The Old Man and the Sea

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Russ G From a short story by Poppa Hemingway. Saw this on late night TV decades ago - it was still a fairly "recent" film at the time, but five to ten year old movies ended up on TV as there was no other market for them once they'd been through movie theatres. I liked it because Tracy didn't have an opportunity for dialog so he didn't stink up the joint as he usually does. The special effects with the fish and the sharks were well done for the time - no CGI. The story qualifies as a true tragedy and triumph simultaneously. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/07/25 Full Review Gisle B I've reacently read the book and I think the movie mirrored the book very well. Those who played the main roles acted very good. The movie was also nice to watch with idyllic surroundings, although limited by the opportunities they had in 1958. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/27/24 Full Review babarizam D I was a little boy when I first saw this movie in early 90s. I couldn't remember much apart from sea, old man sitting in boat, holding a robe and talking to himself. After that I watched it so many times over the years but that first time sensation remains intact. It was an unforgettable experience, an 8 years old sitting , trying to understand. "Luck comes in many forms, who can recognise her" Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/15/24 Full Review dave s Sadly, the film adaptation of Hemingway's classic novel The Old Man and the Sea sinks under the weight of its excesses. True to the novel, the simple story follows the battle between a beleaguered fisherman (Spencer Tracy) and the massive marlin that takes his bait. However, the movie fails on a number of fronts, including a music score (while fashionable at the time) that never seems to quit, narration that never seems to quit (it's a movie – let the visuals and dialogue tell the story), and continuity issues and errors that never seem to quit, like the large harpoon hole in the fish that can be seen before the harpoon strikes or the inconsistencies in the water surface between the stock footage of the fish jumping and the calm water surrounding the boat in the studio water tank. It's a noble effort, but ultimately, just like the old man, falls short. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review renaldo d Despite having a bad visual effect, this film has one of the best narratives brought from the book to the cinema. especially when this quote occurs: He could feel he was inside the current now and he could see the lights of beach colonies along the shore. He knew where he was now, and it was nothing to get home. "The wind is our friend anyway", he thought. Then he added, "Sometimes". "And the great sea with our friends and our enemies and bed. Bed is my friend,  just bed. Bed will be a great thing." It is easy when you are beaten. What beat you?...Nothing. I just went out too far. Man is not made for defeat. Man can be destroyed, but not defeated. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review steve d The story isn't much but the acting is great. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Old Man and the Sea

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