On Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 11:45:37 AM UTC-5, Michael Pendragon wrote:
> On Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 11:42:51 AM UTC-5, Michael Pendragon wrote:
> > On Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 10:23:49 AM UTC-5, Dennis Rowan wrote:
> > > On Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 10:09:19 AM UTC-5, michaelmalef...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > > On Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 7:59:50 AM UTC-5, NancyGene wrote:
> > > > > On Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 5:18:47 AM UTC, michaelmalef...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > > > > I just finished watching the 1951 film version of "Captain Horatio Hornblower," starring Gregory Peck, directed by Raoul Walsh, and adapted from his novel by C.S. Forester (and three additional screen writers).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I thought I had seen it many years ago, but it turns out that I was mistaken (apparently confusing it with the 1952 film, "The World in His Arms," also starring Peck as a sea captain (in 1850), and also directed by Walsh.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It made for a grand bit of wartime adventure, but it was no "Moby Dick" (starring Peck, adapted by Ray Bradbury, and directed by John Huston).
> > > > > We haven't watched that yet. As we wrote above, the movie is based on the first book in the series ("Beat to Quarters").
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Throughout the film Captain Hornblower pulls off several victories against overwhelming odds, all the while retaining his sense of command (stiff upper lip stuff); pulling off his exploits not for wealth or personal glory, but out of a sense of duty to his King.
> > > > > We think that the movie might be more enjoyable (and understandable as to motive) if one has read the books. In the books, there is always an internal Hornblower struggle, which is not shown outwardly. He practiced not showing emotion.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I'm considering seeking out the books... after I finish reading "The Houses In Between."
> > > > > How is that going?
> > > > I'm 198 pages into a 550 page story. So far, the book reminds me of "David Copperfield" (Charles Dickens even puts in an appearance as a minor, side character), except that the protagonist is a woman. In the prologue, a fictional author claims that he is publishing the memoirs of his recently deceased 99-year old Aunt. She is currently 24, so I've only learned first quarter of her life story as yet. As in Dickens' book, there are numerous sub-plots regarding a wide array of colorful supporting characters whose lives intersect with her own.
> > > >
> > > > It is very well written, but the general text fails to live up to the poetic passage Mack had quoted.
> > > > > We are currently finishing reading "Mr. Midshipman Hornblower." We are reading the book series in the order in which they were written, which is (for the most part) not chronological. "Mr. Midshipman Hornblower" begins when he is age 17 and on his first ship. The book is written in episodes, which the previous books are not. We see that "M.M.H." was written in 1950 and the first book was written in 1937, so perhaps Forester previously published the episodes in magazines or newspapers and then they were compiled into a book? Forester is a wonderful writer.
> > > > >
> > > > > So far, we have read and enjoyed:
> > > > > "The Happy Return" ("Beat to Quarters")
> > > > > "A Ship of the Line" ("Ship of the Line")
> > > > > "Flying Colours"
> > > > > "The Commodore" ("Commodore Hornblower")
> > > > > "Lord Hornblower"
> > > > > "Mr. Midshipman Hornblower"
> > > > >
> > > > > The A&E series "Horatio Hornblower" (1998-2003), with Ioan Gruffudd as Hornblower is excellent.
> > > When it comes to gritty drama on the high seas, I'll take "Sea Wolf" 1941 every time!!
> > >
> > > Edward G. Robinson vs. John Garfield with Alexander Knox as the moral and tempermental intermediary.
> > >
> > > Michael Curtiz in the director's chair with writer's Robert Rossen and Jack London!!
> > >
> > > Draws me in every time I see it on the tube baby!!
> > Hi Dennis.
> >
> > That's a favorite of mine as well -- although the book is even better, focusing more on the ideological struggle between Humphrey "Hump" Van Weyden (altruism) and Wolf Larsen (darwinism). Garfield's character doesn't appear in the book (the romantic competition is between Hump and Wolf Larsen). Ida Lupino's character is named "Maude," not "Ruth," in the book and is a well known poetess from a respectable upper class family. The book also has a much longer story in which Hump, Ruth, and the blinded Wolf get stranded on an arctic island together. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but Wolf's last word is one of my favorite literary passages.
> >
> I just saw on IMBd that a restored director's cut is available with an additional 16 minutes of footage! That's going to be next on my watch list (hopefully tonight).

Watched it. Although it must have been a good 20 years since I'd last watched the film, I still felt that the restored version works better. Although, even in the truncated version, it has still been one of my favorite films since I first watched it when I was about 16 or so. In fact, I liked the film so much (particularly the character of Wolf Larsen) that I borrowed the book from my high school library, and wrote a paper on it for my English class.

Even today, I still feel that Larsen is the hero of both the film and the book. Like Milton's Lucifer (who Larsen quotes), he is the Romantic hero -- trying to find meaning in life in a godless world where human beings are little more than organisms in a petri dish.