Best Boating-Related Movie?

Books can be so inexpensive using the Internet. Many books (even Master and Commander) are available for one cent with $3.99 postage/handling.

I'm surprised at you, Marin, though I respect your right to an opinion, even a wrong one.

O'Brien's strength is in his characters, there are many, many layers to their development, albeit those layers are often hidden by the mists of history.

An example; in the opening scene of the very first book, Stephen is offended by Jack's leg tapping to keep time with the music and gives him a slight shove. This doesn't seem like a big deal to modern sensibilities but at that time and place could have been the precursor to a duel. Also, the woman performing is Jack's mistress and the wife of his commanding officer. For Stephen, a heartbroken, destitute, rebel on the wrong side of a cause he no longer wholly believes in, it is the act of a man with very little to lose.

That's what makes his writing so evocative, so much better than the simple Hornblower series or the Lord of the Rings trilogy which uses quantity of characters to make up for their lack of depth and variance.

Also, the later scene where Stephen awakens from a powerful dream of his lost love in the dust of a hillside in a foreign land, to discover that there is a flower crushed beneath him that smells like her is one of the strongest scenes in all of English language literature. Right up there with the last lines of the Great Gatsby, the scene where Atticus shoots the dog and the opening lines of Big Two Hearted River.

MrJim said:

I read his book at a young, impressionable age. Since then, it has been my lifelong dream to sail around the world. Didn't know there was a movie. Your link is to the book. Was there a movie?

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The Dove (1974) - IMDb

I saw it a few years ago, downloaded from an Internet site that is no longer active. It's a nice story, I will have to read the book.

Dougcole said:

Also, the later scene where Stephen awakens from a powerful dream of his lost love in the dust of a hillside in a foreign land, to discover that there is a flower crushed beneath him that smells like her is one of the strongest scenes in all of English language literature. Right up there with the last lines of the Great Gatsby, the scene where Atticus shoots the dog and the opening lines of Big Two Hearted River.

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Isn't that the scene where the doctor buries the ring on the hillside? One of the saddest moments in the series.

BaltimoreLurker said:

Isn't that the scene where the doctor buries the ring on the hillside? One of the saddest moments in the series.

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A scene of a different sort, but one of the most memorable scenes for me was when they were being chased over the course of several days by a much larger Dutch man-o-war in following seas in the Roaring 40s, until the Dutch ship broached and immediately sank with all hands. Riveting, with a surprise ending (sorry, spoiler...). I think it's in Desolation Island.

And to (kind of) keep with the theme of this thread, it would be a great scene for Crowe's movie sequel.

MrJim said:

A scene of a different sort, but one of the most memorable scenes for me was when they were being chased over the course of several days by a much larger Dutch man-o-war in following seas in the Roaring 40s, until the Dutch ship broached and immediately sank with all hands. Riveting, with a surprise ending (sorry, spoiler...). I think it's in Desolation Island.

And to (kind of) keep with the theme of this thread, it would be a great scene for Crowe's movie sequel.

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Yes! The horrible old Leopard being chased by the Waakzaamheid. That was a terrifying and spectacular chase!

Marin - you may want to read the 2nd book, let the characters develop some more.

MrJim said:

A scene of a different sort, but one of the most memorable scenes for me was when they were being chased over the course of several days by a much larger Dutch man-o-war in following seas in the Roaring 40s, until the Dutch ship broached and immediately sank with all hands. Riveting, with a surprise ending (sorry, spoiler...). I think it's in Desolation Island.

And to (kind of) keep with the theme of this thread, it would be a great scene for Crowe's movie sequel.

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That's one of the scenes that always comes to mind when I think about O'Brian. Greatest sea chase I've ever read capped with a stunning ending. The other thing to note about O'Brian is that he doesn't dumb it down. You have to actively catch up to his style and complexity of writing.

Agreed, all good and the Waakzaamheid scene is breathtaking, along with Jack's reaction "My God, 500 (?) men."

I was presenting Stephen's awakening as it shows the subtle complexity of O'briens writing and character development. He never comes right out and explains about Stephen's lost love (I don't think she is ever named) but gives tiny pieces of his history throughout the series. Until you know that backstory the scene doesn't have much power. Once you do, if you have lived through a similar experience in your life (haven't we all?) it is gut wrenching. 1st reading you are likely to skim right over it.

Doug

Dougcole said:

Agreed, all good and the Waakzaamheid scene is breathtaking, along with Jack's reaction "My God, 500 (?) men."

I was presenting Stephen's awakening as it shows the subtle complexity of O'briens writing and character development. He never comes right out and explains about Stephen's lost love (I don't think she is ever named) but gives tiny pieces of his history throughout the series. Until you know that backstory the scene doesn't have much power. Once you do, if you have lived through a similar experience in your life (haven't we all?) it is gut wrenching. 1st reading you are likely to skim right over it.

Doug

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Was that the girlfriend from the college or the "Uprising" days? All this chat makes me want to start the series again.

Drifting from movies a bit, those of you who enjoy Forester and O'Brian, try reading Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" series. No ships but a great character written by a serious historian. Watch for one of C.S. Foresters characters to appear in one of the books. It's a little tip of the hat from Cornwell to Forester as the master of the genre.

Best boat movie? African Queen. Bogart, Hepburn, and C.S. Forester a powerful combination.

Not strictly boat movies but boats were important to the plot, Key Largo and To Have and Have Not. Both with Bogey and Bacall.

Exciting scene from Key Largo, gun fight on the Santana.

Oddly enough, the African Queen is now docked in Key Largo.

O'Brian could also be funny and ribald, as when Stephen overhears Jack, who is drunk at a proper social, loudly telling some proper ladies about his crew, who have been at sea awhile.

"Oh, yes, yes! The rest of them are certainly coming ashore--they are lining the rail in the shore-going rig, with money in their pockets, their eyes staring out of their heads and their pricks a yard long."

The embarrassed ladies can't get away from him fast enough, and he follows up with:

"You needn't hurry, ladies--they won't be allowed off the sloop till the evening gun."

I can see Russell Crowe doing that scene.

HopCar said:

Drifting from movies a bit, those of you who enjoy Forester and O'Brian, try reading Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" series. No ships but a great character written by a serious historian. Watch for one of C.S. Foresters characters to appear in one of the books. It's a little tip of the hat from Cornwell to Forester as the master of the genre.

Best boat movie? African Queen. Bogart, Hepburn, and C.S. Forester a powerful combination.

Not strictly boat movies but boats were important to the plot, Key Largo and To Have and Have Not. Both with Bogey and Bacall.

Exciting scene from Key Largo, gun fight on the Santana.

Oddly enough, the African Queen is now docked in Key Largo.

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Topic is boating-related movies, Parks, so those are great additions. And three of my all-time favorites.

BaltimoreLurker said:

Marin - you may want to read the 2nd book, let the characters develop some more.

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No thanks. An author gets one chance with me. If I don't like his or her style or character depictions and depth I never read them again. O'Brian was complete dud for me and I see no point in wasting time reading more of the same when there are so many truly good authors out there waiting.

...and who could forget "Boy on a Dolhpin" 1957 with Sophia Loren. I think there was a boat in that movie...?


Kevin
Portland, OR

HopCar said:

Drifting from movies a bit, those of you who enjoy Forester and O'Brian, try reading Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" series. No ships ......

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You forgot "Sharpe's Trafalgar" Parks.

Drifting from movies a bit,

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This thread drifted completely away from movies a long time ago!

Here....half the group likes this kind of stuff...no telling about all the lurkers...

Start talking airplanes and airplane movies...

This flew over near Melbourne, Fl this week.....

Not really a boating movie but I thought Whale Rider was very well done and a unique story.

A documentary. And of course his (Joshua Slocum) book is required reading.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned'Lord Jim' starring Perter O'Tool. The movie is required watching aboard my boat. Its a great book also.
Another great book is one by Nicholas Monsarrat, (the author of 'The Cruel Sea), is 'The Master Mariner', a fantastic book following the tale of the Wandering Jew. Its a two volume historical sea novel.

grahamdouglass said:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned'Lord Jim' starring Peter O'Toole. The movie is required watching aboard my boat. Its a great book also.

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Years ago I tried but could not get into the book Lord Jim, finding it "as impenetrable as a Patrick White novel" (White is an Aussie author). Same trouble with Alan Villiers "Cruise of the Conrad" about a world circumnavigation in the "Joseph Conrad", an ex Danish sail training fully rigged sailing ship, including a near sinking on rocks near Brooklyn in New York. I recently tried it again and enjoyed it, might be time to try Lord Jim again.

Thought of another one: The Wreck of the Mary Deare, is actually quite good if you're a boat lover. A young Charlton Heston and an aging Gary Cooper do a nice job with a story about a derelict merchant ship on the high seas. Alfred Hitchcock was originally supposed to direct it. Lots of court intrigue but also some pretty good action with excellent cinematography.

I remember the movie but not the name of it.
It was about sailboat racing. I'm not into sailboats but this was a good love story and some fantastic action pics of sailboat racing. The essence of the movie was about very serious competition. There was an outrageous canard aircraft (and the girl to go w it) along w fighting bad odds and winning.
Perhaps someone else will remember the film title.

Mr. Roberts
Pirates of the Caribbean
Capt Ron
PT 109

I don't recall anyone mentioning this movie......

And what about the movie Jaws, where the shark sunk the boat Orca?

manyboats said:

I remember the movie but not the name of it.
It was about sailboat racing. I'm not into sailboats but this was a good love story and some fantastic action pics of sailboat racing. The essence of the movie was about very serious competition. There was an outrageous canard aircraft (and the girl to go w it) along w fighting bad odds and winning.
Perhaps someone else will remember the film title.

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Wind?

YES!
Thank you angus99.
It starts off w small very high performance sailboats racing. Fourteen foot (?) w long bowsprits. Very fast and exciting. Then the couple gets along w the big boys and big money and all that goes with it.

angus99 said:

Thought of another one: The Wreck of the Mary Deare, is actually quite good if you're a boat lover. A young Charlton Heston and an aging Gary Cooper do a nice job with a story about a derelict merchant ship on the high seas. Alfred Hitchcock was originally supposed to direct it. Lots of court intrigue but also some pretty good action with excellent cinematography.

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I stumbled across that one on TCM last year. Yes, good movie, with some good Hitchcock-esque suspense.

Around the same time, I caught this one on TCM. An amusing English "sea story" starring Alec Guiness as a seasick RN Captain who takes command of an amusement pier at the seaside. I liked it. Here's a clip: