White Squall (1996)

Teenage boys discover discipline and camaraderie on an ill-fated sailing voyage.

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writers:

Charles Gieg Jr. (book), Felix Sutton (book)

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Caroline Goodall, John Savage

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Sheldon 'Skipper'
Caroline Goodall	...	Dr. Alice Sheldon
John Savage	...	McCrea
Scott Wolf	...	Chuck Gieg
Jeremy Sisto	...	Frank Beaumont
Ryan Phillippe	...	Gil Martin
David Lascher	...	Robert March
Eric Michael Cole	...	Dean Preston
Jason Marsden	...	Shay Jennings
David Selby	...	Francis Beaumont
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Girard Pascal (as Julio Mechoso)
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Sanders
Balthazar Getty	...	Tod Johnstone
Ethan Embry	...	Tracy Lapchick
Jordan Clarke	...	Charles Gieg

Storyline

A true story about a group of American teenage boys who crew a school sailing ship to gain experience, discipline, or whatever their parents feel they lack. The voyage is a true adventure for them all but it has its downs as well as ups.

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Plot Keywords:

sail | squall | storm | male bonding | acrophobia | 

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Taglines:

The strongest force in nature is the will to survive.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and a traumatic shipwreck

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English Danish Spanish

Release Date:

2 February 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

White Squall - Reißende Strömung

Filming Locations:

Beaufort, South Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$38,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,908,514, 4 February 1996

Gross USA:

$10,292,300

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,292,300

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures, Largo Entertainment, Scott Free Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On the same day that production on his film "Hot Zone" was cancelled, Ridley Scott was given a copy of this film's script. Ninety minutes later, he announced that he would direct it.

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Goofs

When the jitney first arrives at the Albatross to drop off the crew, a 1980 Pontiac Phoenix is in full view.

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Quotes

[Chuck Talking to Captain Sheldon during the Trial]
Chuck: You told us where we go one we go all, well we believed you, we lived by it, Sir. And now your saying where you go we can't follow.

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Connections

References Captains Courageous (1937)

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Soundtracks

IN THE MOOD
Written by Joe Garland

User Reviews

Not one of Ridley Scott's best, but it deserved better

With masterpieces like Alien, Blade Runner and the underrated, but superb, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, I am quite a big Ridley Scott fan. White Squall is something of a let down in comparison, but it certainly deserved more than a measly $10 million US gross at the box office. As you would expect from a Scott film it boasts his trademark lavish production quality and stunning photography. The sequences at sea at some of the most spectacular ever filmed as Scott revels in the rolling waves and lurching ship, convey the ferociousness at sea, even in fairly calm conditions like no other film I can recall. The story however is less successful and is essentially (and unusually unoriginal for a Scott movie) a Dead Poets' Society at sea, as a motley crew of young boys, played by a talented and convincing set youngsters, do a lot of growing during the course of the voyage under the watchful eye of an Ahab-esque but eventually sympathetic Jeff Bridges. The final scene most definitely resembles that of Dead Poets' Society. (Captain. My Captain). However the film as a whole never bores and makes for compulsive viewing at times particularly the superb storm of the title, that is both moving as well technical tour de force.