On M List of Movie Reviews

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Moby Dick (1956)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 12/15

12/15: I read Herman Melville's Moby Dick when I was in high school but hadn't seen a film version of it until two decades later.

I remember the story very well, but one thing that made an impression on me is how densely religious the novel was. Happily, John Huston's film is faithful to it in spirit.

I know I've bashed Gregory Peck in the past for his wooden acting, but I have to say he's a surprise as Captain Ahab. Some have remarked that he was too young for the role and that Walter Huston would've done better if he were alive. Honestly, Gregory Peck looks right, having been too hard on himself while not believing he gave a great performance.

John Huston and Ray Bradbury's screenplay is through and through outstanding. Even better is Oswald Morris' immaculate seafaring cinematography. The scenes with the fake whale are equally impressive. However, the special effects are somewhat laughable and therefore unnecessary.

All in all, before there was Jaws, there was John Huston's Moby Dick, a grand spectacle of oceanic action-adventure with a terrific Gregory Peck performance.

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