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18 out of 19 people found the following review useful: An exciting colorful adventure, very entertaining..., 2 February 2000 Author: ironside (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico
In old San Francisco, Marina Selanova (Ann Blyth) - a dark-haired Russian countess on the run from imminent union to the ambitious prince Semyon (Carl Esmond) - implores Captain Jonathan Clark (Gregory Peck) to take her to Alaska after been rejected by his eternal rival Portugee (Anthony Quinn).Jonathan, an American seal pirate, falls for the diminutive, fresh-faced brunette, while giving her a midnight tour of San Francisco—an impressive similar situation to Peck-Audrey Hepburn in William Wyler's "Roman Holiday."On the eve of their wedding day, her odious Russian fiancé kidnaps her, and sails for Alaska taking her on his gunboat... He promises to kill her uncle unless she married him as it was originally planned...The film's highlight is the outstanding windswept race between two boats led by Peck and Quinn from San Francisco harbor to the Fur Seal Islands off the coast of Alaska, with the winner acquiring the other's ship and crew to rescue the lovely heroine...With her slightly oriental eyes and pleasant lyric soprano voice, Ann Blyth provides feminine decoration for this epic adventure... Anthony Quinn gives a high-spirited performance as the cunning, sympathetic thief... Quinn is challenged in the film in a 'trial of strength,' an amusing drinking and wrestling bout..Raoul Walsh's direction is simple, direct and muscular... As a popular entertainer he is confident with a sense of humor... His actions, fury, spirit, skill, ambition and unrestrained dreams remain his forte...
5 out of 7 people found the following review useful: I like it!, 28 September 2006 Author: Helen Belova (hbelova@yandex.ru) from Russian Federation
Fascinating movie! I felt pleasure in this story. Though at first I did not want to watch it. I'm the Russian and I believe Hollywood makes fables about Russia as it had turned out with this movie. There were a trite Russian tavern, cossacks, balalaikas, the plaintive Russian songs, the funny Russian aristocracy. There were some Russian names sounding strange for the Americans. The Americans do not know that the Russians have a name and patronymic. The Russian countess is not too bad, even it was possible to keep noble pallor and some aristocratic manners. The countess' servant was speaking in Russian almost without accent. Though the countess' dresses were in a British manner. But above all it was LOVE. And Alaska, sold to the USA, played not such large role. Certainly, it was impossible for the Russian, Orthodox countess got married with the Catholic American in a church. And Marina Selanova and Prince Semyon wanted to get married into strange place that was absolutely not similar to an orthodox temple. But it did not irritate me. It would be better, if this movie was made in Russia. But sometimes I believed this movie was made in Russia. I believe Gregory Peck was the best choice for this role. The American steadfast captain and the Russian charming countess were beautiful couple. With what other American could the Russian countess fall in love? Jonathan Clark looked very well and manly. He was smart, just, thoughtful and slightly imprudent. The final scene was dazzling beautiful and it had no equal even DiCaprio's Titanic. I saw this scene at picture and decided to watch this movie and I did not regret. I'm so sorry it was not released on DVD. But in Russia it is easy to buy VHS. We like it!
6 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Beautiful as a Glowing Jewel; a Very-Well Acted Historical Adventure, 23 June 2005 Author: silverscreen888
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This is a glossy film in the best sense of the word. Rex Beach's novel has been brought to brilliant and only-occasionally-slick life here by director Raoul Walsh. The film is both lively and humorous, fast-paced and occasionally profound thanks to the screenplay by veterans Borden Chase and Horace McCoy. It is also an adventure, a love story and an historical snapshot of an expansive era that is colorful and different. Much of it takes place in The Pribiloff Islands, homeground to fur seals behind overhunted by Russians. Some part takes place in Seattle, and some in Russian Alaska. The locales provide a field day for cinematographer Russell Mettey, costume designer Bill Thomas, Joan St. Oegger in charge of hair styling and Bud Westmore, the makeup head. Julia Heron's sets are as always stunning. But what saves this magazine-level storyline from being ordinary I claim is the intricacy of its historical plot, and the acting by everyone concerned. Much is done to make Gregory Peck as "The Boston Man" imposing, a name to be admired and important. it is one of Peck's liveliest characterizations, and he more than lives up to his billing. He is aided by Ann Blyth's best-ever performance as the Russian noblewoman pretending to be an ordinary girl, Anthony Quinn as a rival Portuguese skipper, John McIntire, Eugenie Leontovich, Andrea King, Hans Conreid, suave villain Carl Esmond, Rhys Williams, Sig Ruman and Byran Forbes. This would be a great cast in any film; but here the accent is on liberty versus its opposite; there is a nagging sense in the film that the era of expansion may be ending and only those who dream big and honest dreams will be able to reap the benefits of that expansion. The Russians, at least Esmond, have a different idea--brutality, theft and the extermination of all who oppose them. A curious incident in the film has Peck, grieving over his lost girl--Blyth has been coerced into fleeing him to save her father's life by marrying Esmoond--and he turns on the Portugee, Quinn, who is then crowding him at sea, and disables his ship. The incident is telling; he apologizes, plans to make it up to his obnoxious friend; the incident shows that he is not like the Russian badmen he is soon to challenge and overcome. It is the beauty of the love scenes, the adventure-level interesting characters and the splendid glowing feel of the whole film that set it apart. The climactic battle leads to a lovely denouement and ending, as Peck and Blyth sail home together, and the captain at last has "the world in his arms". This is a film that occasionally takes the path of easy humor and swiftness; but it is very well-acted, and very enjoyable as an adventure, for many reasons.
Cold war, 20 December 2009 Author: dbdumonteil
When you have seen Gregory Peck and Ann Blyth at the helm,you'll know where James Cameron stole his famous Di Caprio/Winslet scene from .Besides ,the two heroes are a man of common birth and an aristocrat .There the comparison ends.The first part may seem talky and is closer to comedy.But after the countess's abduction,adventure and drama reassert themselves .The screenplay is rather derivative-particularly the love story- ,but the way the writers depict the Russians and the Americans is very interesting:the first ones despise those "Nouveaux Riches " ,they call them barbarians, they enslave their fellow men ,they are sadistic brutes .On the other hand ,the Yankees see their enemy as people from the past ,and they are ahead of their time ,for they already understood ,more than one hundred years ago ,that killing too many seals would endanger the ecological balance .
So bad it's good!, 25 July 2009 Author: rba154 from United States
This is without question one of the worst movies I have ever seen. However, it is also one of the most unintentionally hilarious. I like to compare it to Plan 9, in that it can be so bad, so awful,so dumb, and such a waste of time that I find myself laughing out loud.One of my biggest problems with it is that it's a complete ripoff of Robin Hood, and let be honest and say that I love Robin Hood with Errol Flynn, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. But let's face it, from the forbidden love between Peck (who is definitely slumming it. Although in all fairness this was still a good few years before the masterpiece To Kill a Mockingbird) and the female character (who is so forgettable, apparently, that I have forgotten her name.), to the final scene where the good guys dress up as monks to fool the bad guys screams "ROBIN HOOD" all over it.However, I don't think the film isn't worth seeing. On the contrary, I think that this is one of the funniest movies I've seen in years, even if it was unintentional.
1 out of 2 people found the following review useful: A throwback to a style of film made years ago..., 25 July 2009 Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida
THE WORLD IN HIS ARMS is the sort of film Hollywood made in the 1930s and early 40s and might have starred John Wayne, Errol Flynn, James Cagney or Edward G. Robinson--it's very easy to imagine any of these men in such a formulaic programmer. By the 1950s, such adventure films were practically gone--replaced with more realistic films about more contemporary topics. Now I am NOT complaining about this film--I happen to like these old fashioned films. Sure, the characters and situations were unrealistic, but this sort of escapism is something many will enjoy.As for the choice of Gregory Peck, he wasn't bad--even though he isn't generally the "type" to play this sort of macho role. Now this isn't to say that Peck wasn't manly enough, but seeing him as a guy who loves loose women, fighting and chaos is certainly a departure from his typical film! Even such seafaring films as CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER and MOBY DICK feature Peck in a much more somber, intellectual and dependable sort of man than the slightly crazy Captain Clark in THE WORLD IN HIS ARMS. Again, I am not complaining--just pointing out that this role is a departure for Peck.Peck's love interest in the film is Ann Blyth, who is quite lovely but also appears too young for Peck. This is due to Blyth looking much younger than she was (24) and because the height difference between them (more than a foot) tended to make her look even younger. She wasn't bad--just an unusual choice.The film begins in San Francisco. Peck and his crew have just arrived with a ship filled with seal furs. They are rich and in a mood to celebrate. However, an envoy from a Russian Princess (Blyth) tries to engage the ship to take her to safety (she is running from an arranged marriage). Peck refuses outright--he just wants to unwind and have fun. In an odd move, Blyth herself meets Peck and doesn't identify who she is. Peck is taken with her and makes plans to marry her--at which point the Russian husband she is supposed to marry shows up to claim his bride--leaving Peck disappointed and furious. Will Peck catch up to this Princess? Will she be able to avoid a loveless marriage? Well, tune in for yourself and see.The film has a lot of pluses. First, the color print and cinematography are just lovely. It's the sort of 1950s color that is bold and prettier than real life but not as bold and garish as early Technicolor. Combined with a rousing musical score, the film has lovely aesthetics. The film also features some excellent actors. In addition to Peck and Blyth, Anthony Quinn in on hand in a not particularly subtle but enjoyable role as Peck's nemesis as is John McIntire--an under-appreciated but excellent supporting actor (who, in parts of this film, looks like the spitting image of General Sherman).Now the film is not without its faults. There is a rather poor use of rear projection in the seal hunting scenes--even by 1950s standards. Also, the story, at times, seems more like comic book or dime novel due to characters who are not exactly believable. It's the sort of film, however, with no pretensions--it's not high art or an Oscar contender and never seemed like it was intended as this.Overall, a great adventure film for you to just turn off your brain and enjoy. Great old time fun.By the way, much of the film revolves around seal hunting, which wasn't considered such a big deal in 1952. Starting in the 1960s, worldwide opposition to seal harvesting became an issue and so today some might hate this movie. Try to keep it in historical context and enjoy the film for what it is.By the way, considering how evil and stupid the Russians are generally shown to be in this film, I wonder if perhaps it was all meant as a metaphor for US-Soviet relations at the time?
2 out of 4 people found the following review useful: decent, 23 August 2005 Author: KyleFurr1983 from United States
This was only one of two films that Gregory Peck and Raoul Walsh made together, the other being Captain Horatio Hornblower the year before. Gregory Peck plays a sea captain in San Franisco who is basically the top man in town and Anthony Quinn is a sort of friend and rival. In the first scene, Peck goes to rescue his men after being stolen by Quinn. The real villain turns out to be some Russians, whom Peck can't stand. Peck meets Ann Blyth, who is also a Russian, but Peck doesn't know that at first and agrees to marry her. She wants to get to Alaska for some reason and Peck wants to buy Alaska for ten million. Gregory Peck is sort of miscast in this part and you don't buy it when Peck knocks out Quinn with one punch. A pretty good film if you don't expect much.
5 out of 11 people found the following review useful: A Swashbuckler with Propaganda!, 5 January 2003 Author: Hans C. Frederick (schweinhundt1967@postmaster.co.uk) from Parma Heights, Ohio, U.S.A.
I find myself in agreement with other critics,who feel that Peck was not the best choice for the role of Captain Clark.Swashbuckling with lots of action and derring-do really wasn't his thing.And yet,he does it as well as might have been expected.But rowdy,boisterous heroes will not be what we remember him for.Nonetheless,this is still quite an enjoyable film.There happens to be a mild amount of Cold War propaganda in this movie,if you know what to look for.At one point,Clark tells Marina that the Russian policy,of rapaciously hunting the seal herds in the islands,without thought for preservation of the species continuance,will lead to extermination.And,later on Deacon Greathouse makes the exact same point to William.My research,however,indicates that the Russians were no more greedy or brutal than any other hunters in that period.So,I feel that we're getting a little bit of 1950s anti-Soviet slur in here.It's just a sign of the times.FURTHER NOTE:The Americans sneak into the palace to rescue Marina dressed as Orthodox priests,including veils which disguise the lower parts of their faces.This is a total inaccuracy.I come from an Eastern Orthodox background,and the priests NEVER did this!
1 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Greg Was Wrongly Cast, 3 September 2007 Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York
Sad to say that the miscast Gregory Peck brings down The World in His Arms down to the level of an ordinary action/adventure film than a classic. I agree with the reviewer who says that Gregory Peck was way too much the gentlemen to be believable as Jonathan Clark the lusty captain of a sealing vessel. I'd agree that Burt or Kirk would have been better. I'd even add John Wayne as a better choice and Universal studios had Jeff Chandler under contract and he would have been better in the part.Adapted from a Rex Beach novel, The World in His Arms has Ann Blyth looking to get to Sitka from San Francisco where she will be safe because uncle Sig Ruman is the Governor of the territory. Why in the world she would be less safe in the USA as opposed to what was Russian territory at the time, I can't figure out. Because she's trying to avoid a match to a no account count played by Carl Esmond. Trouble is that Carl's got the Czar's blessing for the marriage.Ann gets both Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn who is Peck's rival in the sealing trade in heat over who will take care her. In the end she goes with neither, but Peck and Quinn race to Sitka to pursue her where they fall in the hands of Esmond who has got Ruman by the short Russian hairs so to speak. Go figure why Ann thought she was safer there.The sailing sequences are nice and the best performance in the film is from Anthony Quinn. Come to think of it, he would have been better in the lead. His performance is followed very closely by John McIntire as Peck's first mate and Hans Conreid as a flustered hotel clerk.The World in His Arms also has one of the best action directors around in Raoul Walsh. A better cast leading man might even have made up for some of the deficiencies in the plot. Still everyone in the cast has been in worse films. With a couple of songs, they could have cast Nelson Eddy in the lead.
2 out of 8 people found the following review useful: More "swagger" needed here, 18 October 2001 Author: dinky-4 from Minneapolis
While this movie aspires to be one of those brawling, lusty, two-fisted adventures, it never quite takes off. Part of the problem lies in the miscasting of Gregory Peck. He's fine in quiet, thoughtful roles but lacks the swaggering pizzazz needed to bring off this part. Burt Lancaster or even Kirk Douglas would have been a better choice. The rest of the production is good-looking and offers a mild degree of entertainment but it all seems a bit too mild, a bit too limited.Typical of the movie's lack of flair is the scene in which Peck is flogged. Aha, you think -- beefcake and blood! But rather than ripping off his shirt, Peck's flogger merely tears open its back, and after seven lashes, the only marks visible on Peck are a few discreet red lines which might have been drawn on him with the sharpened tip of a lipstick. And during the flogging, Peck never winces nor groans but simply stands stoicly as if he's mentally going over that evening's dinner menu. He should have taken how-to-be-whipped lessons from Alan Ladd. Now, there's an actor who really knew how to writhe!
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