JohnHowardReid 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

evanston_dad 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+

gavin6942 Harvey Cheyne (Freddie Bartholomew) is a spoiled brat used to having his own way. When a prank goes wrong on board an ocean liner Harvey ends up overboard and nearly drowns. Fortunately he's picked up by a fishing boat just heading out for the season. He tries to bribe the crew into returning early to collect a reward but none of them believe him. Stranded on the boat he must adapt to the ways of the fishermen and learn more about the real world.Frank S. Nugent of The New York Times called the film "another of those grand jobs of movie-making we have come to expect of Hollywood's most prodigal studio. With its rich production, magnificent marine photography, admirable direction and performances, the film brings vividly to life every page of Kipling's novel and even adds an exciting chapter or two of its own." This really is a great film. I went in knowing nothing about it, and came out really impressed. For the first quarter or so of the film, I was increasingly annoyed with the spoiled boy, and did not now where things were going to go. But once it shifted gears, that build-up of annoyance paid off. In fact, it would not have been nearly as effective if they didn't convince me of how awful this boy was. Perfect execution.

calvinnme While it is an occasionally spirited film dealing with fishermen and their vessels on the seas, I am struck by the film's emotional core, which are those scenes of remarkable intimacy between Spencer Tracy and Freddie Bartholomew. The two actors have a sublime rapport, assisted by the direction of Victor Fleming. Tracy won an Oscar, of course, for his touching, humane portrayal which mixes wisdom with humor and courage, as Manuel, a simple Portuguese fisherman who teaches a young boy about life and helps that formerly spoiled young man mature. Bartholomew, in the role of the rich man's son, gives what has to be the performance of his career.I'm always particularly touched by the scene towards the film's end in which Bartholomew tries, in his own way, to tell the fisherman of his love for him. And it really is a moment of love between these two. Tracy is talking to the boy about the fact that the boy's father will be anxiously looking for him and they will need to be reunited. Bartholmew acknowledges that statement, but starts to ramble. He keeps his head down, looking at the floor as he tries to tell Tracy how he feels. It's one of the most heart wrenching moments ever captured on film. A little boy, formerly self absorbed and proud, dropping all pretense of pride as he emotionally opens up to a man he loves and respects, and can't bear to leave. Tracy, stunned, deeply moved, can only say, "My leetle feesh," as he places his hand on the boy's face. His look and that gentle simple gesture beautifully expresses his feelings at the moment, too. It's a scene that never fails to move me.Later in the film, after the fisherman, the boy's friend and hero, has drowned, Bartholomew, in that scene in which he cries in Manuel's boat, as his father tries to comfort him, captures the anguish and despair that we all feel when we have lost someone very special in our lives, and know we will never see that person again. Victor Fleming touchingly directs a moment which, to me, captures the agony of a young boy dealing with the terrible permanence of death.