Down to the Sea in Ships (1949)
(Henry Hathaway, US 1949, 120 min., 35mm)
Voyages and Discoveries | Member Movie. The basic story is simple enough: the captain of a whaling ship takes his grandson, Jed, on board to teach the youth about value in life—valor, courage, endurance—in other words, to help the young man grow up. But things do not turn out as expected, and it is the first mate who has increasing influence on the young boy. Anderson & Low, who chose this film for the series, state: “We have included this film because, in addition to the obvious seafaring connection to our Voyages project, it also looks at the ‘voyage of discovery’ being something more than mere physical travel. Jed learns about life, for sure, but perhaps not only in the manner his grandfather intended. And it’s a movie that is rarely seen, too. Perhaps it’s time to let it sail again . . .”
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