Movies About Ships

From Victor Fleming, starring Spencer Tracy, Freddie Bartholomew, Lionel Barrymore, Melvyn Douglas
Rated G

Captains Courageous is a 1937 American adventure drama film directed by Victor Fleming, based on the 1897 novel of the same name by Rudyard Kipling. It stars Freddie Bartholomew, Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore, Melvyn Douglas, and Mickey Rooney. The story follows young Harvey Cheyne Jr. (Bartholomew), the spoiled son of a railroad tycoon, who falls overboard from an ocean liner and is rescued by a Portuguese fisherman. He joins the crew on their fishing boat and is forced to learn the value of hard work and dedication in spite of his initial reluctance. Throughout his journey, he faces many dangers and adventures, and eventually discovers his true worth and the true meaning of courage.

From Paul Greengrass, starring Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Catherine Keener
Rated PG-13

Captain Phillips is a 2013 biographical thriller directed by Paul Greengrass, starring Tom Hanks in the title role as Captain Richard Phillips. The film is based on the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates, and follows the events that unfolded during the ordeal. The film begins with a flashback to Somalia where the main pirate, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), is shown struggling to provide for his family. Fast forward to present day, and Phillips is preparing the Maersk Alabama for its voyage to Mombasa. Meanwhile, the pirates, led by Muse, board the ship with the intention of taking hostages. After a brief struggle, Phillips and his crew are taken hostage and are forced to board a lifeboat. Phillips attempts to negotiate with the pirates, but they insist that he take them to Somalia in exchange for the crew's safety. Phillips agrees, but the US Navy and the FBI intervene. After a long standoff, the US Navy launches a rescue operation and Muse is arrested. The film ends with Phillips arriving back in the US and being reunited with his family.

From Michael Curtiz, starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone
Rated Passed

Captain Blood is a 1935 swashbuckling adventure film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. The film is based on the novel by Rafael Sabatini and tells the story of Dr. Peter Blood (Errol Flynn), an Irish physician who is wrongfully sentenced to death for his role in a Monmouth Rebellion. After escaping from prison, he becomes a pirate and eventually ends up leading a successful rebellion against the oppressive King of Spain. Along his journey, he rescues a young woman named Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland) and the two fall in love, but face opposition from the English government and a Spanish nobleman, Colonel Bishop. With the help of his crew, Peter ultimately succeeds in his mission, reclaiming his name and honor.

From John Huston, starring Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley, Peter Bull
Rated PG

The African Queen is a 1951 adventure drama directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Set in German East Africa in WWI, the film follows the unlikely pairing of a rough-hewn Canadian steamboat captain, Charlie Allnut (Bogart) and a prim and proper British missionary, Rose Sayer (Hepburn). When German troops destroy the village of the missionary Rose Sayer, Charlie reluctantly agrees to take her on a dangerous and arduous journey down the Ulanga River to Lake Victoria in a small boat, the African Queen. Along the way, they face obstacles both natural and man-made, as well as their own clashing personalities. Despite their differences, the pair eventually fall in love and an unlikely romance blooms between them. As they press forward, they hatch a plan to use the African Queen to attack a German gunboat and help the British cause.

From Edward Dmytryk, starring Humphrey Bogart, José Ferrer, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray
Rated Not Rated

The Caine Mutiny is a 1954 American drama film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Humphrey Bogart as the temperamental, disobedient and paranoid Captain Queeg. The film follows the crew of the USS Caine, a WWII Navy minesweeper, as they battle against their captain and the elements. Queeg's increasingly erratic behavior leads to a mutiny on board, forcing the officers to take matters into their own hands. The court martial that follows examines the legal, moral, and ethical issues involved in their actions. The film also examines the psychological effects of serving in the military. Ultimately, the court exonerates the officers, but the events of the movie have a lasting impact on them.

From Frank Lloyd, starring Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone, Herbert Mundin
Rated Passed

Mutiny on the Bounty is a 1935 American adventure drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Clark Gable and Charles Laughton. The film is based on the true story of the mutiny against the tyrannical Captain Bligh of the British Royal Navy ship HMS Bounty in 1789. Bligh and his crew are sailing to Tahiti to collect breadfruit plants to transport to the West Indies when the sailors, led by Fletcher Christian, begin to push back against Bligh's cruelty, culminating in a mutiny on the high seas. After a lengthy battle, Christian and his men are able to take control of the ship, leaving Bligh and a few loyalists behind in a small boat. Christian then sets sail for Tahiti, where he sets up a utopian paradise; however, their newfound paradise is threatened when the British navy catches up to them. The film was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for three Academy Awards.

From Peter Weir, starring Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd, James D'Arcy
Rated PG-13

From Roger Donaldson, starring Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Edward Fox
Rated PG

From Aaron Schneider, starring Tom Hanks, Elisabeth Shue, Stephen Graham, Matt Helm
Rated PG-13

From Jack Smight, starring Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Glenn Ford
Rated PG