Moby Dick [DVD] [1956]

A wonderfully realised cine-tale of Herman Melville's timeless book of revenge and ambition. On the surface this is a marvellous tale of adventure upon the high seas. An insight into the 19th-century trade of whaling in which the dangerous hunt, if successful, may not only satisfy the need for exhilaration, where untested men and boys would arrive home fully grown through their adventures, but also where a high price may be had for the precious whale oil acquired from their victims.

There is, however, another side to this tale. The book Moby-Dick (or Moby Dick) warns of the price of obsession and the single-mindedness of pursuing a goal whose only purpose is to recklessly face and destroy the monster within at all costs. The story is deeply symbolic with intense Jungian overtones and is deeply haunting and profoundly meaningful. Starbuck's comment to Ahab on this matter is precise.

Within the book, each of the characters, and indeed locations, present facets, both light and dark, which exist within each of us. The adventurer; the monomaniac; the cool-headed reasoner; the savage; the fanatic; the rebel; the spiritualist. These, combined with the direction of the story, explode before the reader casting poignant shards in the heart's direction. The story fully envelopes the self and places us into a state of insecure exhilaration, better known as suspense. To have a single-minded aim tainted by revenge is sure to lead to a downfall, whether mortally...or spiritually. I encourage all to read the story of Moby-Dick and marvel at how it touches upon the collective unconsciousness.

Now to the film and DVD. John Huston's version is indeed Gothic. The dialogue (Ray Bradbury) is well-crafted for the film and the visuals compliment the story superbly. There may be one or two times where one might spot some inconsistencies but we can accept this. It does not detract from the overall picture and we should not be too fussy as Huston's intent is clear. We should be grateful Huston and Bradbury were able to utilise their skills in transferring a deeply symbolic tale to the big screen and still retain its impact.

The print used by Optimum Home Entertainment is excellent but do not be put off by the semi washed-out colour of the film as Huston intended this. He deliberately shot the film under overcast skies and the interiors with a partial chiaroscuro effect to fit this dark tale.

As an endnote I must take my hat off to the DVD cover designer showing Captain Ahab, the whale's flukes, and the harpoon's flukes to which Ahab intently looks upon; this image says it all.

To put Moby Dick, the enormous whale created by the pen of Herman Melville, on the wide screen had been an almost impossible undertaking until 1956, when John Huston's Moby Dick appeared. Twice the enterprise had been tried before he realised the film: first in 1925 with the title The Sea Beast directed by Millard Webb and in 1930 directed by Lloyd Bacon. On both occasions it had proved a failure because they had turned Moby Dick in a romantic story. On the contrary Huston, with Ray Bradbury's co-operation, struck on the right idea. They wrote a script as faithful to the novel as possible. In fact they caught the true feeling of the story, which is based on the ambiguity of the whale who shift from the physical to the metaphysical dimension. The difficulty of turning the masterpiece by Melville into a film is also proved by the long period that passed from the beginning of the forties, when Huston decided to realise the film, until the fifties when he was really able to do it. In Huston's adaptation, great importance is given to the first part of the story, which presages an unlucky voyage. Huston actualizes the ambiguous hunt for the white whale paying great attention to Captain Ahab's mad quest. This role is superbly played by Gregory Peck who perfectly embodies the brave, obstinate, blasphemous and damned captain. I cannot avoid of highlighting the brilliant starring of Father Mapple by Orson Welles and the very impressive Huston's Queequeg acted by Count Friedrich Labour.

This movie has had very little critical acclaim in its time, and the severest comment was on the set when it was noted (unkindly) that Huston himself should have played Ahab and Welles the whale. But the director's vision was completely fulfilled here, and as has been noted this is a homage to the book itself, full of high drama and over-the-top melodrama. Personally I think Peck was exceptional as Ahab, and brought out the monomania, the ruthlessness and the determination of the character very well; in fact all the leading actors were marvellous and helped give a taste of the sea to the viewer. The final chase, cut from the book's three days and three lowerings to only one, is still thrilling and the climax a rollercoaster ride. Admittedly, they changed parts of the story (e.g. Ahab beckoning) for dramatic effect, but otherwise this is as close to the book as you'll ever get.