"Captains Courageous"

Tara, the kids, and I watched the 1937 film "Captains Courageous" last night. It's a Rudyard Kipling tale, based on his 1897 novel. It's the story of Harvey, who is a spoiled rich kid who has no mother and feels neglected by a father who is too busy to spend time with him. Finally, his father is persuaded to take him on his business travels, but Harvey falls overboard. He is rescued by a Portuguese fisherman named Manuel, played by Spencer Tracy, and the rest is about Harvey learning how to be a decent human being while learning to work with the crew of Captain Disko's boat. It's a very good cast. Freddie Bartholomew plays Harvey. Lionel Barrymore is terrific as the captain. John Carradine (David's father) is excellent as crewman "Long Jack." Micky Rooney plays the captain's son, Dan, in a small yet effective role. But the central character is the PoManuel, played by Spencer Tracy in one of his first major roles. Tracy won an Oscar for Best Actor for the performance. I will never forget Manuel's songs, his playing of a Herty Gerty, his tales of a heavenly fisherman's paradise where he hopes to join his father someday, or his calling the boy (with a heavy accent) "Little Fish." This is a very good film, directed by the excellent Victor Fleming.