Moby Dick
Seen it?1956 | 115 min | Adventure, Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (81% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for adventure fans. If you loved Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World or Life of Pi, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 55 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1956: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
In 1841, young Ishmael signs up for service aboard the Pequod, a whaler sailing out of New Bedford. The ship is under the command of Captain Ahab, a strict disciplinarian who exhorts his men to find Moby Dick, the great white whale. Ahab lost his leg to that creature and is desperate for revenge. As the crew soon learns, he will stop at nothing to gain satisfaction.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
1 win and 0 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$10 million worldwide on a $5 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 114K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Huston
- Gregory PeckCaptain Ahab
- Richard BasehartIshmael
- Leo GennStarbuck
- James Robertson JusticeCapt. Boomer
- Harry AndrewsStubb
- Bernard MilesThe Manxman
- Noel PurcellShip's Carpenter
- Edric ConnorDaggoo
- Mervyn JohnsPeleg
- Joseph TomeltyPeter Coffin