British author Rudyard Kipling died in 1936. Had he lived through another year, he would have seen three of his stories become Hollywood movies. Elephant Boy, Wee Willie Winkie and Captains Courageous were all released in 1937, and were the first features based on Kipling novels since the silent era.
Harvey (Freddie Bartholomew) is the conniving, spoiled ten year old son of wealthy businessman Cheyne (Melvyn Douglas). After some early scenes that establish Harvey as a brat, he falls overboard unseen from an ocean liner. He is rescued by Manuel (Spencer Tracy), a Portuguese fisherman without family.
Manuel works on a large fishing boat, part of a crew of about ten. They aren't scheduled to reach land for several months, not until their cargo hold is loaded with fish. Harvey pesters crusty Captain Disko (Lionel Barrymore) to be taken to shore, but no one believes Harvey's tales of family riches.
Others on the boat include Disko's obliging young son Dan (Mickey Rooney), and Long Jack (John Carradine), who despises Harvey as representing bad luck.
Harvey is pressed into labor on the ship. He gradually changes from a spoiled brat into an industrious young fisherman. Manuel becomes his father figure, assuming the guiding role that Cheyne never took the time to fill.
Spencer Tracy won Best Actor for his performance. He would also win the following year for Boys Town, becoming a rare back to back winner of the coveted Oscar. He had also been nominated the previous year, for San Francisco.
He had been reluctant to take the role of Manuel, however. He had to sing in several scenes, and get a permanent. His newly curly locks set him up for teasing from fellow actors; Joan Crawford referred to him as Harpo.
But it was his convincing performances in films like this that made Tracy one of the most respected actors in Hollywood. He has great chemistry in his scenes with Bartholomew. The salty sailor with a heart of gold is a Hollywood cliche, but Tracy makes the role seem original.
Manuel's name is pronounced at various times as Manwell, Manual, and Emmanuel. This is not a mistake in continuity, however, but a reflection of the ethnic diversity of the ship's crew.
Bartholomew was well cast for playing the 'good' boy that his character is at film's end. But he's effective at playing the early film 'problem child' as well. He doesn't throw a tantrum except as a final resort, preferring instead to get his way through manipulation, threats, boasting and bribery.
Captain's Courageous was the high point of Bartholomew's career. He was first billed over the now more famous names of Tracy, Barrymore, Douglas, Rooney and Carradine. Like most child actors, he would find the transition to adult roles difficult, and his career faded during the 1940s.
Captain's Courageous was one of the final films in which Lionel Barrymore is up and about. His degenerative arthritis had him hobbling in crutches in 1938's You Can't Take it With You, and he would act from a wheelchair thereafter. (70/100)
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