Two Years Before the Mast

Excellent ship drama. Ladd and Da Silva are captivating, but Bendix's tortured tough guy steals the show. It's rare he got to really show what he could do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6CqWOSx6Gc [480p]

Not that impressive, but Da Silva's cruel captain is memorable.

Unorthodox casting choice with DaSilva, but an effective one.

It's like Mutiny on the Bounty, except without a heavyweight nasty as the captain. Didn't feel Howard Da Silva gave it enough. He was a cold human being, but lacked the same authority one associate with that abusive part. Alan Ladd was fine, but also not aggressive enough to stand-up to the unjust in a uplifting manner. Therefore Two Years Before the Mast (1946) becomes a lightweight of the Mutinies, but still has quality on its own.