MovieChat Forums > Moby Dick (1998) Discussion > How about both of the Barrymore versions...

How about both of the Barrymore versions?

posted 19 years ago by BijouBob8mm
3 replies | jump to latest

Legendary actor John Barrymore played Captain Ahab twice, in 1926's THE SEA BEAST and 1930's MOBY DICK. It would be interesting to see those dusted off and given a DVD release (possibly as a double feature). As for this TV version, the Halmis have done a great job in reviving the classics for contemporary audiences, and Patrick Stewart does a great job here, but I think their next collaboration, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, was closer to the overall spirit of the source material.

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 18 years ago

Sea Beast stunk and deserved to drown.

Nothing exists more beautifully than nothing.

[–] jrobert365 18 years ago

Try the feature MOBY DICK (1978) starring Jack Aranson. Jack was trained in the Old Vic. He tears the Ahab character up. His Ahab has received great reviews.

[–] jackboot 15 years ago

I would LOVE to see the 1930 John Barrymore version!! Even though the story has been severely tinkered with by the WB so-called geniuses.

John Barrymore was such a stupendous actor - we don't have enough of him surviving in readily viewable DVD form. I think that's tragic.

I have to say that I am NOT a Patrick Stewart fan and I didn't much care for his performance in this TV film. To me, he's a one-note actor, a cocky, short little Mahatma Ghandi in an usher's uniform, strutting about saying "Make it so, make it so" on TNG and everything else he does is right along those same lines. I'm not sure how he ever got any credit as anything other than a very mediocre talent with a terrific of the full gamut, ranging from A to B.