The Old Man and the Sea

Starring: Spencer Tracy, Felipe Pazos, Harry Bellaver, Mary Hemingway (uncredited)
Directed by: John Sturges
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Adventure, Drama
1958

Times Seen:
Tim: 1


Summary: An old fisherman (Spencer Tracy) hooks an enormous fish that drags him out to sea.

Review:

Tim: I'm an Ernest Hemingway fan, but I've never gotten around to reading his novella upon which this film was based. So, The Old Man and the Sea was my introduction to this wonderful story. I really enjoyed the movie and consider it especially strong. There's definitely a few flaws that hold it back, but it's still a beautiful, entertaining film.

I loved the straightforward nature of the story. An aging fisherman hooks a once-in-a-lifetime fish. A monster that pulls his small skiff out to sea. The bulk of the story is this timeless battle between an old man and an enormous fish, fighting for his life. The battle will profoundly impact them both. John Sturges tells this story well, but wisely doesn't try to expand too far- the film is only 1 hour, 26 minutes. That's short, but appropriate given the story. It doesn't have a lot of fat on it. We get a number of scenes early on that establish the characters. We learn why the old man is such a good person, just hitting a rotten streak of fishing luck. We see his friendship with a small Cuban boy and we learn of the love and protectiveness this small (but mature) boy feels for this friend. That human drama is so important, as these characters connect with us emotionally. So, when the old man is pulled out to sea, we fear for his safety because we like him, and we fear for the young boy, whose world would be shattered if his hero didn't return. It makes all the man vs. fish elements take on increased significance. That framing of the story worked so well here. Obviously, the film enjoyed a strong source material in Hemingway's novella, but the adaptation seems to have worked well.

A big reason why I liked this movie as much as I did is because of Spencer Tracy. It's hard for me to describe how much I love Tracy the more I see of him. He's such a tremendous, unforgettable actor. He had this inner light that seemed to shine out from every role he plays. He conveys such goodness, it feels impossible not to like his characters. In this film, Tracy takes center stage, as the majority of the film is simply him in a boat. There's always a risk when the majority of a film focuses on one actor, by himself (or herself). That actor has to hold our attention, bear the weight of the story on their shoulders, alone. Tracy shines in this role. I'd watch him do anything, but battling an enormous fish, as he's pulled out to sea, risking his life for the catch of a lifetime... well, that's an incredible way to spend 86 minutes. Tracy is simply fantastic, holding us riveting with his performance. Whether that's talking to himself, speaking to a bird, scanning his hands, ripped apart from the rope, or fighting off sharks, Tracy throws himself completely into this role. He also does a terrific job narrating the story- it actually took me awhile to realize this. His narration and his character voice are just distinct enough for me to not be sure it was all him. Tracy was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance here. Now, I'll be frank- I'm not sure Tracy was quite good enough to win. However, he was significantly better than the minor role David Niven played in Separate Tables. I'm still unconvinced Niven was the Best Actor that year, especially when he was pitted against Tracy, who carried an entire film on his back.

Outside of Tracy, I really enjoyed the performance of Felipe Pazos as The Boy. Child actors are always a bit of a mixed bag, but I thought Pazos played the role well. He certainly captured the adoration his character had for the Old Man. There's other supporting cast members, but none of them get much screen time. This film is all about Tracy, with an assist from Pazos.

The movie itself is well crafted by Sturges. In addition to Tracy's nomination, the film was nominated for Best Cinematography, Color. That felt well deserved. The scenes of the boat on the ocean, the battle with the fish and then sharks- it's all so beautifully painted throughout this film. The cinematography was excellent and I was glad it was nominated. The film did win 1 Academy Award, for Best Music, Score of Drama or Comedy Picture. I was pleased to see this win. The music is indeed effective- never in an overpowering way that called attention to itself, but it absolutely improved the drama and heightened the tension throughout the film.

The Old Man and the Sea doesn't quite do enough to be considered a great film. It's always good, but never really hits the highest notes possible. What really separates it from other films and makes it exceptionally good is the performance of Spencer Tracy. The movie is well crafted, obviously, but it's the time with Tracy that makes this movie stand out. For that reason, I truly enjoyed watching it and consider this an especially strong film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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