest are not, and they date the film more than any of the effects do. When she came in over a shot of Lowell walking under the trees we winced, and we winced again the second time. The pictures were already saying it. Against the genre’s own standards it holds up unusually well. Most science fiction of its decade wanted to be large; this one is 89 minutes long, has four speaking parts and three that whistle, and gets more done than films twice its size. It has been borrowed from ever since, by films with far more money, and none of them has found a better picture of loneliness than three robots planting trees for a man who cannot stop explaining why. It is a U certificate, and children take to the drones at once. Warn them that Lowell is not a nice man, and let them decide whether he is a good one. *Fi1m score 76, published 21 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like Silent Running a good deal, and the praise gathers in the same three places. Douglas Trumbull’s effects and lived-in spaceship interiors are singled out repeatedly, with several reviewers noting how much he manages on a small budget. Bruce Dern’s performance is the second constant, described as committed, subtle or twitchy depending on the writer. The third is the ecological message itself: the reviews treat it as a quiet, humane counterweight to 2001, and the later ones find it more relevant as the decades pass, not less. The drones come in for particular affection. The reservations are minor and scattered. One review finds the early scene-setting awkward; another thinks the soundtrack has dated badly. The spread is narrow, with one exception: Variety, writing at release, argues that Dern is miscast and that the casting undermines the drama, a view no later critic shares. ## Straight answers **Is Silent Running worth watching?** *Silent Running* is worth watching for anyone who likes small, sincere science fiction, and we scored it 76. Bruce Dern's speeches about trees run at a pitch just below shouting and the Joan Baez songs date it badly, but the three shuffling drones are among the most likeable machines ever put on screen. It is 89 minutes, and children take to it at once. **How long is Silent Running, and what is it rated?** *Silent Running* runs 1h 29m. It is an adventure and science fiction film. **Where can I watch Silent Running in Peru?** *Silent Running* is not on any streaming or rental service in Peru at the moment. It is available in 38 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How does Silent Running compare to WALL·E?** *Silent Running* is the smaller, stranger film, and *WALL·E* the warmer and more polished one; both are about a lonely tender of what people left behind. Trumbull's live-action film puts a twitchy, damp man at its centre and is sincere to the point of embarrassment, while Stanton's animation is funnier and more moving. We recommend both, but a family evening is safer with the robot. ### Reviews we read (11) - **Time Out**, PH (90/100, inferred): A wonderful film whose message—that humanity (and its creations) must save itself—contrasts with 2001 by emphasizing personal responsibility and ecological hope. The critic singles out the stunning visuals and strong central ideas for praise, noting they outweigh the somewhat awkward early scene-setting. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/silent-running) - **Little White Lies**, Brian Quinn (85/100, inferred): Trumbull's directorial debut is a soulful, homespun eco-parable that serves as a tender riposte to the emotional sterility of 2001: A Space Odyssey, prioritizing heart and human (and robotic) connection over grand cosmic spectacle. The critic praises the film's thriftily inventive effects, lived-in spaceship interiors, and especially Bruce Dern's committed performance alongside the endearing drones. [Read](https://lwlies.com/in-praise-of/silent-running-douglas-trumbull-stanley-kubrick-2001-a-space-odyssey) - **Empire**, Adam Smith (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's thoughtful, moving tale of ecological concern in space, highlighting its strident political stance on environmental issues and the poignant ending with the drone tending the flower. Dern's performance is noted positively. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/silent-running-review/) - **The Guardian**, Philip French (80/100, inferred): The critic praises this 1970s cult sci-fi as a deeply moving and immaculately staged ecological fable. It highlights the humour and imagination in its screenplay and the innovative direction by special-effects expert Douglas Trumbull. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/27/silent-running-french-classic-dvd) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's simplicity and quiet ecological concern, calling it a movie out of the ordinary for science-fiction fans. He highlights the deep-space effects on par with 2001 and Bruce Dern's subtle performance as the uncomplicated protagonist who chooses the last plants over his fellow crew members. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/silent-running-1971) - **Slant Magazine**, Budd Wilkins (70/100, inferred): Trumbull’s sci-fi fable explores environmental issues and the effects of isolation on human beings. It praises the nuanced portrayal of the protagonist’s obsessive struggle and the memorable drones that develop personality. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/silent-running-blu-ray-review-douglas-trumbull/) - **The AV Club**, Sam Adams (70/100, inferred): The film is a fascinating oddity from Universal’s brief indie period, with philosophical sci-fi themes focused on ecology and isolation. It highlights Dern’s twitchy performance and the cult status of its unique vision despite limited runtime. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/universal-s-brief-indie-fling-produced-great-odd-resul-1798237531) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (45/100, inferred): The review credits the excellent special effects from debuting director Douglas Trumbull and a literate script, but criticizes the crucial miscasting of Bruce Dern, which undermines dramatic credibility and makes the production teeter on the ludicrous. [Read](https://variety.com/1971/film/reviews/silent-running-1200422718/) - **Collider**, Zach Laws (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Silent Running as a prescient eco-sci-fi film that explores corporate greed threatening nature, with Bruce Dern's character making extreme choices to preserve the last plants. They single out its enduring relevance to climate concerns today. [Read](https://collider.com/silent-running-sci-fi-movie/) - **Film Stories**, Ryan Lambie (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Silent Running as a masterpiece of economic filmmaking and highlights its influence on later sci-fi through its heart and intelligent storytelling, particularly Bruce Dern's performance and the robots. The main praise is for its emotional depth and technical ingenuity on a low budget. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/silent-running-one-of-the-most-quietly-influential-films-of-the-1970s/) - **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (70/100, inferred): The critic notes that Silent Running combines a big environmental idea with a human story, praising its beautiful cinematography and well-dated special effects, while noting the dated soundtrack as a minor issue. It is seen as an important contribution to the genre reminding of early warnings. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/silent-running-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) ## Details - **Director:** Douglas Trumbull - **Director:** Douglas Trumbull - **Screenplay:** Deric Washburn, Steven Bochco, Michael Cimino - **Cinematography:** Charles F. Wheeler - **Editor:** Aaron Stell - **Music:** Peter Schickele - **Producer:** Michael Gruskoff, Marty Hornstein, Douglas Trumbull - **Cast:** Bruce Dern as Freeman Lowell; Cliff Potts as John Keenan; Ron Rifkin as Marty Barker; Jesse Vint as Andy Wolf; Mark Persons as Grey Drone #1 “Dewey”; Steven Brown as Orange Drone #2 “Huey”; Cheryl Sparks as Orange Drone #2 “Huey”; Larry Whisenhunt as Green Drone #3 “Louie” - **Runtime:** 1h 29m - **First release (Australia):** 9 March 1972 - **Genres:** Adventure, Science Fiction, Drama - **Budget:** $1 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p69lEMn0I8k ## Where to watch in Peru Not streaming, renting or buying in Peru at the last check. Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IL, IT, JP, LT, MX, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, SE, SG, TH, UA, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Solaris* (1972), Fi1m 87: Made the same year, slower and stranger, and just as certain that space reveals the person — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/solaris-1972.md) - *Dark Star* (1974): The scruffy comic cousin: bored men, a talking bomb, and a ship nobody has cleaned - *WALL·E* (2008), Fi1m 92: A lonely machine tends what people left behind; Trumbull’s drones would recognise him — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/walle.md) - *Moon* (2009), Fi1m 83: One man, one robot, a low budget and a good deal of quiet on the far side — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/moon.md) - *Ikarie XB-1* (1963): Czech deep-space drama with the lived-in corridors and long silences this film learned from --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/silent-running