I had the misfortune of first 'watching' the film aged 10 and falling asleep shortly after they got to the Galapagos, hence went through much of my life thinking it was a bit of a damp squib that didn't live up to the implicit promise of 'Maximus but on a boat'. Thank goodness I married a woman who'd watched the whole thing. It should be on the national curriculum.
I absolutely adore this film and have the complete set of horatio hornblower. Can’t wait for my boys to mature enough to watch it with me. I also recommend ‘the 13th warrior’.
Great review of one of my favorite movies..it has one of the best opening scenes ever. I’m finishing the 6th book in the O Brian’s series and it’s nice to know that i won’t have to wonder what book to read next…14 more to go! “Quick’s the word, sharp’s the action!”
The film brings out the love of the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O’Brian. Anthony Lane, in a review of the film in 2003, commented on the draw of both the novels and the movie:
"What the novels leave us with, and what emerges more fitfully from this film, as if in shafts of sunlight, is the growing realization that, although our existence is indisputably safer, softer, cleaner, and more dependable than the lives led by Captain Aubrey and his men, theirs were in some immeasurable way better—richer in possibility, and more regularly entrancing to the eye and spirit alike. As Stephen says of the Iliad, “The book is full of death, but oh so living.” Just so; if you died on board the Surprise, it would not be for want of having lived.”
Thanks for this interesting read, I only recently watched the film for the first time and I was impressed. The scenes of the ship fighting the seas around Cape Horn were tremendous. I come from a port in England and we have many memorials to ships lost at sea far from home, often with no explanation as there were no survivors. To choose the Naval life back then, especially if you were from a more privileged background and had other options, showed considerable courage. How Britannia came to rule the waves.
Great post. I had no idea about the Irish backstory. If you’re interested, I wrote a post about this as well and it’s interesting how we both hit upon the idea of restraint. I’m definitely inspired to read the books.
What a wonderful post, one of my all-time favorite movies. I think of the ancient sailor who has his depressed skull fracture repaired by Maturin in the hold, while the rest of the sailors watch down into the hold while the doctor describes his surgery. The tattoo of holdfast across his knuckles, which he shows to young midshipman before each battle. I think my favorite part is watching Lord Blakeney aim the carronade into the Acheron at point, blank range, fire, and then lead the boarding party as a one armed 13 year-old. Courage is something we all understand and all aspire to.
Currently listening to the second book. So far Aubrey and Maturin do not call to me in the way Hornblower or Harrington do, but O'Brian tells a fantastic story and I will be making my way through them all.
I had the misfortune of first 'watching' the film aged 10 and falling asleep shortly after they got to the Galapagos, hence went through much of my life thinking it was a bit of a damp squib that didn't live up to the implicit promise of 'Maximus but on a boat'. Thank goodness I married a woman who'd watched the whole thing. It should be on the national curriculum.
I absolutely adore this film and have the complete set of horatio hornblower. Can’t wait for my boys to mature enough to watch it with me. I also recommend ‘the 13th warrior’.
Great review of one of my favorite movies..it has one of the best opening scenes ever. I’m finishing the 6th book in the O Brian’s series and it’s nice to know that i won’t have to wonder what book to read next…14 more to go! “Quick’s the word, sharp’s the action!”
This woman loves this film, it is in my top five of all time. Every family should watch it together, especially families with boys.🏆🏆🏆
The film brings out the love of the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O’Brian. Anthony Lane, in a review of the film in 2003, commented on the draw of both the novels and the movie:
"What the novels leave us with, and what emerges more fitfully from this film, as if in shafts of sunlight, is the growing realization that, although our existence is indisputably safer, softer, cleaner, and more dependable than the lives led by Captain Aubrey and his men, theirs were in some immeasurable way better—richer in possibility, and more regularly entrancing to the eye and spirit alike. As Stephen says of the Iliad, “The book is full of death, but oh so living.” Just so; if you died on board the Surprise, it would not be for want of having lived.”
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/11/17/ruling-the-waves?_sp=71e56bdd-95b4-4a40-adce-2fa55499371d.1740067770379
Thanks for this interesting read, I only recently watched the film for the first time and I was impressed. The scenes of the ship fighting the seas around Cape Horn were tremendous. I come from a port in England and we have many memorials to ships lost at sea far from home, often with no explanation as there were no survivors. To choose the Naval life back then, especially if you were from a more privileged background and had other options, showed considerable courage. How Britannia came to rule the waves.
Great post. I had no idea about the Irish backstory. If you’re interested, I wrote a post about this as well and it’s interesting how we both hit upon the idea of restraint. I’m definitely inspired to read the books.
What a wonderful post, one of my all-time favorite movies. I think of the ancient sailor who has his depressed skull fracture repaired by Maturin in the hold, while the rest of the sailors watch down into the hold while the doctor describes his surgery. The tattoo of holdfast across his knuckles, which he shows to young midshipman before each battle. I think my favorite part is watching Lord Blakeney aim the carronade into the Acheron at point, blank range, fire, and then lead the boarding party as a one armed 13 year-old. Courage is something we all understand and all aspire to.
Currently listening to the second book. So far Aubrey and Maturin do not call to me in the way Hornblower or Harrington do, but O'Brian tells a fantastic story and I will be making my way through them all.