User reviews

I dare anyone to sit through this film with dry eyes! Especially people of the male persuasion. There is simply no way it can be done.

Young teen Freddie Bartholomew is a snotty, spoilt brat, and on a cruise with his dad he falls overboard and is rescued by Portuguese fisherman Spencer Tracy who takes him to Captain Lionel Barrymore's commercial fishing ship. They can't afford to go give up their fishing to take the arrogant kid back to land, and so Freddie is forced to spend three months with the crew, gradually mellowing into a nice boy and evolving into a rugged, no-nonsense kid who dotes on Tracy's rough and ready Manuel.

Victor Fleming was never the most subtle of directors, and this adaptation of Kipling's story does not thrive on its wealth of detail or the ambiguity of emotion, but its sweep is epic and its heart so real that you feel you have been on a roller-coaster-ride. I loved the reels of the men fishing and preparing the fish, it had a nice documentary feel to it, akin to the silent 'Down to the Sea in Ships' that 'Captains Courageous' resembles a lot at times. The cinematography is beautiful, the mist and fog captured with finesse.

But this film is all about acting. Spencer Tracy got an Oscar for his acting as Manuel, cast against type. And although his performance verges on the sentimental, it never actually tips over. But the film belongs to Freddie Bartholomew who surely must have been tempted to overboard with emotion, but, miraculously, never does. This boy was an astute and intuitive actor, and he never sets a foot wrong. Mickey Rooney shines in an itsy bitsy part as the captain's son. He never tries to steal any scenes from Bartholomew (as one suspects he might, and could!), but concentrates on a brisk, matter-of-fact performance of this young pro of the sea, every movement he makes seems exactly right, again almost documentary-like.

Watch this film if you get the chance. They don't come much better, and yes, it will make you bawl and sob. Be warned.

Captains Courageous (1937)

You might think this movie will come off as old-fashioned and stale, a old Kipling yarn filmed in the 1930s in black and white. Well don't pre-judge this! It's really good. Fast, energetic, touching, and filled with good acting and great filming. It even has a moral tale that doesn't smack you as sentimental, but is a good reminder of what counts in life.

The main character is a rich boy who obviously needs to learn some lessons in humility and honor. And he's played with real perfection by the young English actor Freddie Bartholomew who had a five year heyday of great roles and great performances with classic adventure stories told on film. And there are parallels here of bigger tales like "Kidnapped" (1938) and "David Copperfield" (1935), with a child intersecting the world of adults and its perils.

His adult friend is the bigger star, Spencer Tracy, who does a good job though I've never quite loved his style of acting. Here he plays a Portuguese sailor with a half an accent and it's the one problem in the film. Next to him in a big role is Lionel Barrymore, who recognizably makes for a quirky captain of the fishing boat. He's great. And so are the other side characters, including a whole slew of big names from the time (John Carradine and Mickey Rooney are probably most famous now).

Much of the film is a low key adventure film. It's aimed at kids the way "The Wizard of Oz" is aimed at kids—meaning it's great for adults, too, and there are a few things snuck in to keep older viewers attuned. Director Victor Fleming went on to direct "Oz" and much of "Gone with the Wind" in two years, and you can feel his Hollywood expertise in every scene here. This is not a stiff 1930s movie if your head is in that mode. Fleming (with photographer great Harold Rosson, who shot "Oz" and a hundred others) makes it vivid and wondrous. The mix of studio shots and authentic sea footage (made with a second film crew in the North Atlantic) is brilliantly handled—no back projection goofs here.

I really liked this movie. It's straight up filmic storytelling. No distractions, no bumbling. Give it a go and be surprised.

Harvey Cheyne (Freddie Bartholomew) is a spoiled brat used to having his own way. When a prank goes wrong on board an ocean liner Harvey ends up overboard and nearly drowns. Fortunately he's picked up by a fishing boat just heading out for the season. He tries to bribe the crew into returning early to collect a reward but none of them believe him. Stranded on the boat he must adapt to the ways of the fishermen and learn more about the real world.

Frank S. Nugent of The New York Times 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." This really is a great film. I went in knowing nothing about it, and came out really impressed. For the first quarter or so of the film, I was increasingly annoyed with the spoiled boy, and did not now where things were going to go. But once it shifted gears, that build-up of annoyance paid off. In fact, it would not have been nearly as effective if they didn't convince me of how awful this boy was. Perfect execution.

A spoiled rich boy falls overboard & emerges from the sea into the world of the CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS, the rough & honest fishermen who ply the waters of the North Atlantic for months on end.

Rudyard Kipling's classic novel of maturation & responsibility has been expanded & updated and turned into a wonderful film by MGM. The production values, especially those dealing with the fishing boat sequences, are exceptional.

After the first half hour, where we are introduced to the boy's bad behavior at home, school, father's office & aboard the luxury liner, the film arrives at the heart of the matter with the introduction of the fisherman and their rough, dangerous way of life.

Freddie Bartholomew, luminous face & shining eyes aglow, is the very picture of boyish innocence. The fact that MGM gave him top billing over the powerhouse cast shows the kind of confidence they had in their child star. Although his proper English accent is a bit out of place and his sweetness makes his initial bratty behavior a bit of a stretch, once he's firmly ensconced on the trawler and his life lessons are being learned, it is difficult to think of any other young actor of his era in the role.

His lessons come mainly from Spencer Tracy, who is beyond praise as Manuel, the stalwart Portuguese fisherman. Noble, earthy, lighthearted, honest, these were attributes Tracy could sink his teeth into & he delivers a performance of heroic proportions. Good-natured & loyal, singing joyously to his hurdy-gurdy, his Manuel is still fiercely protective of his `liddle fish,' seeing at once the qualities the boy has to offer, once he shapes up. Audiences surrender to Tracy completely (fake accent and all) and his scenes with young Bartholomew are especially tender. The subsequent Best Actor Oscar for his performance here was very well deserved.

Lionel Barrymore, as the crusty, wise old captain of the fishing boat, is a delight. In one of the last roles in which he had the use of his legs, he is completely believable as a Massachusetts seaman. Like Tracy, he inhabits his part, giving an over-the-top performance that is completely appropriate. He embodies the kind of man anyone would feel confident to have at the helm during a sea storm.

The excellence of the cast is evidenced by having Charley Grapewin, John Carradine & Mickey Rooney all on board as crew members; each is given a chance to display their talents, as is Melvyn Douglas as Bartholomew's preoccupied father.

Movie mavens will recognize Billy Gilbert as a soda fountain jerk, as well as Christian Rub & Jimmy Conlin as fisherman, all uncredited.

This is my favorite movie of all time. I have seen thousands of movies but none can come near Captains Courageous for its warmth, compassion, drama and meaningfulness. A wonderful story of single-parent bonding and hero worship.

Spencer Tracy as Manuel the Portugese fisherman was absolutely fantastic. Just looking at the sparkle in his eyes when mentoring Harvey (Freddie Bartholomew) was beautiful. I have shown this film to my senior class in Strategic Management and they all loved it. And what a supporting cast, Lionel Barrymore, Melvin Douglas, Mickey Rooney, John Caradine. It was also one of the first Hollywood movies to treat a black character with dignity and respect. The ship's cook was even bilingual, speaking both English and Portugese, and was a respected member of the crew, not just an Uncle Tom.

They don't make them any better than this--and not a single word of profanity, no sex or sexual episodes, must a wonderful story, well acted, sad but uplifting.

A movie like this could only have been made in the early days of cinema. Before the days when fancy camera angles, careful editing, and computer-effects combine to make any pretty-boy a big star, movies had to rely on genuine talent on the part of child actors.

Nowhere is this more evident than with Freddie Bartholomew. The character he plays is a spoiled rich-kid, used to getting his own way and obnoxious with everyone he meets. Yet he plays the role in such a way that we can sympathize with him, rather than detest him. We understand the character, but we do not hate him.

Watch any similar movie made today, and the child actors will whine and sneer and have smart-mouthed replies to everything. In this movie, however, the character is not taken to that extreme, and when he makes his transition in the film we are able to love him, and are able to forget how horrid he was before.

The boy can truly act. When he cries for his loved ones, we cry with him. When he is happy, we are able to smile. And when he does something foolish, we do not get the urge to punch him in the face. The character is attractive by the end of the film, and that is a quality which few (if any) child actors possess today.

If you want to see a touching movie with superb acting and genuine emotion, this is the one.

I saw this for the first time, just last night, on American Movie Classics. After watching the film, I couldn't help but wonder where it's been all my life. What a beautiful film! Robert Osborne made a few opening remarks to the film, as he usually does on this channel. I didn't know that Spencer Tracy won his first Oscar for this film, but it was certainly well deserved. His portrayal of Manuel is really pivotal to the success of the film, I think. I'm not too sure about his accent, but it wasn't really distracting or anything. If you haven't seen this, watch it! You won't be disappointed -- especially if you enjoy pictures where ships and the sea are the setting for the action.

Some people don't know selflessness until they experience something extreme, like what happens in "Captains Courageous". Harvey Cheyne (Freddie Bartholomew) is the most spoiled kid whom anyone could ever imagine. After falling off of a ship, he gets picked up by Portuguese fisherman Manuel Fidello (Spencer Tracy), who teaches him selflessness and various other life lessons.

Spencer Tracy won a well deserved Oscar for his performance. Manuel is a person who, while not having much materially, has a lot to teach. He humbly improvises songs and just loves to go fishing, a stark contrast to Harvey's life of luxury. It doesn't suffice to call "Captains Courageous" a morality lesson; it's about life in general. 10/10.

Spencer Tracy won his first of two back-to-back Oscars for playing a Portugese fisherman in this tear jerker from 1937.

Tracy becomes a father figure to a spoiled brat rich kid (Freddie Bartholomew) when the kid falls overboard off an ocean liner and is picked up by the fishing trawler. Familiar actors like Lionel Barrymore, Mickey Rooney, and Charlie Grapewin play the other fishermen, and Bartholomew predictably learns the value of hard work and ethics from this merry band.

While overall I thought "Captains Courageous" was a solid if unspectacular film, I was surprised by its treatment of the central theme (fatherhood) and its ending. Bartholomew is reunited with his absentee father (Melvyn Douglas), who learns the error of his ways and is determined to be more there for his kid. That I expected. But what I didn't expect was the unspoken but very obvious fact that the relationship between father and son was permanently stunted by the fact that the son found a father figure he liked better, that his true father understood that, and resigned himself to having the best relationship he could under those limitations. That's a pretty mature conclusion for a film from this time period, and one that certainly remains relevant today.

Victor Fleming provides the direction, which was not among the four categories for which this film was Oscar-nominated. In addition to Tracy, the film won nominations for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

Grade: B+

The gradual bonding between rough-hewn Greek fisherman SPENCER TRACY and spoiled rich boy FREDDIE BARTHOLOMEW is at the heart of CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS, and Victor Fleming has made sure that it is this aspect of the story that is successfully and convincingly handled.

Tracy, of course, lends all of his authority to the role (despite an accent that is never quite acceptable) and richly deserved his Oscar, but equally deserving is Bartholomew as the boy who sees Tracy's character (Manuel) as the sort of father figure he genuinely admires. His close relationship with Tracy is what "makes" the film.

Not that others aren't worthy of mention--MELVYN DOUGLAS, for example, is excellent as the boy's father who has taken him out of boarding school and onto his yacht, only to have the boy fall overboard and end up rescued by Tracy. MICKEY ROONEY is fine as Douglas' son and LIONEL BARRYMORE does well by the role of the gruff sea captain on Tracy's ship.

The Rudyard Kipling story is well scripted and directed in fine fashion by Victor Fleming. The result is a story that revolves around the coming of age of the boy and his "growing up" under harsh circumstances.

Well worth seeing, nicely filmed in glorious B&W.

You'd think with an all-star cast and an interesting premise, Captains Courageous would be a good movie. Freddie Bartholomew, the darling of that time, plays a snotty little kid who learns valuable lessons in maturity when he mingles among the lower classes. His father, Melvyn Douglas is determined to make a man out of him, so he takes him out of boarding school and on a father-son sailing expedition. Freddie falls overboard and gets rescued by another ship, captained by Lionel Barrymore. Spencer Tracy is the lead fisherman on the boat, and Mickey Rooney is Lionel's worldly son.

How could this movie be so bad? Four words: Spencer Tracy's Portuguese accent. I don't know who cast him in such a ridiculous role, and I don't know who didn't replace him after watching the rehearsals or the dailies, but he's terrible. He won an Oscar for saying "feeshes" and singing badly along with a ukulele. 1937 was a year full of Oscar mistakes, and the Best Actor award was one of them. If you really love Spencer Tracy, you'll want to watch this movie. I don't, so I don't ever want to watch this again.

A wonderful film I only discovered about ten years ago. A low key beginning, hardly anything to attract the viewer to sympathize with the predicament that befalls young Harvey. With a wonderful cast, fairly average story but told and beautifully understated brings a wonderful balance and heart-tugging restoration for young Harvey, plucked from the sea by Spencer Tracy, a Portuguese fisherman. Having to become a fisherman for two months, young Harvey finds out what he has not known in life. He begins the story as a spoilt young irritating brat but ends it restored to life and his father. A message for us all, begun and ending in eternity. Poignant, sad and enriching. Great cinema.

this has to be one of my favorite films ever. I loved it as a kid and the last time I happened to catch it on TV, i loved it just as much and cried just as hard. Freddy Bartholomew! what a fantastic little actor this kid was! and of course, the unparalleled Spencer Tracy as Manuel the fisherman we all love so much, is simply fantastic. i did not realize that this was a Fleming film, that explains a lot. All of my favorites from this era seem to have had this man at the wheel. He sure knew the right combination of sentiment, humor, melodrama, and reality to come up with a winner most of the time. I'm glad to see so many other votes and comments that echo (i guess i'm the echo tho, huh?) my own feelings about this film Its nice to know others also feel as strongly and as warmly about it as i always have. it sure deserves it.

I sing "Yo, ho little fish, don't cry, don't cry, Yo ho little fish don't cry, don't cry" to my kids at night thanks to Manuel. It always works too!

When a movie can appeal to children and grown-ups ,it 's really worthwhile.Such is the case with Victor Fleming's very moving "captain courageous" .Spencer Tracy gives an outstanding performance as Manuel and his songs and his hurdy-gurdy are a wonderful plus.The films has a very well-constructed screenplay:a long prologue which shows the brat living in a world of luxury;then the part on the boat where the boy discovers that money does not count anymore in the tough world of the fishermen;and then a rather long epilogue including a ceremony for the dear departed that will move you to tears.

Ridley Scott's "White squall" (1996) was an updated veiled remake of "captain courageous "but innocence and emotion had disappeared,and hints at the Vietnam War at the end of the movie were obnoxious.

Did ol Rudyard K ever think that Master Harvey's problems might have arisen from the fact that there are no maternal influences in his life whatsoever? So what's his solution? To double down on the testosterone, natch. A truly dumb movie from an even dumber novel with, admittedly, some fine child acting from Freddy B. And some atypically bad acting from Spence for which he, of course, nabbed the Oscar.

A spoiled brat who falls overboard from a steamship gets picked up by a fishing boat, where he's made to earn his keep by joining the crew in their work. Spencer Tracy earned an Academy Award for his performance in Captains Courageous and even sings a bit; (Freddie Bartholomew) Young Harvey Cheyne was fabulous as well .

Well-directed, well-acted coming-of-age tale that may have the most hard-bitten viewer in tears by the end.Captains Courageous still stands up pretty well today.

In this film adaptation of a Kipling story, a bratty rich kid learns some valuable life lessons after he falls from an ocean liner and is picked up by fishermen. It's quite lavishly filmed with a good cast. With his curly hair and Portugese accent, Tracy's character could easily have become a caricature, but he manages to turn in a decent performance, one that garnered him an Oscar. Barrymore is well cast as the crusty captain of the fishing boat. Bartholomew does OK as the spoiled brat. While it is a handsome production, the story just isn't that interesting. The message is obvious and rather contrived. Also, the film goes on far too long.

Harvey Cheyne, Jr (Freddie Bartholomew), second richest person in the world, orphaned and spoiled rotten, encounters a cigar and the sea on his way to England for boarding school. Rich Brat takes a dip sans life jacket while leaning over an ocean liner -along with his father Melvyn Douglas- railing to relieve himself of the half dozen ice cream sodas imprudently consumed at sea. Seasick, over the rail for real, falls overboard from a steamship in the 1920s and gets picked up by a New England fishing boat, being rescued by a Portuguese fisher, Manuel (Spencer Tracy), of a Gloucester fishing sailboat. The wealthy little boy fallen overboard and rescued by fishermen is put quickly to work. Three months at sea, under a firm but under command of Disko (Lionel Barrymore), fair wages of $10.50 a month, if you don't work you don't eat. A hard life and a dangerous one, and a lot of growing up to do through hardship and tragedy. From Rudyard Kipling's best-loved story, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has fashioned picture !. Two years to make! Fortunes to produce! It will live in your memory forever...Winner of the coveted Modern Screen Award! The Most Exciting Picture Since "Mutiny On The Bounty". Again-as in the stirring "Mutiny"- you live the roaring drama of men against the sea. You share the struggles, the heartaches, the laughter of courageous souls who leave the women they love to dare the wrath of the angry waves...As great as ¨Mutiny on the Bounty¨.

A sensitive and enjoyable film about deep friendship and love with impressive maritime scenes including fishing in the great northern shoals of fish. Victor Fleming perfectly mixes comedy, drama and a friendship story in a film that touches the heart without the need for cheap sentimentality. Film adaptation of the homonymous novel by the English writer and poet Rudyard Kipling, Nobel Prize winner in literature in 1907. The story of the rich and capricious boy who ends up finding in a humble Portuguese fisherman the father he always wanted to have was taken to the big screen and converted in a classic in 1937 by the filmmaker Victor Fleming, who years later would consolidate his success with the Oscar-winning ¨Gone with the Wind¨ and ¨The Wizard of Oz¨. Fleming perfectly takes the reins of direction, paying tribute to the people of the sea, offering a profound study of fishermen and orchestrating a perfect work in all aspects, overflowing with emotion and tenderness, although sometimes it gets carried away by excessive sentimentality. Developing little by little the learning the work ethic, hardships and superstitions of the Gloucester-men, then Bartholomew/Harvey soon becomes part of the crew and the close friend of the paternalistic Manuel. Both of whom stablish an agreeable friendship in which the depth of their relationship grows into something that each character cherishes. The exemplary narrative, although somewhat overlong, manages to magnificently portray the characters, and is worth highlighting the great performances. The little boy Freddie Bartholomew is pretty good as the pampered son of a railway tycoon and privileged life and whose attitudes are quickly challenged by life on a fishing boat learning to to become a man at the hands of stalwart sailors, and enjoyable Spencer Tracy as the kind fisherman who develops a hitherto unheralded work ethic . Along with a wonderful cast of secondary actors , such as: Lionel Barrymore, Melvyn Douglas, Charley Grapewin, Mickey Rooney, John Carradine, Jack La Rue, among others.

The motion picture was well directed by Victor Fleming, the only director to have two films listed in the top 10 of the American Film Institute's 1998 list of the 100 greatest American films. He directed 9 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Emil Jannings, Spencer Tracy, Vivien Leigh, Hattie McDaniel, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Frank Morgan, José Ferrer and Ingrid Bergman.

There're other adptations about this classy novel: ¨Captains Courageous¨ (1996) TV version by Michael Anderson with Kenny Vadas , Robert Wisden , Robert Urich. ¨Captains Courageous¨ (1977) by Harvey Hart with Karl Malden, Neville Brand, Fred Gwynne, Charles Dierkop, Jeff Corey. And in Western style: ¨Cattle Drive¨ (1951) that seems to be a peculiar version to classic Captains Courageous directed by Kurt Neumann with Dean Stockwell, Joel McCrea, Chill Wills.

Freddie Bartholomew gave a great performance and was more deserving of an Oscar than a miscast Tracy with his ludicrous attempt at a Portuguese accent. However the story does not make sense, especially as Harvey was supposed to be ten instead of sixteen as he was in Kipling's novel. One could hardly expect him to be independent at that age. Melvyn Douglas gives a typically bland performance as Harvey's father.