Highly Overrated But Still Good

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This movie does Jack London's sailing yarn Sea Wolf real justice for an average budget attempt.One thing that strikes me is how far away we are from the history of the sea in our modern world, and how great London's writing really is in this story, weaving the rawest tenets of human struggle into what was then one of the primary economic engines of the world, the commerce of the ocean-going fishing, whaling, or here, sealing ship. Of course, the sea tale is such a romantic notion, ironic in that it was so tough to actually live, and offers a writer so much because the characters are all stuck together in a constant state of peril from without, and this magnifies the sense of the peril between them.Reeve is brilliant as an educated man of position facing the rawest of worlds far from where he was raised. He runs into another intellectual of sorts, a captain who has scrambled from poverty to occupy a position of pure power, which he holds in purely Machiavellian ways. Reeve's true sensitivity comes out in the role, acting as foil to the pure cynicism of Bronson's Captain Larsen, begging for mercy for others and for good when possible. I kept being struck at how strong, virile, and yet kind and warm Reeve seemed in the role, and the strength he would need as his own life took such an awful turn not long after this movie.Bronson also gets his licks in as a man who has seen empathy repaid with betrayal so many times, he sees empathy only as weakness and vulnerability, and considering his surroundings, he makes an excellent case. The story sets these two forces, two approaches to life against each other, and basically never resolves them, which is good, because a resolution would be too facile. Both men stick to who they are. There are times when Bronson seems less than on, but his previous persona lends itself well here, lending him the previous strength, but I can tell he approached the role in a different way than his other tough guy roles. He created a real weakness in the rigidity of this character and conveys a fairly broken man who still knows how to be a brutal and effective leader. He isn't a wisecracker, here though. He's a weakening man in a tough shell. Bronson is past his peak here, but still rivets the viewer, especially a fan. I would've pegged Bronson for 60 here, but he was 70 when he made this film.THe supporting cast runs the gamut from great to average, with a couple given exceptional moment in London's story. I enjoyed seeing two actors 20+ years later, now both gone. They really were both great.

I caught this version of The Sea Wolf when it was originally broadcast and was very pleasantly surprised. Christopher Reeve did his usual excellent job, playing the, literally, wet-behind-the-ears socialite quite out of his element and who must toughen up or die. Although I was at first skeptical of the performance Bronson would turn in, he made the role his own. No one plays stone-faced determination like Bronson and he seems well-suited for this role. It is a rare, noted performance in the classic movie star's latter years. The clash of these two characters, and actors, drives the movie from a slow-burn to a fever-pitch intensity. Although I had read the book, I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see how Bronson and Reeve would interpret their parts in the next scene.

The film narrates about a cocky young(Christopher Reeve)and a beautiful girl(Catherine Mary Stewart)who are shipwrecked and and picked up by a ship called ¨the Ghost¨commanded by captain Larsen(Charles Bronson) a cruel but clever seaman reader of Shakesphere,Nietzsche,Darwin and Milton(Lost time).They convert themselves in accidental passengers confronting wits and taking on brutal sailors (Clive Revell) and only helped by an alcoholic doctor(Len Cariou) and a good marine(Mark Singer).The picture is a fine television adaptation of a famous novel by Jack London scripted by Andrew J. Fenady(also producer united to Ted Turner). The film has an intelligent characters study,reflecting on the various personages and stunningly playing the tale .Thus,Charles Bronson as the obstinate and brutal captain and obsessed to track down his brother is magnificent.Christopher Reeve(recently deceased)as his contender and with numerous wishes to escape is splendid .Catherine Mary Stewart is enjoyable and enticing.Special mention to support cast, Len Cariou as the kind boozy doctor is excellent and Clive Revell as the nasty cooker who mistreats to Reeve is outstanding. The Black and white classic version novel is the greatest and was directed by Michael Curtiz in 1941 with Edward G. Robinson(Larsen),Alexander Knox(Reeve's role),Ida Lupino(Catherine Stewart's role) and John Garfield(Singer's role). The flick will like to seafaring adventure genre enthusiastic and of course Bronson and Reeve fans. Rating : Well worthwhile seeing.

For those who saw the black and white version of 1941 starred by E.G. Robinson, John Garfield and Ida Lupino, this remake is far away to be of the same quality as this one. Bronson is never at the altitude of Robinson, he is a kind of soft Wolf while Robinson played a real tough one. Reeve tried to be at the same level of Garfield, but again unsuccessfully. This remake is only better in its photography and colors, but the cast of 1941 version acted simply masterfully.