The Old Man and the Sea (1958)

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Ernest Hemingway (novel)
Peter Viertel (writer)

Release Date:

11 October 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

SPENCER TRACY in his most suspenseful role...ERNEST HEMINGWAY'S story of Heroism...Defeat...Victory!

Plot:

An old Cuban fisherman's dry spell is broken when he hooks a gigantic fish that drags him out to sea. Based on Ernest Hemingway's story.

Plot Keywords:

Cuban | Fish | Sea | Fishing | Marlin

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	The Old Man / Narrator
Felipe Pazos	...	The Boy (as Felipe Pazos Jr.)
Harry Bellaver	...	Martin
Don Diamond	...	Cafe Proprietor
Don Blackman	...	Hand Wrestler
Joey Ray	...	Gambler
Mary Hemingway	...	Tourist
Richard Alameda	...	Gambler
Tony Rosa	...	Gambler
Carlos Rivero	...	Gambler
Robert Alderette	...	Gambler
Mauritz Hugo	...	Gambler

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:6 (f) | Finland:K-12 | UK:U | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Cojimar Bay, Havana, & Boca de Jaruco, Cuba

Company:

Leland Hayward Productions

Trivia:

In 1952, Humphrey Bogart attempted to purchase the film rights to Hemingway's novel through his production company, Santana Productions. Bogart identified strongly with the character of the old man and wanted to play the fisherman in the film project, with Nicholas Ray as the director. Unfortunately, the actor was unsuccessful in securing the film rights, and the film wasn't made until the year following his death, with his close friend Spencer Tracy starring.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Although the Old Man is supposed to be way out at sea and all alone, at around 34 minutes and 30 seconds a small boat with a person on it can clearly be seen between the old man's body and his left arm.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Starter Wife: Her Old Man & The Sea (#1.9)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Cancion del Pescador

One of Tracy's greatest roles

Arguably the best novella ever written gets both a reading from Spencer Tracy and a dramatization - neither of which quite mesh with each other. There is a great deal of unnecessary narration, probably owing to the fact that no one thought Hemingway's words could be improved upon. I wish this movie had been made ten years later, when the sparse style of the prose could have been matched by the sparseness of the period.

All that aside, it's a beautiful movie and Tracy is excellent. You wouldn't think that an old-hand white guy actor would be able to carry off being a old-hand white guy actor doing an old Cuban man without looking silly. But he does, without trying to do anything besides portraying an aging fisherman. This is the key to his performance - he looks so comfortable in the role that you absolutely believe him as that fisherman. One of his greatest roles.