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Moby Dick

  • 19301930
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
560
YOUR RATING
John Barrymore in Moby Dick (1930)
In this extremely loose adaptation of Melville's classic novel, Ahab is revealed initially not as a bitter and vengeful madman, but as a bit of a lovable scamp. Ashore in New Bedford, he meets and falls for Faith Mapple, daughter of the local minister and beloved of Ahab's brother Derek. Faith herself quickly returns Ahab's love, as Derek is drab and ignoble. On his next voyage, however, Ahab loses a leg to the monstrous white whale Moby-Dick. When upon his return to New Bedford he mistakenly believes Faith wants nothing to do with him because of his disfigurement, Ahab returns to sea with only one goal in mind -- to find and kill the great white whale.
Play trailer1:08
1 Video
11 Photos
AdventureDramaMusic
In this extremely loose adaptation of Melville's classic novel, Ahab is revealed initially not as a bitter and vengeful madman, but as a bit of a lovable scamp. Ashore in New Bedford, he mee... Read allIn this extremely loose adaptation of Melville's classic novel, Ahab is revealed initially not as a bitter and vengeful madman, but as a bit of a lovable scamp. Ashore in New Bedford, he meets and falls for Faith Mapple, daughter of the local minister and beloved of Ahab's brothe... Read allIn this extremely loose adaptation of Melville's classic novel, Ahab is revealed initially not as a bitter and vengeful madman, but as a bit of a lovable scamp. Ashore in New Bedford, he meets and falls for Faith Mapple, daughter of the local minister and beloved of Ahab's brother Derek. Faith herself quickly returns Ahab's love, as Derek is drab and ignoble. On his n... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
560
YOUR RATING
    • Lloyd Bacon
    • Herman Melville(by)
    • Oliver H.P. Garrett(adaptation)
    • J. Grubb Alexander(screen play and dialogue)
  • Stars
    • John Barrymore
    • Joan Bennett
    • Lloyd Hughes
    • Lloyd Bacon
    • Herman Melville(by)
    • Oliver H.P. Garrett(adaptation)
    • J. Grubb Alexander(screen play and dialogue)
  • Stars
    • John Barrymore
    • Joan Bennett
    • Lloyd Hughes
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:08
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos11

    John Barrymore, Joan Bennett, and Lloyd Hughes in Moby Dick (1930)
    Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore, Noble Johnson, and Walter Long in Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore and Joan Bennett in Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore and Joan Bennett in Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore and Noble Johnson in Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore in Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore and Joan Bennett in Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore in Moby Dick (1930)
    John Barrymore in Moby Dick (1930)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Barrymore
    John Barrymore
    • Captain Ahab Ceely
    Joan Bennett
    Joan Bennett
    • Faith
    Lloyd Hughes
    Lloyd Hughes
    • Derek
    Noble Johnson
    Noble Johnson
    • Queequeg
    Nigel De Brulier
    Nigel De Brulier
    • Elijah
    • (as Nigel de Brulier)
    Walter Long
    Walter Long
    • Stubbs
    May Boley
    May Boley
    • Whale Oil Rosie
    Tom O'Brien
    • Starbuck
    Virginia Sale
    Virginia Sale
    • Old Maid
    John Ince
    John Ince
    • Reverend Mapple
    Tom Amandares
    • Sailor on Board during storm
    • (uncredited)
    Jay Berger
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Ted Billings
    • Sailor
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Cramer
    Richard Cramer
    • Sailor
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Curtis
    Jack Curtis
    • First Mate
    • (uncredited)
    June Gittelson
    June Gittelson
    • Fat Fanny on Dock
    • (uncredited)
    Dannie Mac Grant
    Dannie Mac Grant
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Otto Hoffman
    Otto Hoffman
    • Shanghai Lady Seller
    • (uncredited)
      • Lloyd Bacon
      • Herman Melville(by)
      • Oliver H.P. Garrett(adaptation)
      • J. Grubb Alexander(screen play and dialogue)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This film featured an early, experimental use of widescreen known as Magnascope. As the boats were lowered for the first chase after the whale, the screen widened; then, as Moby Dick suddenly closed in on Captain Ahab, the screen returned to its normal size. This process had been used for selected sequences of important features at certain first run film run theaters since late 1926 when it was inaugurated with Old Ironsides (1926). There was no change in ratio. The screen got larger, by using a different lens, but lighting and magnification problems limited its use to special occasions.
    • Goofs
      The cover of Melville's novel is shown, then what is ostensibly the first page. But the text shown consists of statements about whaling in general and Moby Dick. The novel, however, is written in the first person, and its first line, establishing this, is one of the most famous in all literature: "Call me Ishmael." This footage was lifted from the 1925 version, 'The Sea Beast'.
    • Quotes

      Faith Mapple: [to Capt. Ahab] Why... Why, Ahab Creely! You're crying!

    • Crazy credits
      While the credits state that the film is based on Herman Melville's novel, the first page of the novel shown onscreen right after the credits is entirely written by one of the screenwriters; it has absolutely nothing to do with Melville's original, and even leaves out Melville's classic opening sentence, "Call me Ishmael".
    • Connections
      Alternate-language version of Dämon des Meeres (1931)

    User reviews30

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    A Whale Of A Tale
    A crazed sea captain searches the Seven Seas for MOBY DICK, the great white whale which maimed him.

    To enjoy this film on its own merits it would be well for the viewer to remind himself that great literature does not always become great cinema. The two art forms are very dissimilar, each making different demands upon its audience. Sometimes, as in this instance, there is only a hint of the original story when it reaches the screen.

    Do not look for Ishmael or the Pequod here; you will not find them. Don't expect any titanic & transcendental clash between man and brute beast at the climax. Indeed, the conclusion of the film is so radically different from the novel as to be almost startling.

    What will you find is a good-looking movie with very fine production values, featuring an enormously enjoyable performance by John Barrymore as Captain Ahab. Barrymore overacts outrageously, as is to be expected with a role of this sort, chewing the scenery and rolling his extraordinary eyes. In short, he is tremendous fun, even during the unexpected scenes depicting Ahab in love. His brief foray into church, followed by an adoring stray dog, is hilarious, not a descriptive term one usually associates with Melville's character. In short, the entire film is a star vehicle for Barrymore and he remains the primary reason to view it.

    Joan Bennett, as Ahab's love, and Lloyd Hughes, as Ahab's resentful younger brother, don't fare as well in comparison to Barrymore's scene-stealing antics. Hughes' final moments, after being shanghaied onto Barrymore's ship, are his most effective, but Miss Bennett is not given much to do during her solemn sequences except to act patient and brave, which can be very dull.

    Silent film star Noble Johnson has one of his best talkie roles as the half-savage Queequeg, Ahab's only true friend. Another excellent actor from Silent days, Nigel De Brulier, shows up very briefly as a pathetic barroom preacher. Character actress Virginia Sale is quite droll in her brief role as a New Bedford spinster.

    The scenes actually showing Moby Dick are dramatic and frightening, even though the fate the script has in store for him would never have passed muster with Melville.
    helpful•20
    5
    • Ron Oliver
    • Nov 15, 2004

    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 20, 1930 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 20 minutes
      • Black and White

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