I’ve read MOBY DICK at least two times. Maybe three. I consider about half of it to be a great novel. The other half is too wordy and boring. Melville needed a good editor.
Last evening I watched the 1956 MOBY DICK film, starring Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab. My opinion of the movie kept increasing as the film developed. By the time it ended I thought it a very good film indeed. This is perhaps not surprising with John Huston directing and sharing credit for the screenplay with Ray Bradbury.
In searching for reviews I found I am not alone with that opinion.
From Wikipedia:
Bosley Crowther of The New York Times called it "a rolling and thundering color film that is herewith devoutly recommended as one of the great motion pictures of our times ... Space does not possibly permit us to cite all the things about this film that are brilliantly done or developed, from the strange, subdued color scheme employed to the uncommon faithfulness to details of whaling that are observed."
The credits thank the whalers of Madeira who I conclude were still hunting whales then from long boats based on their island.
Although the film came out when I was a teenager and is one I would have expected to see, I don’t believe I ever did before last night.
I watched on Amazon Prime. If you want to do so, you need to act quickly. It leaves Prime at the end of this month. It is available for rent from a number of other sources.
I am feeling becalmed because the stitches in my leg are preventing me from doing much other than walk and ride my bicycle. There is work I would like to be doing on GANNET, but small boats put one in awkward positions and require contortions unadvisable for a while longer.
By chance I have received two comments in the past day, one here from anonymous about the last journal entry, one on my YouTube channel from Jon Pope about the Zoom SF Single Handed Society video. Usually I don’t comment on comments except to answer questions, but these are particularly welcome just now. I thank them.
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