Success On the High Seas

Washington Post ^ | November 14, 2003 | Charles Krauthammer

[wooden nickel]

The great director Billy Wilder was once asked about subtlety in movies. "Of course, there must be subtleties," Wilder said. "Just make sure you make them obvious."

The trailer for "Master and Commander," the seafaring epic opening today, can hardly be described as subtle. It is a dazzling montage of dramatic scenes of early 19th-century naval warfare, with cannonballs, bodies, furniture and masts flying all over the place. Nonetheless, my first reaction to a screening of the film was that it was beautiful and brilliant, but I was not sure it would find a mass audience because of its subtlety.

....

Even better is the fact that the hero in his little British frigate is up against a larger, more powerful French warship. That allows U.S. audiences the particular satisfaction of seeing Anglo-Saxon cannonballs puncturing the Tricolor. My favorite part was Aubrey rallying the troops with a Henry V, St. Crispin's Day speech featuring: "Do you want your children growing up and singing the Marseillaise?" It was met by a chorus of deafening "No's." Maybe they should have put that in the trailer too.

[Riley]

Looks like one to see.

[exnavy]

I want to take my son to see this one.

[wooden nickel]

I think Charles would a good movie reviewer.

[Physicist]

The Aubrey/Maturin novels are among the finest I have ever read. I call the series "The Thinking Man's Star Trek".

[Prodigal Son]

Always good to get a Freeper book tip ;-)

[TomB]

My favorite part was Aubrey rallying the troops with a Henry V, St. Crispin's Day speech featuring: "Do you want your children growing up and singing the Marseillaise?" It was met by a chorus of deafening "No's."

Definitely a must-see.