The Sea Wolf

1941

1h 30m

Drama

List

100%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1900, fugitives George Leach (John Garfield) and Ruth Brewster (Ida Lupino), along with writer Humphrey Van Weyden, board the seal ship the "Ghost," under the command of callous Wolf Larsen (Edward G. Robinson). Ruth languishes sick below decks, while Leach and Van Weyden witness how Larsen's cruelty has hardened the crew. Van Weydon discovers that the "Ghost" is not a seal ship, but fleeing Larsen's brother, and that the captain has a deeper, darker secret that threatens the entire crew.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

A sea adventure that Curtiz keeps afloat at all times with misty atmospheres and a gripping tension that reaches its greatest point in the formidable performance of Edward G. Robinson as the evil captain of the ghostly ship. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Nov 25, 2023

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

[I]t plays like a nautical noir, from misty opening in the dive bars of San Francisco’s waterfront to the haunted house of a ship that snuffs the hope of all who board it.

Jul 9, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Perhaps the finest of all Jack London adaptations, with Edward G. Robinson delivering a dynamic performance as Wolf Larsen.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 22, 2021

Full Review

John Kinloch

California Eagle

It's tight, terse and terrific.

Oct 31, 2019

Full Review

Elena de la Torre

Cine-Mundial

The movie is very good from all points of view. [Full review in Spanish]

Sep 17, 2019

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Exciting sea yarn.

Rated: A-

Jun 27, 2012

Full Review

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Andy F

A super adventure with more character depth than is usually expected for this type of yarn.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/30/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Adaption of Jack London, aka a bit Mutiny on the Bounty. Wonder, if Jack London took the Bounty story just into a smaller setting. The Sea Wolf (Larsen), played by Edward Robinson is a Psycho, controlling his band of desperate, criminal drunken psycho sailors with an iron fist. Which was normal and needed in former times. However, he gets complete unbalanced and its good versus evil, lots of emotions, played well by the actors. Hitchock mixed with Bounty. Has been filmed into Movies several times, but I want one time Larsen to win.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Every Michael Curtiz film I screen for the first time is like finding a bundle of money on the street. The Sea Wolf is another of his superbly crafted films.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film is a revelation. Top level cast at their best. Excellent production. Painful, profound allegory.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The movie was good, but how could anyone who has read Jack London's story and his description of Wolf Larson ever see Edward G. Robinson in that role? Larson was the epitome of masculine physical excellence, handsome and well-built. Robinson is squat and homely and a far cry from anyone's picture of a Greek god which is how he should have been cast. Ugh! Humphrey Van Weyden was an effete intellectual and John Garfield, who looks, talks and acts like a gangster, again, is poorly cast.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

john m

Like all of Michael Curtiz adventure films from this time, this is gloriously shot with stunning set design and cinematography. No modern films shot out at sea look this beautiful. Too bad the romance and character arcs don't really work.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Michael Curtiz

Director

Edward G. Robinson

"Wolf" Larsen

John Garfield

George Leach

Ida Lupino

Ruth Webster

Alexander Knox

Humphrey Van Weyden

Gene Lockhart

Dr. Prescott

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Synopsis

In 1900, fugitives George Leach (John Garfield) and Ruth Brewster (Ida Lupino), along with writer Humphrey Van Weyden, board the seal ship the "Ghost," under the command of callous Wolf Larsen (Edward G. Robinson). Ruth languishes sick below decks, while Leach and Van Weyden witness how Larsen's cruelty has hardened the crew. Van Weydon discovers that the "Ghost" is not a seal ship, but fleeing Larsen's brother, and that the captain has a deeper, darker secret that threatens the entire crew.

Director: Michael Curtiz
Production Co: Warner Bros.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 30m

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