Captains Courageous
By: Rudyard Kipling
"Captains Courageous" is the story of how a young boy grew, or rather worked, into a man.
The story is about 15 year old Harvey Cheyne, the spoiled only child of an American multi-millionaire. Harvey is sailing to Europe on vacation with his mother when he is washed overboard and swept into a completely different world than he knows, that of a small New England fishing vessel.
The boat, whose name is the "We're Here", will lose several hundred dollars if she goes back to harbor now simply to return Harvey, so Harvey will have to stay with them until they get their full load of fish.
And since he is eating their food and using their clothes, why shouldn't he help out with the work? He will be paid for his toil. At first Harvey rebels at this idea, but after Captain Disko gives him some stern reprimand, he submits.
True, he is awkward and slow at the work, since he never has done any manual labor in his life before, but he gradually gets better.
Throughout the months on the fishing vessel, he works like never before. His soft, white pasty hands are slowly transformed into tough and work callused ones.
His hands are not the only things that change, however. He learns what it means to be a real man, working for not just yourself, but for others as well and to put your very best work into a task. He realizes, too, the mortality of man as he watches a wave sweep over a ship, driving it and the souls in its hold to the bottom of the sea, never to be seen again.
By watching the funeral of a drowned Frenchman he realizes the depth and importance of death.
At the end of the story, Harvey is returned to his family, a totally different person then the one he was before being washed overboard. He has now stopped childishly pitching fits for everything he wants or strutting about like a proud peacock. He pitches in and helps his father with his business, is keenly interested in his family, rather than himself, and knows how to fulfill his duties.
I found this book a very worthwhile one to read and learned much about responsibility, fishing and sailing from it.
MOVIES BASED ON CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS
I have seen only one version- an older one. I know a newer one has been made, but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet and so I don't know if it's good or not. J
Stars: Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore, Freddy Bartholomew and Mickey Rooney
Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer
Director: Victor Fleming
Year: 1937
Acting: Superb! Spencer Tracey is perfect as Manuel, and Lionel Barrymore does credit to his family's great name in acting (as usual). Freddy Bartholomew, as Harvey, also does a creditable job.
Screen Play: The story is changed in several places. In the book Manuel does not play nearly such a large role as he does in the movie- and his fate is very different in the book. In the book Harvey learns lessons from all the sailors- in the movie it is mainly from Manuel. Also- in the movie Harvey is portrayed as a 12 year old and is on a trip with his Father, not his Mother. As I said- they do change several things, but it's still an inspiring movie.
Filming: Since this was made in 1937, it is black and white. But this does not take away from the fact this is an excellent movie.
Things you might not like:
We usually do not like movies changed as much as this one was, but as far as I can remember this was the worst.
Rating: I believe it is G- that is where I would put it at least.
Tips: Grab a box of tissue paper before starting this! Also- we really were appreciative of a certain funeral scene- Christianity was shown in a very positive light and several scripture verses were used (e.g. "Those who go down to the sea in ships…")
