Captains Courageous (1937)

Director:

Victor Fleming

Writers:

Rudyard Kipling (novel)
John Lee Mahin (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 June 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family

Tagline:

The Most Exciting Picture Since "Mutiny On The Bounty"

Plot:

Harvey Cheyne is a spoiled brat used to having his own way. When a prank goes wrong onboard an ocean liner Harvey ends up overboard and nearly drowns...

Plot Keywords:

Fishing Boat | Spoiled Brat | Fishing | Overboard | DVD

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Freddie Bartholomew	...	Harvey
Spencer Tracy	...	Manuel
Lionel Barrymore	...	Disko
Melvyn Douglas	...	Mr. Cheyne
Charley Grapewin	...	Uncle Salters
Mickey Rooney	...	Dan
John Carradine	...	Long Jack
Oscar O'Shea	...	Cushman
Jack La Rue	...	Priest (as Jack LaRue)
Walter Kingsford	...	Dr. Finley
Donald Briggs	...	Tyler
Sam McDaniel	...	'Doc' (as Sam McDaniels)
Bill Burrud	...	Charles (as Billy Burrud)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Norman Ainsley	...	Robbins (uncredited)
Wally Albright	...	Boy (uncredited)
Betty Alden	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
C.E. Anderson	...	Fisherman (uncredited)
William Arnold	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Art Berry Sr.	...	Capt. Anderson (uncredited)
Wade Boteler	...	Skipper of Blue Gill (uncredited)
Don Brodie	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Tommy Bupp	...	Boy on Ship (uncredited)
Leo G. Carroll	...	Burns (uncredited)
Charles Coleman	...	Burns - the Butler (uncredited)
Jimmy Conlin	...	Martin (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Corridor Steward (uncredited)
Dora Early	...	Appleton's Wife (uncredited)
Bill Fisher	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Larry Fisher	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert	...	Soda Steward (uncredited)
Roger Gray	...	Nate Rogers (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Henry Hanna	...	(uncredited)
Richard Howard	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Skipper of Ship (uncredited)
Gladden James	...	Secretary Cobb (uncredited)
Jack Kennedy	...	Captain of Flying Swan (uncredited)
Katherine Kenworthy	...	Mrs. Disko (uncredited)
David Kerman	...	Reporter (uncredited)
James Kilgannon	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Murray Kinnell	...	Minister (uncredited)
Stubby Kruger	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Boots Lebaron	...	Boy (uncredited)
Myra Marsh	...	Chester's Wife (uncredited)
Philo McCullough	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Mira McKinney	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Fisherman (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Richard Powell	...	First Steward (uncredited)
Gene Reynolds	...	Boy in Print Shop (uncredited)
Christian Rub	...	Old Clement (uncredited)
Goldie Sloan	...	Black Woman (uncredited)
William Stack	...	Elliott (uncredited)
Jack Sterling	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Reggie Streeter	...	Boy (uncredited)
Frank Sully	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Gertrude Sutton	...	Nate's Wife (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Tom (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge	...	Dr. Dick Walsh (uncredited)
Lee Van Atta	...	Boy (uncredited)
Monte Vandergrift	...	Sailor on Flying Swan (uncredited)
Jay Ward	...	Pogey Williams (uncredited)
Bobby Watson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dave Wengren	...	Lars (uncredited)
Kenneth Wilson	...	Alvin Savage (uncredited)

Directed by
Victor Fleming

Writing credits
Rudyard Kipling		(novel)
John Lee Mahin		(screen play) &
Marc Connelly		(screen play) and
Dale Van Every		(screen play)

Produced by
Louis D. Lighton	....	producer

Original Music by
Franz Waxman

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Elmo Veron		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Art Department
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	associate art director (as Arnold Gillespie)
Edwin B. Willis	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Camera and Electrical Department
Harold J. Marzorati	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bob Roberts	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Maxwell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Clifford Vaughan	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Clifford Vaughan	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Franz Waxman	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
James Curtis Havens	....	marine director (as James Havens)
Frank Barnes	....	business manager (uncredited)
Hertzel Effensachs	....	marine coordinator (uncredited)
Harry Marble	....	marine director (uncredited)
Ewing Scott	....	business manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated) (Victor Fleming's Production)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Ibérica S.A. (1940) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (2010) (Australia) (theatrical) (16mm print)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Belgium) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Cooperativa Doppiaggio Cinematografico (CDC) (I) (II)  post-synchronization: Italian version
• MGM/UA Home Video  VHS package design
• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design

Also Known As:

"Rudyard Kipling's Captains Courageous" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Portuguese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | Norway:A (1937) | USA:TV-G | USA:Approved (certificate #2951) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | New Zealand:G | Germany:6 | Sweden:Btl (DVD rating) | Netherlands:AL (original rating) (1937) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This was one of the final films Lionel Barrymore made before his degenerative arthritis crippled him. The following year, he was hobbling around on crutches in Frank Capra's You Can't Take It with You (1938); after that, he was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Goofs:

Plot holes: It does not make sense that Harvey's teachers could expect him to be independent if he is only ten. In the novel he was fifteen.

Quotes:

Manuel Fidello:Protecting, Harvey, from Long Jack's anger"You touch that kid I tear you apart see!"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Survival of the Dead (2009)

Soundtrack:

Ooh What a Terrible Man

We all need a lesson in selflessness.

Some people don't know selflessness until they experience something extreme, like what happens in "Captains Courageous". Harvey Cheyne (Freddie Bartholomew) is the most spoiled kid whom anyone could ever imagine. After falling off of a ship, he gets picked up by Portuguese fisherman Manuel Fidello (Spencer Tracy), who teaches him selflessness and various other life lessons.

Spencer Tracy won a well deserved Oscar for his performance. Manuel is a person who, while not having much materially, has a lot to teach. He humbly improvises songs and just loves to go fishing, a stark contrast to Harvey's life of luxury. It doesn't suffice to call "Captains Courageous" a morality lesson; it's about life in general. 10/10.