22 November 03
Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey
Disclaimer: I’ve read all the Patrick O’Brian Aubrey/Maturin novels at least three times (well, okay, five). The series comprises twenty books. Rachel Jacoff, a Dante scholar at Wellesley, first put me on to them—she thought I’d like them because Stephen (the ship’s surgeon) is a birder. (And lots else, of course.)
My fear about this film when I heard it was being made revolved primarily around the choice of lead roles. Russell Crowe? How could he possibly carry off the role of a British naval captain in the Napoleonic wars, one whose punning is wretched but whose voice can be heard over two miles away, who understands the zeitgest of the lower deck where he was once assigned for stealing tripe (or stowing a girl), and whose most profound weakness is for that timeless English delicacy, the suet pudding?
I’m surprised, almost, to report that he gets it almost perfect. That Peter Weir absolutely understands the interaction between Jack and Stephen (Paul Bettany is an unlikely exquisite choice for this role). That despite the truncated plot, taken from at least five of the novels, it doesn’t matter: it’s all about character anyway. Jane Austen at sea is how someone once described it. There’s very little here in the way of Jane Austen; what the books don’t give you is the noise. I hope they don’t make any more in the series—I fail to see how this could be bettered. As a period piece it has no rivals, in my opinion.
The release coincides nicely for Oscar time and there are sure to be a few nods; I think it will win outright for editing.
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1) Captains of RN ships NEVER EVER dine or co-habitate in any way with the other officers or any crew member. The captain of an RN ship ALWAYS maintains the aloof nature of command, and is allowed in the wardroom (where all other commissioned officers gather) ONLY by invitation even though he commands the ship. This is the way it has always been and will always be.
2) It is not possible (again in the RN of the time depicted) to be both Master and Commander of an RN ship. The Commander is either a designated captain (he may not hold captain rank). Whereas the Master of the ship (more correctly known as the Sailing Master) was the expert who sailed the ship – he who knew every nuance of the ship’s behaviour under sail – often a Sailing Master would remain with a ship for the whole of its operational life or the demise of his own whichever came sooner. Captains may come and go depending on the exigencies of the service, but the Sailing Master stays on.
I did not know of the facts mentioned in the last post concerning the relationship of a Captain of RN with the other officers. However, the parts over dinner make for some very good scenes in the movie. His relationship with all the men is one of integrity, leadership and respect.
I too am afraid that a sequel might fall flat when compared with the first, but I wish the first one was twice as long! It was so good. The realism was excellent and though there was much violence I did not feel that it was excessive or that it was just stuck in for violence sake.
Over all I give it an A+!
Por ello, ahora envo nuevamente el comentario, pero en espaol, que es lo que realmente deseo expresar.
Un film excelente no solamente por la historia en s misma, sino por las actuaciones de los actores, y Crowe realiz un trabajo maravilloso como siempre lo hace en sus films, principalmente en el Gladiador. Un verdadero capitn de la RN represent un ejemplo de respeto, amistad y seguridad para los subordinados. Yo vi el film cinco veces, y siempre tengo algo que aprender, algo que levanta mi espritu, algo por lo que luchar, pero nada puede lograrse facilmente sin una buena coordinacin de mentes, en donde la mente de cada uno es una parte de un todo, mostrando que nosotros no estamos solos en la vida, si todos juntos vamos por el mismo camino para ser cada vez mejores. Una historia con un sentido profundo de humanidad. Realmente, el film Master and Commander, me gust mucho.
It is not clear which cabin the officers were eating in on the film but by the nature of film it is not always possible to explain everything as you would do in a book. It could easily be the wardroom. I do not think it true to say captains always dined alone – O’Brien regularly has Aubrey dining with officers and midshipmen of the watch.
However, JA was promoted at the end of book two [Post Captain] after the success of attacking the Convention of St Jacques at which time you remember that the Polychrest was laid upon a shoal, so JA the boys took two ships, Fanciulla and a corvette. That was the exploit that made him Post.
Sorry to be picky, but I literally just read that bit in post captain last night, and the Fanciulla IS the corvette. The other ship is a transport.
As for dining with the crew, although I cannot be as definate on this as the last point, I’m sure there are instances where Jack dines with Stephen and other officers in his cabin…
Anyway, the film is superb, it’s just a shame they had to take so many bits of plot from several of the books to make the one film, when each of the books (of the 3 i’ve read so far) are such fantastic stories in their own right. Indeed the sequel/s may not be as good, but even a film half as good as M&C will still be worth watching! Most handsomely put together and a capital performance by Crowe and Bettany. Bravo!