The Sea Wolf

Sea Wolf is grizzly, features heavy performances from its cast, ponders on if we're redeemable at all, then hits a conclusion that's perfectly in tune with the rest of the movie without being so grim and melancholy to sour everything. Curtiz has some awesome direction, especially in the foggy tracking shots through San Francisco and the bay as the film opens. The entire rest of the film is lent a deep unease as the camera restlessly lilts and rolls to the sway of the ship at sea.

Great atmosphere, excellent performance from Edward G. Robinson, pulls a few punches to really reach it's potential, but there are enough punches thrown to make it a thrilling sea venture. Wish they'd done more with it's ace selection of supporting actors, there was room for it. But I guess the focus was mainly supposed to be on Robinson and his ruthless nearsightedness.

Reminded me of Mutiny on the Bounty with more forceful performances, albeit a weaker mutiny. Great ending that unfortunately has the wind taken out of its sails by the reveal that Knox is really dying and not so selfless. Fav scene: the shock of Robinson betraying his informant.

"The Sea Wolf" succeeded in creating an eerie atmosphere, predictably setting up the ship's voyage as a death sentence and capitalizing on the gloomy, misty photography. But although it presented itself as a mystery film it ultimately didn't answer the questions it generated, in the end emerging as an allegory instead. And that lack of focus, that inadequately set U-turn were its detriment, along with certain haphazardly written scenes such as the inexplicably profound and death-defying romance.

A good atmospheric thriller with a slowly-going-mad captain and a press-ganged crew that can't seem to mutiny correctly even with a few chances. The cast is very good, as is the constant fog and the camera-rocking trick that started making me feel a little sea sick. It's not quite a classic due to the many long monologues and so many plot lines including a few that don't really amount to much.

A hefty performance from Robinson and able support from Fitzgerald.

Ano do Centenário de Ida Lupino: Filme #15 (atriz). Tenho certeza que o livro do London deve ser muito interessante e o Robinson está estupendo como usual, mas o Michael Curtiz é só meh.