Captains Courageous (1937)

Copyright 21 April 1937 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. A Victor Fleming Production. New York opening at the Astor, 11 May 1937. U.S. release: 25 June 1937. 12 reels. 116 minutes.SYNOPSIS: After he falls overboard from an ocean liner, a rich boy is rescued by a fishing dory.NOTES: Academy Award, Spencer Tracy, Best Actor (defeating Charles Boyer in Conquest, Fredric March in A Star is Born, Robert Montgomery in Night Must Fall and Paul Muni in The Life of Emile Zola). Also nominated for Best Picture (The Life of Emile Zola); Screenplay (. . . Zola); Film Editing (Lost Horizon).3rd Best Film of 1937 (after . . . Zola and The Good Earth) — annual poll of U.S. film critics conducted by The Film Daily. Photoplay Gold Medal Award — Best Picture of 1937 — as voted by America's cinema- going public.COMMENT: Definitely not a picture to see on a queasy stomach, "Captains Courageous" is as real and immediate as a documentary, yet stylishly and attractively photographed. The story is a simple one, crammed with incident and interest. True, it is a little mawkish and sentimental for modern tastes — but that's what these stubborn, superstitious fishermen were like back in 1897 — yet no-one will complain about the movie's great pace and cinematic values. Havens' 2nd unit footage is doubly exciting because it's so deftly integrated with the studio material. In fact, Captains Courageous is edited with superb skill (the opening sequence with its sharp cuts as the news is read to Douglas while he is eating; the fishing episode which very sharply and adroitly inter- cuts both process and studio shots with actuality footage). Admittedly some of the process work is obvious, but few members of a 1937 audience would have detected it. Production values are extremely lavish, with nothing scrimped on sets and players.Lionel Barrymore's hearty performance recalls his later Down To The Sea In Ships. Carradine is excellent, and so is Mickey Rooney in a small part. Jack LaRue has an odd role as a priest.Tracy's portrayal is somewhat hammy for Academy Award recognition. The Portuguese accent is so obviously feigned, it makes the whole impersonation seem artificial. Bartholomew too is a bit over-eagerly amateurish — though both performances seem to improve on a second viewing.Some long takes between Tracy and Barrymore are not characteristic of Fleming. No doubt Conway was responsible for these scenes, including the moving episode in which Tracy talks of his father and Christ. The actor handles this sequence with an assured skill sometimes missing in other scenes where he is obviously a trifle uncomfortable with his make- up, his accent, and his lines. (All this fisher lore reminds the modern viewer of Tracy's later The Old Man and the Sea). Music is used sparingly but most effectively.OTHER VIEWS: I used to pray that something would happen to halt production. I was positive I was doing the worst job of my life. — Spencer Tracy

Director Victor Fleming brought this Rudyard Kipling story about life and relationships on a fishing boat to the screen. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture of the year; its Screenplay earned Oscar nominations for Marc Connelly, John Lee Mahin, and Dale Van Evry (representing Connelly's and Evry's only Academy recognition); Editor Elmo Veron earned his only Oscar nomination as well.It also includes the first of consecutive Best Actor Oscar performances by Spencer Tracy (equaled by Tom Hanks) on his second of three straight nominations (not equaled by Hanks). The film also stars Freddie Bartholomew, Lionel Barrymore, and Melvyn Douglas. Mickey Rooney, John Carradine, and Charley Grapewin also appear. #94 on AFI's 100 Most Inspiring Movies list.Tracy is Manuel, a talented fisherman on Barrymore's boat. Bartholomew is the spoiled brat son of Douglas who, through circumstances of his own making, ends up on Barrymore's boat. The boy quickly learns that he doesn't rule the roost on this boat and must shape up fast if he's going to survive. His growth as a person is helped by his relationship with Manuel, which is at first fiery, but he then becomes a father figure to the needy boy.

What a wonderful cast – and crew – assembled by MGM and given the full Victor Fleming treatment to turn out the first film version of Rudyard Kipling's tale. Although it got altered by Hollywood it was all put over rather well: a lesson in life for a young boy involving some simple home truths. Kipling had died the year before it was made and probably wouldn't have approved of the film at all but I'm glad it turned out as it did, not perfect but a truly memorable motion picture. Perhaps sadly, I've never even been slightly interested in watching any of the probably more technically advanced remakes which Who Knows? may even have been more faithful to the story.Spoilt little rich boy Harvey played by Freddie Bartholomew on board a ship owned by busy business daddy Melvyn Douglas falls overboard to be rescued by rough simple fisherman Manuel played by Spencer Tracy. And so begins a life for him on board a radio-less fishing schooner surrounded by rough honest hard-working men including John Carradine and Mickey Rooney under Captain Lionel Barrymore. It all centres on Bartholomew and his attitude - over time from being a Jonah he becomes one of the crew and matures. It's wonderfully simple and wonderfully done: the first twenty minutes building it all up are a little bland but essential to the real story beginning from the catching of the "Little Fish". One could also argue that the last five minutes drag a little – the overwhelming sentimentality and sorrow have already peaked and the film almost gets mawkish in its apparent aimlessness at the end. Out of so many memorable scenes the money shot for me is when Harvey and Manuel are alone and Harvey tearfully tells him he wants to be with him and not go back home, both of them acting their hearts out and after wonderful performances throughout the film. If you're dry-eyed by the end you're made of sterner stuff than me.Everyone in this film learns lessons, some easier or more obvious than others – I first saw this at about ten years old and the first lesson I learnt was to never become a fisherman. But also that MGM in 1937 was in the middle of a golden age of movies and this was one of their best productions; I would add as they left us so many beautiful movie memories I bear in mind Manuel's exhortation Don't Cry.

Spoiled rich boy Freddie Bartholomew (as Harvey Cheyne) is expelled from boarding school for bribery and bratty behavior. Correctly deducing neglect is a growing concern, millionaire father Melvyn Douglas (as Frank Burton Cheyne) decides to take more of an interest in Master Bartholomew, and takes his son on a luxury cruise. After gorging too many chocolate ice cream sodas, Bartholomew falls overboard. He is fished out of the water by Portuguese-accented Spencer Tracy (as Manuel Fidello)...Bartholomew orders Mr. Tracy's schooner captain to take him home, but leader Lionel Barrymore (as Disko Troop) and the crew don't believe bossy Bartholomew is the son of a tycoon. Bartholomew must stay on the "We're Here" boat for three months, and is expected to do his share of the work. It's far from smooth sailing, but Tracy and his "Little Fish" eventually form a strong, character-building bond. This played well with critics and the public. Tracy won an Oscar and Bartholomew is as good.******** Captains Courageous (5/11/37) Victor Fleming ~ Freddie Bartholomew, Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore, Melvyn Douglas