Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World **** (2003, Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany) – Classic Movie Review 1698

Russell Crowe battles the wicked French enemy as Royal Navy captain Jack Aubrey in co-writer/director Peter Weir’s beautifully crafted, eye-catching, thinking person’s 2003 Napoleonic War epic, based on novels by Patrick O’Brian. The film’s plot and characters are adapted from three books in O’Brian’s series of 20 about Aubrey’s naval career.

It all unfolds on Crowe’s English war ship, the frigate HMS Surprise, which engages in an extended duel to the death with a French privateer named Acheron off South America in 1805 after the English seamen come in for some unwelcome attention from the French vessel.

Swashbuckling entertainment mixed with grim realism is the name of the game, making for a painstakingly serious look at life on the ocean waves. It brings history vividly alive while painting a frightening picture of the hardships of life on the ocean waves.

Commendably, Crowe underplays the one-dimensional character of the firm but kindly and brilliant commander, though Paul Bettany steals the show as ship’s surgeon Dr Stephen Maturin, the skipper’s wildlife-fan pal, while a hearty crew of fine British actors also scores direct hits.

There’s a high tide of derring-do, marvellous scenery, acts of heroism and gory operations in this seaworthy vessel and, after an awesome side-trip to the Galapagos Islands, it all ends in a pitched battle that truly stirs the blood.

James D’Arcy (as 1st Lt. Tom Pullings), David Threlfall (captain’s steward Preserved Killick), Billy Boyd (the coxswain Barrett Bonden), Edward Woodall (2nd Lt. William Mowett), Chris Larkin, Max Pirkis, Jack Randall, Max Benitz, Lee Ingleby, Richard Pates, Robert Pugh (as Mr Allen, Master), Richard McCabe, Ian Mercer, Tony Dolan, Bryan Dick, Joseph Morgan and George Innes are also in the huge cast.

The film was nominated for 10 Oscars at the 76th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but only won in two categories, Best Cinematography (Russell Boyd) and Best Sound Editing (Richard King), losing in the others to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

On a vast $150million budget, it earned back a worldwide total of $212million. Peter Weir said: ‘I think that while it did well…ish at the box office, it didn’t generate that monstrous, rapid income that provokes a sequel.’

Hollywood mogul’s son Samuel Goldwyn Jr, producer of many films including Mystic Pizza and Master and Commander, died on 9 January 2015, aged 88. Goldwyn Jr received his final credit as a producer on the remake of the Goldwyn Sr-produced classic The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013).

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1698

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