A Boater’s Classic
Dusting off the finest classics
that have survived the test of
time, and adding in a pepper-
ing of favorite contemporary
selections, here are some of
the best movies to help you
survive hibernation this winter
Twenty Thousand Leagues
Under The Sea (1954) Since 1907,
there have been five film versions of Jules
Verne’s 1870 fantasy adventure novel of
the same name. Of these, the 1954 version, directed by Richard Fleischer, starring
James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, and
Peter Lorre, is regarded as definitive. The
film is set in the 1860s, with a plot revolving around Capt. Nemo, a scientific genius
who’s invented the Nautilus, a precursor
of the submarine. He’s also developed
atomic power that propels the Nautilus. In
spite of his genius and some humanitarian
beliefs, he’s fatalistic and determined to
kill those he believes have evil intentions
toward mankind. As a result, he’s been
using the Nautilus to sink warlike ships.
Survivors of one such a ship are captured
by Nemo (a palindrome for omen), and
tension soon erupts. Eventually, Nautilus is
badly damaged in combat, Nemo decides
to destroy it and the island Vulcania, his
source of atomic power, and plans for all
on board to die on the ship. Except for Kirk
Douglas’s portrayal — at times excessively
exuberant and childlike — there’s much to
recommend in this film, including superb
underwater photography.
A Night To Remember (1958)
This engrossing British film directed by
Ray Baker is based on Walter Lord’s book,
A Night To Remember, for which he conducted interviews of over 60 Titanic
survivors. We see views of impressive ship’s
interiors, equal to the social standing of
its first-class passengers. Excited anticipation reigns from lord to peon, whose
quarters suit their class. Crewmembers
and passengers alike express arrogance in
their certainty about the Titanic’s
invincibility. When the nighttime collision with
the iceberg occurs, reactions of disbelief
replace arrogance, momentarily paralyzing
routine evacuations, additionally hampered
by an insufficient number of life boats to
handle the passengers. Survivors’ rescues
are portrayed, revealing a gamut of human
emotions — desperation, fear, generosity,
greed, helplessness, heroism, omnipotence,
rivalry, self-sacrifice. Once the captain and
crew grasp the reality of their predicament,
they behave in a more responsive manner.
Here’s an unflinching portrait of how passengers’ social class played a central role in
determining their fates. For all interested in
an authentic account of the Titanic disaster,
this is definitely a film to watch.
The African Queen (1951) This
excellent adaptation of C. S. Forester’s
novel of the same name, “The African
Queen” takes place at the beginning of
World War I. Filmed on location in central
Africa, directed by John Huston and starring
Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn,
this improbable love story between a proper
English spinster/teetotaler and a Canadian
gin-loving, disheveled captain is filled with
adventure, danger, and humor. On one
of his stops, Charlie Allnutt finds that
marauding German-led troops have killed
a Methodist missionary and laid waste to
the village, stranding the missionary’s sister, Rose Sayer. Rosie accepts Charlie’s offer
to take refuge on the old, battered, steam
powered riverboat, the African Queen. When
she discovers that his goal is merely to sail
