Why so much hype?

Good concept, poorly executed.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

. . . deals with a member of an intellectually inferior species committing genocide against Oceania's Whale Peoples simply because he was born with opposable thumbs, and his victims were not. But, as they say, Brains beat Brawn any day. From their fleets of sea gull spies, the Whales learn the weak spots in the psyche of their main threat, Captain John Nelson, a.k.a., THE SEA LION. That enables them to circle the boat of his wife Dolly's old flame, sending this Bob Simmons subliminal messages day and night via that humming thing that Whales do. Like a mind-controlled automaton, Bob shanghais pregnant Dolly, framing this abduction as an elopement, per the Whale's instructions. Then the smarter mammals stove in Bob's ship, killing him and the rest of the Whale Hunters. The kindly Guardians of the Deep help Dolly and her servant to Sanctuary, but stoke John's jealousy of Bob to such a fever pitch that John burns down his own house! When a freak water leak brings together John and his surviving daughter, Blossom, John does his best to kill this Flower Child. But then he reads in Dolly's Bible about how the Whales saved Jonah, so he spares Blossom's life and swears off whaling forever. Showing more respect for John than the Russians did for Hitler, the Whales allow John safe passage back to shore, where he's a homeless single dad without a job.

Hobart Bosworth was an interesting person. A traveler, adventurer, boxer, actor, sailor. He purportedly went to California at doctor's request for his health around 1908. In California Bosworth was amongst the earliest of stage actors to make movies in California becoming writer, director, actor, producer. Around 1913 Bosworth, already a movie veteran, formed his own production company ultimately producing a 1914 version of "The Sea Wolf". The Sea Lion is a 1921 adventure. The kind that Bosworthh liked to make. It is directed by Rowland Lee. Bosworth leads the cast in "The Sea Lion" in a yarn of a cuckold sailor who after 18 years is reunited with his daughter, played by Bessie Love. The print of this film is awful. The movie, is now in the public domain. Judging by the quality of the film it looks like a 6th generation print of a copy of a copy. It's hard to follow this movie because you can't read the intertitles at times or follow the action. Second and third viewings are almost mandatory to experience what the filmmakers are showing. Even in a messy print the story matter is exciting and one full of adventure. Hopefully a better print surfaces. dir. Rowland V. Lee, Bosworth Prods.

Brisk little tale about a brutal sea captain (Hobart Bosworth) nicknamed "the Sea Lion" and the fateful voyage that involves mutiny and the depletion of their water supply.We're told in flashback that Bosworth was once a jolly fellow, eagerly anticipating his return from sea to his wife and new baby. But when he arrives home, the wife and baby are gone. She's run off with another man. Nearly 20 years later, he holds the bitterness like a shield as he goes about his job.On the current voyage, a first-time seaman (Emory Johnson) is escaping his family and is the butt of all jokes on board. But after months at sea, the water runs out and the crew mutinies while Johnson is atop the crow's nest. He helps the captain quell the riot and is made first mate. Soon thereafter they spot an island and head for it.On the island they find some people who were shipwrecked 16 years before. The young girl named Blossom (Bessie Love) is the daughter of a white woman who died on the island after the shipwreck. back on board, while Johnson and Love fall in love, Bosworth's hatred flairs when he learns that Love is the daughter of his runaway wife. But who was the father? Bosworth is solid as the brutal captain, and Love and Johnson make their stock characters interesting. The scenes at sea are surprisingly authentic and add immensely to this simple story of love and hate and redemption.My copy has an excellent and rousing piano score. Worth a look.

Sea Lion, The (1921) ** (out of 4) A bitter sea captain (Hobart Bosworth) does everything he can to be mean to people due to his wife leaving him out of no where sixteen years earlier. On one voyage they happen across a man and a young girl who have been shipwrecked on an island for sixteen years. The captain takes them on board and soon their stories connect. Rowland V. Lee directed this silent film, which has a couple good scenes but the story is so predictable that it's hard to be too shocked or surprised when the big twist comes. The morality tale is also a tad bit silly but there's some good stuff out at sea. Bosworth does the most with the screenplay and delivers a fine performance but the supporting players, including Emory Johnson, are all wooden.