Seems like every grand character actor in Hollywood gets to play an old salt in this fine film of a boy's coming of age on a whaling ship. Cecil Kellaway, Jay C. Flippen, Thomas Mitchell, Gene Lockhart, et al. are given generous opportunity to show us all how it's done. Lionel Barrymore is deeply affecting as a crusty old whaling captain raising his grandson to be a proper man, and Richard Widmark is warm and nuanced as the young educated officer ordered to school the boy at sea. Role modeling, bonding, jealousy, ethics, rule of law vs. rule of heart, honor codes, masculine virtue ideation, etc. are skillfully and sincerely explored. Little Dean Stockwell is tough and smart in the role of the boy. In lesser hands this could have been creaky mush -- but fine script, direction, acting make this film a gem.
Review of Down to the Sea in Ships
