Deep Waters (1948)

A Maine lobster fisherman, trained as an architect, prefers to be a fisherman over the objections of his fiancée. The latter, a welfare worker for the state, finds a home for a 12-year-old ... See full summary »

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

Ruth Moore (novel), Richard Murphy (screenplay)

Stars:

Dana Andrews, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview:
Dana Andrews	...	Hod Stillwell
Jean Peters	...	Ann Freeman
Cesar Romero	...	Joe Sanger
Dean Stockwell	...	Donny Mitchell
Anne Revere	...	Mary McKay
Ed Begley	...	Josh Hovey
Leona Powers	...	Mrs. Freeman
Mae Marsh	...	Molly Thatcher
Will Geer	...	Nick Driver
Cliff Clark	...	Harris
Bruno Wick	...	Druggist
Harry Tyler	...	Hopkins

Storyline

A Maine lobster fisherman, trained as an architect, prefers to be a fisherman over the objections of his fiancée. The latter, a welfare worker for the state, finds a home for a 12-year-old orphan who loves the sea. He and the fisherman become friends but the fiancée, fearful of the dangers of sea life. forces the fisherman to restrict the boy from his boat. Denied the life he loves, the boy, in retribution, steals a camera and is sent to reform school. The couple marries and succeeds in getting a judge to grant a petition allowing them to adopt the boy.

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Plot Keywords:

orphan | reform school | judge | architect | welfare worker | 

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Taglines:

From the Best Seller 'Spoonhandle'

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 May 1949 (Finland)

Also Known As:

O Órfão do Mar

Filming Locations:

Knox County Courthouse - 62 Union Street, Rockland, Maine, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on February 17, 1949 with Dana Andrews, Jean Peters and Dean Stockwell reprising their film roles.

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Connections

Referenced in The Case Against the 20% Federal Admissions Tax on Motion Picture Theatres (1953)

User Reviews

Dean's custody

Deep Waters which stars Dana Andrews and Jean Peters is a modest story with some special effects that earned the film an Oscar nomination. But for that the film would probably be forgotten today save for its one surviving cast member Dean Stockwell.

Peters is a social worker who comes from a Maine lobster fishing family who lost her father at sea. Stockwell is an orphan who lost his father and uncle at sea. Dana Andrews is a lobster fisherman who takes a liking to the troubled kid.

For reasons having to do with her own issues on the subject Peters places Stockwell in foster care in places that are nowhere near the sea. Running out of them she places him with Anne Revere as a foster mother. Still Stockwell wants to go to sea, it's in his blood and when he doesn't get his way he acts out in ways that will send him to reform school.

I don't think you need a road map to see where this film is going. The special effects of the storm at sea where Andrews and partner Cesar Romero rescue Stockwell are nice and the film's exteriors are done on the Maine coast. Cesar Romero had an interesting character in the Portugese fishing partner of Andrews, shades of Captains Courageous. I wish we had more of him in the film.

Deep Waters is a modest film that kids may like, but can be safely passed over by adults if they're not fans of any of the cast.