Just what I expected

Admirable film.

A Masterpiece!

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

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

Spencer Tracy won his first of two back-to-back Oscars for playing a Portugese fisherman in this tear jerker from 1937.Tracy becomes a father figure to a spoiled brat rich kid (Freddie Bartholomew) when the kid falls overboard off an ocean liner and is picked up by the fishing trawler. Familiar actors like Lionel Barrymore, Mickey Rooney, and Charlie Grapewin play the other fishermen, and Bartholomew predictably learns the value of hard work and ethics from this merry band.While overall I thought "Captains Courageous" was a solid if unspectacular film, I was surprised by its treatment of the central theme (fatherhood) and its ending. Bartholomew is reunited with his absentee father (Melvyn Douglas), who learns the error of his ways and is determined to be more there for his kid. That I expected. But what I didn't expect was the unspoken but very obvious fact that the relationship between father and son was permanently stunted by the fact that the son found a father figure he liked better, that his true father understood that, and resigned himself to having the best relationship he could under those limitations. That's a pretty mature conclusion for a film from this time period, and one that certainly remains relevant today.Victor Fleming provides the direction, which was not among the four categories for which this film was Oscar-nominated. In addition to Tracy, the film won nominations for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.Grade: B+

This movie is not to be confused with the book. This movie is a Freddie Bartholomew starring film. Following Freddie's major success in David Copperfield, this movie was a natural fit for the child actor. There is the Wizard of Oz connection here too.We have Director Victor Fleming and Charlie Grapewin as Uncle Salters who would later be Uncle Henry. His support in this one is essential to the plot as the story is told. This one develops a major relationship between Freddie and Spencer Tracy (Harvey & Manuel that tugs at the heart strings. The film is a major success for both.Freddie is a sort spoiled rich kid who is sailing on an ocean liner and accidentally falls off it trying to hide from his friends. He is accidentally rescued by Manuel(Tracy) and winds up on a fishing boat.The spoiled Harvey tries to buy his way off of the boat at first but then finds out he can not and then finds Manuel to change his entire life. Harvey was never close to his own dad so Manuel becomes a replacement for him. As the relationship grows, the emotions do too, until tragedy strikes the relationship, as Manuel is killed.From there, the fishing boat finally makes shore with Harvey sad about the death, but no longer the spoiled brat he once was. He even gets closer to his dad at the end. The movie works well, and is not the typical happy ending when Harvey gets home that many films were in the 1930's. This one shows emotional dimension.

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