This oceans saga features the sole survivor of a lost whaling ship who relates the tale of a white whale and the captain Ahab's obsession with desires for vendetta upon the greatest animal . It starts in New Bedford , Massachussets, where arrives a novice named Ishmael (Richard Basehart) who signs aboard the whaling ship Pequod and befriends a Polynesian native , harpooner Queequeg (Friedrich Ledebur) . He meets captain Ahab (Gregory Peck) who has a self-destructive obsession to hunt the white whale , Moby Dick . Ahab consecrates his life to hunt it full of hating and vengeance . Soon enough Ishmael aware about the great white whale who claimed the captain's leg and Ahab's determination to seek avenge on the beast that crippled and scarred him , no matter what the cost to himself , his crew or ship .
This impressive adaptation based on Herman Melville's 1851 classic novel is vividly brought to screen . Suspense and tension of the ocean is completely captured , including enduring images as the storm with the 'fire of Saint Telmo' . Climatic final battle is an overwhelming piece of cinema as you are likely to watch . Huston, along with prestigious Sci-Fi author Ray Bradbury wrote a screenplay that was faithful to the novel , stamping this movie with epic images and thought-provoking dialogs . In his memories , Huston wrote that it was his most difficult and enduring film . Huston decided to do the opening sequences at a small village called Youghal located on Irland coast and the maritime scenes were filmed in Islas Canarias , Spain . The FX experts created a great whale made with gum and plastic and moved by means of remote control . Huston bought to Walt Disney the ship used in 'Treasure Island' (by Byron Haskin) and was modified as Herman Melville described the Pequod . Top-notch main cast who realizes extraordinary performances . Peck is fabulous , though Huston had wanted to make the movie 20 years earlier and star his daddy Walter Huston . Phenomenal support cast as Bernard Miles as Manxman , James Robertson Justice as captain Boomer , Harry Andrews as Stubbs , and Leo Genn who steals the show as officer Starbuck . Cameraman Oswald Morris's breathtaking color cinematography splendidly conveys the bleaker qualities of the chase . Exciting and rousing musical score by Philip Stainton and well conducted by the usual Louis Levy . Rating : Above average , quite a few moments that click make this top-of-the-range movie more than watchable . It results to be one of the most thrilling and moving see sagas ever realized .
It's remade in 1998 TV series by Franc Roddan with Patrick Stewart ,Henry Thomas , Bill Hunter and Gregory Peck who takes on the character of Jonah-and-the-whale sermonizing Father Mapple who in this classic adaptation was vividly played by Orson Welles . Furthermore recent lousy rendition full of computer generator FX starred by Barry Bostwick and Renee O'Connor .
