Down to the Sea in Ships (1922)

Story of the lives of the people in a small Quaker community and the adventures of a whaling ship.

Director:

Elmer Clifton

Writer:

John L.E. Pell (scenario)

Stars:

Marguerite Courtot, Raymond McKee, William Walcott

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marguerite Courtot	...	Patience Morgan
Raymond McKee	...	Thomas Allan Dexter
William Walcott	...	Charles W. Morgan
Clara Bow	...	'Dot' Morgan
James Turfler	...	'Jimmy'
Leigh Smith	...	'Scuff' Smith (as Leigh R. Smith)
Pat Hartigan	...	Jake Finner (as Patrick Hartigan)
Jack Baston	...	Samuel Siggs (as J. Thornton Baston)
Curtis Pierce	...	The Town Crier
Ada Laycock	...	'Henny' Clark
William Cavanaugh	...	'Thunderbolt Bill'

Storyline

Story of the lives of the people in a small Quaker community and the adventures of a whaling ship.

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Plot Keywords:

quaker | ship | whaling | kiss | rain | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

4 March 1923 (USA)

Also Known As:

A bálna

Filming Locations:

Seaman's Bethel, New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Whaling Film Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Alternate Versions

A tinted restoration made by Karl Malkames with an uncredited piano score was copyrighted by Killiam Shows, Inc. in 1972. Its running time was 83 minutes.

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Connections

Featured in Clara Bow: Discovering the It Girl (1999)

User Reviews

Elmer Clifton's Fantastic Voyage

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord; and his wonders in the deep." - Psalm 107

In the whaling town of New Bedford, Massachusetts, pretty Marguerite Courtot (as Patience Morgan) plays with her dolls; an adult, she longs for her girlhood days with "the boy next door". Happily, her objectification, Raymond McKee (as Thomas Allan Dexter), returns, after some years in college. Soon, Mr. McKee opens a mill, and begins to court Ms. Courtot. McKee asks her father William Walcott (as William Morgan) for Courtot's hand in marriage. But Walcott, a strict Quaker, won't allow his obedient daughter to marry outside her religion. McKee offers to convert, but finds another challenge almost insurmountable:

"Patience is a whaleman's daughter," Walcott explains, "Unless thee has thrown a harpoon into a whale, take thy story of love elsewhere. It can never be -- never!" So, McKee goes directly to the next whaling ship, hoping to harpoon a whale; instead, he is abducted, and put to work aboard. Mixing it up in the waling ship is mischievous stowaway Clara Bow (as Dot Morgan), Walcott's grand-daughter; she has an eye for cabin boy James Turfler (as Jimmy). Meanwhile, Patrick Hartigan ( as Jake Finner) and Jack Baston (as Samuel Siggs) are plotting to steal both Walcott's ship, and his daughter's virtue…

The main story, and performances of the principals are thoroughly unconvincing; although McKee does well whaling, while Courtot, the film's feminine lead, sits at home playing with her dolls. There are disturbing religious and racial undertones in the plotting. Ms. Bow, in her second film, and Mr. Turfler easily steal the attention. The Elmer Clifton direction, and photography by A.G. Penrod with Paul H. Allen are outstanding, however; and, their seafaring scenes are thrilling.

******* Down to the Sea in Ships (11/22/22) Elmer Clifton ~ Raymond McKee, Marguerite Courtot, Clara Bow