Top ten sailing movies [Archive] - The WoodenBoat Forum

StevenBauer

03-09-2009, 07:21 PM

ClassicBoat Magazine listed their top ten sailing flicks. What do you think? Did they get them right?

In random order:

The Riddle Of The Sands, 1978
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, 2003
Down To The Sea In Ships, 1949
Knife In The Water, 1962
The Boat, 1921
Moby Dick, 1956
The African Queen, 1952
Captains Courageous, 1937
1492 Conquest of Paradise, 1992
The Old Man And The Sea, 1990

I questioned the African Queen choice until I read this:

"Though there is no sailing and most of the on-water footage was shot in London, the film contains a fine portrayal of an idiosyncratic steam power plant."

There are some fine directors represented: John Huston, Roman Polanski, Buster Keaton, Ridley Scott, etc.

So what do you think? Any glaring omissions?

Steven

S/V Laura Ellen

03-09-2009, 07:27 PM

Where is Captain Ron?

StevenBauer

03-09-2009, 07:29 PM

Where is Captain Ron?

It is a British magazine, Allan, they might not get "Captain Ron". :D

rbgarr

03-09-2009, 08:02 PM

If African Queen is on the list for the steam plant, Jaws wouldn't be far off for the sinking scene. ;>

Paul Pless

03-09-2009, 08:02 PM

As long as they got Captain's Courageous in there they got the list mostly right. Awesome legitimate footage in that movie...

johngsandusky

03-09-2009, 08:02 PM

White Squall
Message in a Bottle, if they would edit it to only the sailing scenes of Malabar II.

StevenBauer

03-09-2009, 08:05 PM

As long as they got Captain's Courageous in there they got the list mopstly right. Awesome legitimate footage in that movie...

That was my feeling, too.That was the first one I looked for. :)

Steven

PatrickXavier

03-09-2009, 11:48 PM

The Bounty, 1984 (based on Richard Hough's Captain Bligh and Mr Christian, rather than the tired old Mutiny on the Bounty)

Sea Wolf, 1993 (from the Jack London story)

Treasure Island, 1990 (with Charlton Heston as Long John Silver)

(At least no-one, not even rgbarr, mentioned PotC.)

mick allen

03-10-2009, 02:27 AM

'das boote' has gotta be near the top.

.

George Ray

03-10-2009, 04:49 AM

The Last Sailors.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/616uxe0IxdL._SL500_AA240_.gif
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N4SHUS/ref=cm_cr_error

03-10-2009, 05:07 AM

The Cruel Sea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruel_Sea_(film (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruel_Sea_%28film))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OMcV3qgI08&feature=related

Thad Van Gilder

03-10-2009, 06:33 AM

I thought message in a bottle had a concordia in it...

You gotta have Captain Ron in that list!

-Thad

Dale Genther

03-10-2009, 07:03 AM

Thad, Message In a Bottle had the Concordia "Arapaho" in it and also a Malabar.

I tried to order a copy of The Riddle of the Sands thru Netflix but it didn't show up in a search. Where can I find it?

Garth Jones

03-10-2009, 07:28 AM

Well, if a steam plant and a sinking are required, then how about 'Titanic?' The scenes in the engine room are really cool she does sink.

For really good sailing and ship photography (and a sinking) I would suggest 'White Squall.'

Saltiguy

03-10-2009, 07:30 AM

Not sailing, but a great sea story that comes to mind is "The wreck of the Mary Deare"
A few of those old Errol Flynn movies had some great sailing scenes - they used real ships too!

Hwyl

03-10-2009, 07:34 AM

Unless it has "Wind" it has no validity. It's THE sailing movie, love it or hate it.

I've never seen Riddle either, I joined NetFlix especially to get it.

I'd obviously include Swallows and Amazons

Dale Genther

03-10-2009, 07:43 AM

Garth- Did you find Riddle on Narflix? Because I couldn't. Maybe I did my search wrong.

FSS172

03-10-2009, 07:50 AM

Second the 'Wind' nomination. I'd add 'The Perfect Storm' - also not sailing (except for that one sub-plot) - but pretty gripping stuff....

Hwyl

03-10-2009, 07:57 AM

Garth- Did you find Riddle on Narflix? Because I couldn't. Maybe I did my search wrong.

No, in fact I cancelled my subscription because of that, and no Disney sailing movie "Morning Light", nor the Dylan Thomas movie "Edge of Love".

watson1990

03-10-2009, 11:53 AM

I haven't seen anyone mention "And the sea will tell " ,
Athough it was a 2 part movie...it is available at Barnes and Nobles

watson

gert

03-10-2009, 12:15 PM

The Riddle Of The Sands, 1978

I didn't know this had been made into a movie; great read.

I picked this up at my favorite used book store; the proprietor said he has had a consistent half dozen inquiries a year for it for decades. Perfect movie material actually. Should be on PBS Mystery.

Thermo

03-10-2009, 01:14 PM

How could anyone forget this gem from Oz? It makes my top 5.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHsf_wOrqTE

Tinman

03-10-2009, 01:31 PM

The Cruel Sea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruel_Sea_(film (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruel_Sea_%28film))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OMcV3qgI08&feature=related

You stole my thunder. This is without doubt one of the msot accurate accounts of life at sea during ww2 I have ever seen. Another great flick is called "The Key" Salvage tugs rescuing wounded frieghters. For wind powered stories, it's gotta be Master and Commander.

TimH

03-10-2009, 01:35 PM

+1 for Captain Ron :)

There was a movie back in the 80s called I believe "Voyage of the Black Pearl". Dont remember much about it but that I would want to see it again.

Dan McCosh

03-10-2009, 01:48 PM

I would toss in "Dead Calm". I don't get the movies without sailing as best sailing movies. When you start up on sea stories, or even boating, it gets a bit broad.

03-10-2009, 01:53 PM

What about "Summer Rental?" ;)

Chad

Paul Pless

03-10-2009, 02:07 PM

I would toss in "Dead Calm". I don't get the movies without sailing as best sailing movies. When you start up on sea stories, or even boating, it gets a bit broad.Very pretty actress in that movie. And a rather nice plywood boat too.

more here: http://www.stormvogel.net/home.php

http://www.stormvogel.net/racegallery_pics/MT-Stage-at-Stellenbosch.jpg

http://www.stormvogel.net/racegallery_pics/8765_jpstormeng07.jpg

J. Dillon

03-10-2009, 02:40 PM

Rent this one if you can get it. "Knife in the water.":cool:

JD

Review Summary

Noz w Wodzie was not only Polanski's first feature-length film, but it also marked the first screen appearance of Polish actor Zygmunt Malanowicz who played a young student. In fact, the only experienced thespian in the featured trio is Leon Niemczyk (http://movies.nytimes.com/person/52677/Leon-Niemczyk) as Andrzej, the self-important, somewhat arrogant husband of Kataryna. Andrzej and Kataryna pick up the student as he is hitchhiking and invite him to join them on their boat for an outing. As the threesome head out to open water, the husband and the student start a kind of jealous interaction that keeps Kataryna mildly amused. What began as a macho sparring ends up in a fight that has the student falling overboard and the husband swimming to shore for help. But appearances are deceiving, as the husband will soon discover. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Full New York Times Review » (http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C01E5D8113DE63BBC4151DFB6678388679EDE)

George Ray

03-10-2009, 02:42 PM

The more recent "Thomas Crown Affair" with some 'big cat' play boats doing wild things.

Dryfeet

03-10-2009, 02:58 PM

Many, many years ago I saw a great movie called "The Truth About Spring" it had what's his name "Danno" (from Hawaii 5 oh fame) along with some gal whose name I should remember but can't. Set in the carribbean, old man with young daughter on old sailing vessel up against some nefarious crooks, joined by a couple other old codgers and their boats. They get into a bind and Danno, a rich kid off some motor yacht comes to their aid and falls in love with the old guy's beautiful daughter.

It was actually a Disney movie and I have never been able to find it for rent, for sale or whatever. anyone know anything more about it?

Three Cedars

03-10-2009, 03:24 PM

Would you believe a movie set in modern times that features a group of 18th century pirates who predate upon yachties ? The movie is uneven but it does have some sailing.

" The Island " written by Peter Benchley

TimmS

03-10-2009, 03:34 PM

I saw a couple of you mentioned 'Message in a Bottle' I saw that a while back and was not impressed with the story, but loved the sailing footage. I also liked how Costner is just randomly sanding in the middle of the cabintop! Also, what is up with the story being set in "the outer banks" and the coastline sure looks a lot like Maine? I've never seen rocky coast line or mountains on the North Carolina coast :P

jerrys

03-10-2009, 06:53 PM

How about The World In His Arms. Some of the best shots of large schooners racing to do in the Alaska seal.

The Bigfella

03-10-2009, 08:56 PM

Tugboat Annie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tugboat_Annie

King of the Coral Sea - 1953 with Chips Rafferty. I've been on the pearling lugger that was used in this film.

03-10-2009, 09:23 PM

Swallows and Amazons

SchoonerRat

03-10-2009, 09:45 PM

Somebody has to mention "Captain Horatio Hornblower."

I apologize if I missed it on a previous post.

paladin

03-10-2009, 09:47 PM

I like the one with Costner sailing the big tri sister to Elf Aquataine..."Waterworld" I think....

03-10-2009, 09:50 PM

Waterworld!? Sorry Chuck, the Tri was interesting but the movie was rubbish.

PatCassidy

03-10-2009, 11:21 PM

I second Gregory Peck's Hornblower as well as the Hornblower series by the A&E channel.

SailorBob

03-11-2009, 03:07 AM

Thermo

03-11-2009, 10:07 AM

What kind of boat was the Knife in the Water boat?

downthecreek

03-11-2009, 10:18 AM

Not sailing, but a great sea story that comes to mind is "The wreck of the Mary Deare"
A few of those old Errol Flynn movies had some great sailing scenes - they used real ships too!

Seconded. Great shots at sea. Also, I always remember the dread inspired in the people aboard the derelict ship by "the Minkies".

It was only much later, when I was working on boats, that Les Minquiers became familiar friends as we sailed up and down channel.

Also, of course, the Roches Douvres, which, on our usual first passage when we had a week's trip, were usually passed just around dawn.

A chilly, yellow and green sunrise, with people just starting to stir out of the night's trance, the dew dripping off the rigging, murmered conversations as the new watch appeared sleepily on deck, the smell of bacon sandwiches wafting up from the galley and the Roches Douvres just visible in jagged sillhouette over to port.......

Good days. :)

isla

03-11-2009, 10:25 AM

If you are going to mention "Voyage of the Black Pearl" and "The Cruel Sea" you should also include "Wake of The Red Witch" (John Wayne) and another British WWII movie "The Sea Shall Not Have Them" then although not exactly about ships, but more to do with the crew, what about "The Caine Mutiny"?

Myself? I'm more of a reader than a movie buff. Try "Grey Seas under" and "The serpents Coil" for real suspense reading of deep sea salvage tugs by Canadian Author: Farley Mowat.

I love those books, and they would make great movies. I particularly like the way he says 'these were the biggest seas we had ever encountered' about every five pages :D

'Billy Budd' is definitely worth a mention.

paladin

03-11-2009, 10:49 AM

WX...I know...I think it was a trash movie also...but I liked the sailing sequences with the tri...except for the vertical "sails" bit...behind the scenes they resurrected the molds for Elf Aquataine and built the tri, and it was one fast machine in real life.

Cuyahoga Chuck

03-11-2009, 11:16 AM

About a week ago I just made the acquaintence of a special effect movie guy who was in Nova Scotia with local shipwrights ( many of whom were brought out of retirement) to build a version of the "Bounty" for the 1960's version of the flick.
There were a couple of diesel-electrics concealed in the bottom but it was an authentic hand crafted, fully rigged sailing vessal that was sailed in later life with only a small single diesel for safety reasons.

What about " Two Years Before the Mast" with Allen Ladd? The book, non-fiction, by Richard Henry Dana was something of a blockbuster when it was published in the 1840's and is still a good read.
It is claimed that Dana's depiction of a flogging on an American vessal is what got flogging outlawed.

Cuyahoga Chuck

03-11-2009, 11:29 AM

The Cruel Sea

If " The Cruel Sea" is in than so should "The Enemy Below". Robert Mitchum has as much stiff upper lip as Jack Hawkins.

Cuyahoga Chuck

03-11-2009, 11:59 AM

What kind of boat was the Knife in the Water boat?

If i remember correctly it was a day sailer and was just the platform for a story loaded with a lot of angst. You can justify more angst it the characters are elbow to elbow on a smallish sailboat.
And it kept the cost down. The boat is the soundstage and the sun provides the lighting. Just the thing for a communist controlled country where the economy is perpetually in the tank.
The locale was a big lake in the Mazurian Lakes District in Northern Poland.
Come to think of it, Polanski was rather slick in producing a classic film under such adverse conditions.
It ain't a boat flick in my judgement.

Ron Paro

03-11-2009, 12:55 PM

A few more for the list, not neccesarily 'Best Ever', but not to be entirely overlooked...
The Endurance - Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition (2000)
Kon Tiki (1951)
Longitude (2000)

Bark

03-11-2009, 01:19 PM

I recommend watching Master & Commander with the subtitles on - the script is fantastic, and the subtitles helped me pick up a lot of the background chatter ... I do love that movie ...

Paul Stohlman

03-11-2009, 01:46 PM

Must Like Dogs, not a sailing movie, but wooden rowing shells figure prominently.

His shop is way too clean, but it sensitively handles the "wooden shell as salad bar" question.

Any movie with a sailing vessel in it automatically gets an "up-thumb" from me.

Kinda like any movie with Marisa Tomei.

Whoops, now I've said too much...

SailorBob

03-11-2009, 03:33 PM

I love those books, and they would make great movies. I particularly like the way he says 'these were the biggest seas we had ever encountered' about every five pages :D

'Billy Budd' is definitely worth a mention.

If you enjoy Mowat's writings and a good laugh to boot, try "The Boat Who Wouldn't Float" . . . as per comments on the cover: "Gales of laughter are forecast and it's every man for himself in this riot of ribald misadventures - a water-logged, rum-ridden, salt-sea yarn, told with all the wit and effervescence of Farley Mowat at his best".

"Humour is Mr. Mowat's forte, and he has given it completely free reign in this uproarious farce of a sea story" ... Harold Horwood.

These are all older 'paperbacks', and probably only found in a good 'used bookstore' now. I myself have all of them in my library, occasionally loaning them out to 'boating' friends and acquaintances .

johngsandusky

03-11-2009, 06:59 PM

Try "Hot Pursuit" with Robert Loggia on a wooden cutter in the Carribean. A goofy comedy with some great sailing scenes.

Tealsmith

03-12-2009, 06:50 AM

I second A & E Hornblower.

Thermo

03-12-2009, 09:36 AM

If i remember correctly it was a day sailer and was just the platform for a story loaded with a lot of angst. You can justify more angst it the characters are elbow to elbow on a smallish sailboat.
And it kept the cost down. The boat is the soundstage and the sun provides the lighting. Just the thing for a communist controlled country where the economy is perpetually in the tank.
The locale was a big lake in the Mazurian Lakes District in Northern Poland.
Come to think of it, Polanski was rather slick in producing a classic film under such adverse conditions.
It ain't a boat flick in my judgement.

Still, it's a pretty big dayboat, looks like 30+, with a huge mast bent way backwards at the top by the backstay, racing style.
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s12/smagmags/nozwwodzie.jpg

Apparently, they sun didn't always cooperate with the crew, and they had to hang lights all over the shrouds, etc.. Boat looks a lot smaller with 9+ people on it. There's also a painful scene near the end where she runs it into the pier hard enough to move the pier about 2 feet and knocks the guy standing on it off his feet!

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s12/smagmags/nozwwodzie2.jpg

Bark

03-12-2009, 03:11 PM

Let's not forget Elvis ... Girls, Girls, Girls had some nice sailing scenes using a Robb Lion ...

Soundbounder

03-12-2009, 06:22 PM

There was a movie I saw years ago that I thought was pretty good.
It stars Angie Dickenson and Cliff Robertson, and they sail from CA to Tahiti in an attempt to quit the rat race and save their marriage.
She falls overboard on a midnight watch.

I am not saying it is an all time great, but I thought it was well done.

epoxyboy

03-12-2009, 06:26 PM

What about "Deep Water". Excellent movie about the first single handed round the world race. Lots of sailing!!

Pete

TimH

03-12-2009, 10:16 PM

Garth- Did you find Riddle on Narflix? Because I couldn't. Maybe I did my search wrong.

I just looked and its not there.

JimConlin

03-12-2009, 11:13 PM

Buster Keaton's "The Boat" (1921) is a favorite. There are many familiar mishaps and it's where I got the name Damfino.
http://tinyurl.com/c56ejq

Oldsails

03-13-2009, 11:58 AM

Wake of the Red Witch. John Wayne, Gig Young, etc.

Ted Hoppe

03-17-2009, 04:11 PM

Consider Billy Budd - 1962
Great story, good acting and the hard sailors life.

Or Casino Royal - Bond sails to venice on a beautiful classic and the boat is not bad too!

Asgard

02-18-2010, 11:53 AM

The Riddle Of The Sands was re-released to Pal DVD in 2007. Cheap prices now too!
http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1;-1&sku=594626

Have to agree with what some others have said in regards to making the distinction between "at sea"..."swashbuckling" movies...and real sailor movies though. Big differences.

For the former...
The Bounty...Mel Gibson/Tony Hopkins. Superb!
The Cruel Sea
Windjammer
White Squall
Elizabeth : The Golden Age
Master and Commander

For the real sailor movies....
The Riddle Of The Sands...no question!
Deep Water...1966 Around The World / Knox Johnston Documentary
Shackelton Expedition
Wind....by francis ford coppola. Great sailmaking footage!
Morning Light...IMAX
Knife In Water ....polanski classic
Man In A Boat
Dead Calm
Weight Of Water

alkorn

02-18-2010, 01:36 PM

[QUOTE=SailorBob;2129571]..... what about "The Caine Mutiny"?
QUOTE]

The movie of "The Caine Mutiny" concentrates largely on the court-martial.

In the book, the description of the typhoon is a great bit of sea-writing. Scary.

Herman Wouk spent much of WWII on a destroyer-minesweeper named the "Zane." He says, though, that Captain Queeg was not based on anyone in his war experiences. I wonder.

stevedwyer

02-18-2010, 01:52 PM

Going back, I'd add...

Damn the Defiant with Alec Guiness

but what about The Viking Sagas with Ralph Moeler

Old Man and the Sea with Anthony Quinn

Breakaway

02-18-2010, 02:30 PM

I'd correct the 1990 version of The Old Man and the Sea and go with the 1958 version with Spencer Tracy. ( You haven't keeled me yet feesh...no feesh...not yet). Great small boat sailing scenes--hemp rope, cotton sails, leaky-creaky boat...

Michael D. Storey

02-18-2010, 02:50 PM

"Though there is no sailing and most of the on-water footage was shot in London, the film contains a fine portrayal of an idiosyncratic steam power plant."

Steven

The African Queen is available for ocular reconissance between Key West & Isla Morada east dise of the highway. In a state of degradation, but there nonethe less.

John B

02-18-2010, 04:58 PM

Nobody haven't mentioned "Wind"
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p182/boylesboats/Windmovieposter.jpg

What happened to Jennifers nose? ( didn't used to look like that);)

ishmael

02-18-2010, 05:21 PM

I was gonna post "Wind." It's a bit sappy with its love story and all, but some great sailing scenes. Mathew and Jennifer make a believable couple. It's a story of the underdog, which often makes good film. And Jennifer's nose was still intact. LOL. I always thought she was cute. See "Ferris Beulers Day Off."

shellback

02-20-2010, 10:46 AM

Hands down, the absolute best is Irving Johnson's "Around Cape Horn" The footage was filmed by Irving abord the Peking (now the museum ship at South Street Seaport in NYC) in 1929 and he added the voice over in 1980. You can get a copy from Mystic or South Street.

ccmanuals

02-20-2010, 11:34 AM

Wonder why these weren't selected? Lots of boat stuff, pirates, guns, swords, what's not to like!
http://www.disneyfrontier.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/pirates_of_the_caribbean_johnny_depp.jpg

Tom Robb

02-20-2010, 12:21 PM

In no particular order:
Master & Commander
Das Boot
Moby Dick
African Queen
Captains Courageous
The Old Man and the Sea
Endurance
The Enemy Below (Star Trek did a takeoff on it w/ Kirk as Mitchum)
Longitude
Billy Budd
Hornblower series on TV

Garret

02-20-2010, 12:31 PM

Wonder why these weren't selected? Lots of boat stuff, pirates, guns, swords, what's not to like!
http://www.disneyfrontier.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/pirates_of_the_caribbean_johnny_depp.jpg

Darn - beat me to it :D

I'll also agree with posters above on Farley Mowat's stuff. Every one of his books is a great read & would also make a fun movie.

bljones

02-20-2010, 02:52 PM

"The Boat Who Wouldn't Float" would make an excellent movie. I first read the book in university, and shocked my pretentious post-adolescent arrogant self by enjoying the hell out of it. (the author had been bassackwards recommended to me by the writer-in-residence at the U. He told me, "You write like you wish you were Mowat. Read his junk and figure out whether you want to write fiction that sounds like bullsh*t or bullsh*t that sounds like fiction.") About five years later I had the pleasure (?) of meeting Jack McLelland, Farley's partner in crime/ publisher, and understood that sometimes, you just can't make this stuff up.

It would make a great buddy-pic vehicle for Steve Zahn and Vince Vaughn.

Oh, to keep somewhat on topic, "White Squall" should be on the list.