# Desperately Seeking Sea Films **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 20, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077 "2004-09-20T02:06:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/1 "2004-09-20T02:06:17Z")
All right, it’s a long story as to exactly why (there is a good reason, though,) but I’m looking for films about ships and ocean voyages. Some stipulations: 1.) They can’t be about Americans. British would be best, but I’ll accept others. 2.) They absolutely cannot be set in the 20th century. I’m hoping for 16th, but I accept that I may have to compromise. A film about Sir Francis Drake’s voyage would be ideal. 3.) They have to be on DVD (or VHS.) 4.) The more historically accurate, the better. They’ve GOT to be out there… the only one I could think of was _Master and Commander_… HELP!!! Anise ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/2 "2004-09-20T02:21:57Z")
_The Bounty Mutiny on the Bounty Horatio Hornblower Pirates of the Caribbean Cutthroat Island Moby Dick Pirates of Penzance The Crimson Pirate Captain Blood Treasure Island Captain Kidd Pirates Pirates of Tortuga Billy Budd_ Of those, _Mutiny on the Bounty_, _The Bounty_ and _Billy Budd_ are probably the most historically accurate. Maybe _Horation Hornblower_ too. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/3 "2004-09-20T02:23:54Z")
Perhaps if you tried the Cafe Society board. It’s only the board on the net for movie related questions. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/4 "2004-09-20T02:29:36Z")
I’ll move this from General Questions forum to Cafe Society forum… Also to suggest the new Horatio Hornblower series, not the old movie with Gregory Peck. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/5 "2004-09-20T02:48:55Z")
Master & Commander: The Far Side of The World was a 19th century sea movie- 1812, I believe. Pretty epic, realistic and well-done I thought. ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/6 "2004-09-20T02:53:05Z")
This [page](http://www.errolflynn.net/Filmography/sh.htm) says that [The Sea Hawk](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033028/) > [@](#): > > bears no resemblence to the Sabatini novel of the same name. In fact, the only thing they share is the title and perhaps the period in history. It was decided that an adaptation of the exploits of Sir Francis Drake would prove more entertaining You should be able to get this on VHS, so I think it meets stipulations 1, 2 and 3, but you may need to lower your standards on number 4… ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/7 "2004-09-20T03:04:50Z")
Master & Commander ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/8 "2004-09-20T12:12:28Z")
**Johnny LA** : _Pirates of Penzance_ ??? It’s pretty much a stretch to think of this as a movie about ships or ocean voyages. “I sink a few more ships, it’s true, than a well-bred monarch ought to do.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/9 "2004-09-20T12:27:33Z")
Hey, she said “The more historically accurate, the better.” Nothing about _must be_ historically accurate and not musical comedies! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/10 "2004-09-20T12:36:13Z")
**Billy Budd** - already mentioned but well worth it. Damn, that’s a good movie. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/11 "2004-09-20T12:39:50Z")
I watched the four hour “Titantic” on TV last night. It takes place at sea, and seems to be accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/12 "2004-09-20T13:35:36Z")
**Captains Courageous** is an old favorite of mine. Spencer Tracy plays a Portugese fisherman (!) who mentors a spoiled rich kid that fell off a passenger liner and is picked out of the sea by a fishing ship on its way out for a long run. The book (by Rudyard Kipling) is a good bit more informative about everyday life aboard a fishing/sailing ship in the late 1800’s than the movie. But the movie is far more entertaining and gives the characters some personality and heart that is sorely lacking in the novel. Give 'em both a try! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/13 "2004-09-20T13:54:09Z")
A fine summary of sailing movies can be found [here](http://www.users.qwest.net/~ghawkins1/movies1.htm) and it includes many I had forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/14 "2004-09-20T14:04:19Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Hey, she said “The more historically accurate, the better.” Nothing about _must be_ historically accurate and not musical comedies! In that case: _Popeye_ ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/15 "2004-09-20T15:24:50Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > the new Horatio Hornblower series, not the old movie with Gregory Peck. Shame, Sir! My Second shall call upon you in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/16 "2004-09-20T15:43:54Z")
For accuracy, you might be better off looking at documentaries, like [Sea Warriors - The Royal Navy in the Age of Sail](http://www.mcbooks.com/Historical/Video/video.html). The link above also provides a free downloadable preview. ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/17 "2004-09-20T15:50:15Z")
I loved Horatio Hornblower. I really really loved Master and Commander. While we are at it: Does anybody knows if they are planning a sequel to master and commander? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/18 "2004-09-21T00:41:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Does anybody knows if they are planning a sequel to master and commander? They’re going to make a gay porn version of it… Called _Master and Commander_. 😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/19 "2004-09-21T02:44:30Z")
> [@Estilicon](#): > > I loved Horatio Hornblower. I really really loved Master and Commander. > While we are at it: Does anybody knows if they are planning a sequel to master and commander? I’ll echo your comments. I have both. I’ve watched M&C seven times so far. I’m such a nautical geek. Hmmm…Well, I’m not sure if they have made back all the money yet. It cost between $125 and 150 million. It made about $95 million while in theatres here, but I don’t know about the international take, or how much it’s made in rentals and sales. We can hope. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077/20 "2004-09-21T03:54:17Z")
Rod Taylor starred as Sir Francis Drake in [Seven Seas to Calais](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0056396/combined) (1962). But not available on home video, sorry. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desperately-seeking-sea-films/265077.md?page=2)