Master & Commander.

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  Movie Review.

The movie being reviewed is "Master and Commander - - Far Side of the World".

A good movie, but not a great movie. Worth seeing? Yes!! But again, is not a great movie.

A somewhat familiar story from a somewhat familiar genre. HMS Surprise, British naval warship in 1805, is patrolling the coast of Brazil in search of a French privateer. The privateer is encountered, to the chagrin of Captain Jack Aubrey [Russell Crowe], who finds himself outgunned and outrun as well. Captain Jack, at his own discretion, decides to pursue the French villains to the "ends of the earth". And does. That is as much as I will tell.

The movie does an excellent job of touching upon some interesting aspects of naval warfare in the Napoleonic era.

The role of midshipmen on men-of-war during that era is shown. Boys, most in their teens, with even a few of pre-teen age, sign on a warship as midshipmen [aspiring officers]. They learn the ropes of seamanship, naval warfare, and leadership while running all aspects of the ship. At some point, if they are talented, they can hope for promotion to officer rank. But not an easy assignment. Some pass the test, some do not. The latter, with often disastrous consequences.

The physical effort just to sail a man-of-war is touched upon as well. It was an intense, dangerous, and never-ending-back-breaking job just to keep a sailing ship of 1805 going, much less fight in battle. It was no wonder that the British Navy had to often resort to the "press gang" to keep their ships manned. Read about the "press gang" by clicking here.

A crew on a naval vessel of the Napoleonic era had to be both able to man his battle station as a cannoneer [also back-breaking intensely physical labor], and be prepared at a moments notice to act as a boarder. Spring into battle at a command by boarding the ENEMY'S SHIP and engage in close quarters combat using pistol and cutlass.

[the boarders indeed used methods as would be found in say an Errol Flynn pirate movie. Using ropes, grapples, planks, ladders, etc., to board an enemy ship].

As is mentioned in my review, the Captain of the HMS Surprise [Russell Crowe] does exercise initiative and discretionary powers of an extraordinary nature. This was not unheard of in the British Navy of the time. A lone vessel far from home had to have a Captain who could estimate the situation and decide on a course of action that was sometimes in contradiction from what he was originally ordered. Naval officers of that era had to have such discretionary powers, the slowness of communications making it impossible for senior officers to command from a distance [from the Admiralty in London]. Quite often, an officer exercising discretion and succeeding in his mission, as he saw it, was hailed as a great hero and decorated accordingly. Woe however, to that Captain that exercised discretion and failed.

coolbert.