''Captains Courageous'' is a 1937 American

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

film starring

Freddie Bartholomew Frederick Cecil Bartholomew (March 28, 1924 – January 23, 1992), known for his acting work as Freddie Bartholomew, was an English-American child actor who was very popular in 1930s Hollywood films. His most famous starring roles are in '' Cap ...

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...

, Lionel Barrymore and

Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in 1929 as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy '' Ninotchka'' ( ...

. Based on the 1897 novel of the same name by

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English journalist, novelist, poet, and short-story writer. He was born in British Raj, British India, which inspired much ...

, the film had its

world premiere A premiere, also spelled première, (from , ) is the debut (first public presentation) of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work. History Raymond F. Betts attributes the introduction of the film ...

at the Carthay Circle Theatre in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Directed by

Victor Fleming Victor Lonzo Fleming (February 23, 1889 – January 6, 1949) was an American film director, cinematographer, and producer. His most popular films were the historical drama ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'', for which he won an A ...

, it was produced by Louis D. Lighton and made by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. Filmed in

black and white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white to produce a range of achromatic brightnesses of grey. It is also known as greyscale in technical settings. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, ...

, ''Captains Courageous'' was advertised by MGM as a

coming-of-age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...

classic with exciting action sequences. The film was nominated for four

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

, with

winning the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the simple but caring fisherman Manuel. Backgrounds and exteriors for the film, which updated the story's setting to the mid-1920s, were shot on location in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Shelburne, Nova Scotia in Canada, and

Gloucester, Massachusetts Gloucester ( ) is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It sits on Cape Ann and is a part of North Shore (Massachusetts), Massachusetts's North Shore. The population was 29,729 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census. ...

in the United States.

Plot

Captains courageous tracy and bartholomew

Harvey Cheyne is the spoiled son of American business tycoon Frank Burton Cheyne. Harvey is shunned by his classmates at a private boarding school, and eventually suspended for bad behavior. Seeking to close the gap between them, Frank takes Harvey on a business trip to Europe, travelling there by trans-Atlantic steamship. A few days into the voyage, Harvey falls overboard in the

Grand Banks of Newfoundland The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus south-east of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. The Grand Banks are one of the world's richest fishing grounds, supporting Atlantic cod, swordf ...

. He is rescued by a fisherman, Manuel Fidello, and taken aboard the fishing

schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...

''We're Here'', from

. The schooner's captain, Disko Troop, doesn't believe Harvey's claims about his father's wealth, and refuses to take Harvey back to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. To Harvey's shock, he intends fishing on the Grand Banks for three more months. Captain Troop offers Harvey temporary crew membership until they return to port. Harvey is reluctant to do real work but prodded by Manuel, a proud but simple Portuguese immigrant, eventually accepts. Befriended also by Captain Troop's son, Dan, he becomes acclimated to the demanding fishing lifestyle. Harvey begins to partner with Manuel in his dory. When a prank of Harvey's causes a fish hook to lodge in a crewman's arm, Manuel defends the boy. The ''We're Here'' fills with fish and turns for home. During the climactic race back to Gloucester against a rival schooner, the ''Jennie Cushman'', Manuel climbs to the top of the mast to furl the sail. The mast cracks and he is plunged into the icy sea, tangled in the rigging. The weight of the broken mast and rigging threaten to capsize the ship. Manuel speaks to the cook in Portuguese, and the cook tells Captain Troop that all the bottom half of Manuel is gone, and Manuel doesn't want the boy to see. Manuel tells Captain Troop to cut the rigging free, knowing he will drown with it. Harvey crawls out on the wreckage, crying and distraught, while Captain Troop wields an axe. Finally Manuel kisses the cross around his neck and sinks below the water. ''We're Here'' returns to port and Harvey is reunited with his father Frank, who is impressed by his son's maturity. Harvey grieves for Manuel, pushing Frank away and wanting to stay on the ''We're Here'', but Troop reassures Frank, telling him that there is room in Harvey's heart for both men and that once there Frank "will find Manuel mighty satisfactory company." At the church, Harvey lights two candles, one from Manuel to Manuel's father and one from him to Manuel. Frank overhears Harvey praying that someday he will be with Manuel again and follows the boy to Manuel's dory, floating near the ship. Harvey is inconsolable and begs Frank to leave him alone. The next day, in front of the Fisherman's Memorial, Harvey and Frank join the community in casting bouquets and wreaths on the outgoing tide in tribute to the souls lost during this fishing season. The last shot shows the Cheynes' car speeding down the road with Manuel's dory on a trailer behind. Through the side window we see Harvey gesturing animatedly and his father laughing, regaled with stories of Harvey's adventures.

Cast

as Harvey Cheyne *

as Manuel Fidello * Lionel Barrymore as Captain Disko Troop *

as Frank Burton Cheyne * Charley Grapewin as Uncle Salters *

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last survivi ...

as Dan Troop *

John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later J ...

as "Long Jack" * Oscar O'Shea as Captain Walt Cushman * Jack La Rue as Priest (credited as Jack LaRue) *

Walter Kingsford Walter Kingsford (born Walter Pearce; 20 September 1881 – 7 February 1958) was an English stage, film, and television actor. Early years Kingsford was born in Redhill, Surrey, England. Career Kingsford began his acting career on the L ...

as Dr. Finley * Donald Briggs as Bob Tyler *

Sam McDaniel Samuel Rufus McDaniel (January 28, 1886September 24, 1962)Tanner, Beccy (November 7, 1991)"McDaniel Opened Doors; 'Gone With the Wind' Was Actress' Most Famous Film" ''The Wichita Eagle''. Retrieved January 3, 2021. was an American actor who ap ...

as "Doc" (credited as Sam McDaniels) * Bill Burrud as Charles Jamison (credited as Billy Burrud) *

Gladden James Gladden James (February 26, 1888 – August 28, 1948) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1911 and 1946. He was born in Zanesville, Ohio and died in Hollywood, California, from leukemia. Family In 1914 h ...

as Secretary Cobb (uncredited) *

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

as taxi driver (uncredited) *

Billy Gilbert William Gilbert Barron (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971), known professionally as Billy Gilbert, was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his comic sneeze routines. He appeared in over 200 feature films, short subjects a ...

as soda steward (uncredited) * Charles Coleman as Burns, the butler (uncredited) * Lester Dorr as corridor steward (uncredited)

Reception

Frank S. Nugent of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' called the film "another of those grand jobs of movie-making we have come to expect of Hollywood's most prodigal studio. With its rich production, magnificent marine photography, admirable direction and performances, the film brings vividly to life every page of Kipling's novel and even adds an exciting chapter or two of its own." '' Variety'' reported that the Kipling story had "been given splendid production, performance, photography and dramatic composition." '' Harrison's Reports'' wrote, "Excellent! It is the type of entertainment that audiences will not forget soon, for its spiritual beauty makes a deep impression on one." John Mosher of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'' called it "as rich a film as you will see this spring ... The picture is magnificent as a sketch of storm and struggle on the ocean."

Box office

According to MGM records the film earned $1,688,000 in the US and Canada and $1,445,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $355,000.

Awards

won the

Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...

for his work in this film. The movie was also nominated for three other

: * Best Picture – Louis D. Lighton, producer * Best Film Editing – Elmo Veron * Best Writing, Screenplay –

Marc Connelly Marcus Cook Connelly (December 13, 1890 – December 21, 1980) was an American playwright, director, producer, performer, and lyricist. He was a key member of the Algonquin Round Table, and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1930. Biogra ...

John Lee Mahin John Lee Mahin (August 23, 1902, Evanston, Illinois – April 18, 1984, Los Angeles) was an American screenwriter and producer of films who was active in Hollywood from the 1930s to the 1960s. He was known as the favorite writer of Clark Gable a ...

and Dale Van Every A

VHS VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s. Ma ...

edition of the 1937 film was released by MGM Home Video in 1990 followed by

Warner Home Video Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Inc. (doing business as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment; formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the American home video distribution ...

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

of the film on January 31, 2006. The film is recognized by

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...

in these lists: * 2006: AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers – #94

In popular culture

Holden Caulfield Holden Caulfield (identified as "Holden Morrisey Caulfield" in the story "Slight Rebellion Off Madison", and "Holden V. Caulfield" in ''The Catcher in the Rye'') is a fictional character in the works of author J. D. Salinger. He is most famous f ...

, protagonist of the 1951 J.D. Salinger novel ''

The Catcher in the Rye ''The Catcher in the Rye'' is the only novel by American author J. D. Salinger. It was partially published in serial form in 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its theme ...

'', is thought to look like Harvey Cheyne, as in the book a prostitute tells Caulfield that he looks like the boy who falls off a boat in a film costarring Melvyn Douglas, though the film is not mentioned by name. Chris Elliott has stated that ''Captains Courageous'' was the inspiration for the film ''

Cabin Boy A cabin boy or ship's boy is a boy or young man who waits on the officers and passengers of a ship, especially running errands for the captain. The modern merchant navy successor to the cabin boy is the steward's assistant. Duties Cabin boys ...

''.

References

External links

* * * * {{Victor Fleming 1937 films 1930s adventure drama films American adventure drama films American black-and-white films Films scored by Franz Waxman Films about fishing Films based on British novels Films based on works by Rudyard Kipling Films directed by Victor Fleming Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award–winning performance Films set in Massachusetts Films set on ships Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Sea adventure films Seafaring films Films set in the Atlantic Ocean 1937 drama films Photoplay Awards film of the year winners 1930s English-language films 1930s American films English-language adventure drama films