It always takes a few minutes to get accustomed to Howard Keel in a non-musical role, such as he has in Floods of Fear. Keel was so identified with "tuners," and possessed a speaking voice so rich that it practically sang even when there were no written notes near it, that it takes time to realize that he's not going to burst into song. It's too bad, because Floods could have used a little pick-me-up from Keel's singing in a few places. Not that Floods is a bad movie, mind you; it's more than watchable, and portions of it are gripping and quite involving. But it's also true that other portions of it drag and meander, a problem in a film that needs to be tense pretty much from start to finish. Many of the flood-related sequences are top notch, and the special effects work is very good for the period. The cast is also generally strong, with Keel turning in a solid performance, and Cyril Cusack suitably menacing. Anne Heywood also does quite well with a role that is poorly written. Charles Crichton's direction is uneven, but when it's on target, it's quite good.