
The Old Man and the Sea
Seen it?1958 | 86 min | Adventure, Drama
Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It won an Oscar. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
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 Cast Away or The Poseidon Adventure, start here.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 26 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1958: an older pace and style.
Santiago is an aging, down-on-his-luck, Cuban fisherman who, after catching nothing for nearly 3 months, hooks a huge Marlin and struggles to land it far out in the Gulf Stream.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsSolid
75% on Rotten Tomatoes, 49 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Oscar: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score. Also nominated for 2 more Oscars. Plus 2 other awards.
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 39K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Cast AwaySaturday SpecialAnother adventure, and a Saturday Special.
The Perfect StormSunday Safe BetAnother drama, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Blue MiracleWeeknight WatchAnother adventure, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Last BreathSaturday SpecialAnother drama, and a Saturday Special.
The Poseidon AdventureSaturday SpecialAnother adventure, and a Saturday Special.
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Sturges
- Spencer TracyThe Old Man
- Felipe PazosManolin, the Boy
- Harry BellaverMartin, the Cafe Bartender
- Don DiamondCafe Proprietor (uncredited)
- Mary HemingwayTourist (uncredited)
- Joey RayGambler (uncredited)
- Mauritz HugoGambler (uncredited)
- Tony RosaGambler (uncredited)
- Don BlackmanArm Wrestler