The Long Voyage Home (1940)

Aboard the freighter Glencairn, the lives of the crew are lived out in fear, loneliness, suspicion and cameraderie. The men smuggle drink and women aboard, fight with each other, spy on ... See full summary »

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Eugene O'Neill (based on: four sea plays by), Dudley Nichols (adapted for the screen by)

Stars:

John Wayne, Thomas Mitchell, Ian Hunter

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	Olsen
Thomas Mitchell	...	Driscoll
Ian Hunter	...	Smitty
Barry Fitzgerald	...	Cocky
Wilfrid Lawson	...	Captain
John Qualen	...	Axel
Mildred Natwick	...	Freda
Ward Bond	...	Yank
Arthur Shields	...	Donkeyman
Joe Sawyer	...	Davis (as Joseph Sawyer)
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Crimp
Rafaela Ottiano	...	Bella
Carmen Morales	...	Principal Spanish Girl
Jack Pennick	...	Johnny
Bob Perry	...	Paddy (as Bob E. Perry)

Storyline

Aboard the freighter Glencairn, the lives of the crew are lived out in fear, loneliness, suspicion and cameraderie. The men smuggle drink and women aboard, fight with each other, spy on each other, comfort each other as death approaches, and rescue each other from danger.

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Plot Keywords:

fight | rescue | funeral at sea | warrior | murder | 

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Taglines:

The searing loves and primitive hatreds of the men who live by the sea! (1948 reissue poster)

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

11 November 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eine lange Reise

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Harbor, Wilmington, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Argosy Pictures, Walter Wanger Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film's opening prologue states: "With their hates and desires men are changing the face of the earth - but they cannot change the Sea. Men who live on the Sea never change - for they live in a lonely world apart as they drift from one rusty tramp steamer to the next, forging the life of Nations."

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Goofs

When Smitty tries to escape the boat, he picks a box. When he picks the box, he is wearing a jacket with buttons on the sleeve, but he's not wearing a jacket or shirt with buttons.

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Quotes

Donkeyman: Best thing to do with memories is... forget em.

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Connections

Referenced in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Ford (1973)

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Soundtracks

"Blow the Man Down"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played during the opening credits
Sung often by crewmen
Sung a cappella by J.M. Kerrigan
Variations played as part of the score

User Reviews

John Wayne as the Swede sailor Ole

It's strange that the best performance John Wayne ever gave on film was one that was not in a western, where he was not in the lead, and where he did not play, essentially, himself. Ask someone what Wayne's best work as an actor was; they look at you strangely, shrug, and walk away. Whenever he tried an accent or a bunch of makeup, he flopped. Here, though, as the Swede sailor Ole, he fits perfectly. His tired face becomes poignant, his tall, forceful presence paints him as a gentle giant, rather than as the salt-of-the-earth cowboy he is best known for.

If the opening shots -- the haunting island music, the wind making everything sway in the night air, the island women flirting with the sailors, the sailors flirting back -- doesn't hook you through the sheer force of ambiance alone, you probably won't like "The Long Voyage Home." If you're expecting an exciting sea adventure with the joe average John Ford job of direction, you'll be disappointed. If you're in the mood for something of a nautical mood piece; the adventures of merchant sailors from bar to bar, the tragedy of being affiliated with the wrong ship, naval warfare in the early twentieth century, etc., check this out.