Master & Commander

What? Not one of us "Ships" guy/gals have seen the movie yet?

I see the film last weekend and enjoyed it very much. I think Russell Crowe did an excellent portrayal of an aggresive RN commander. I hope a sequel is in the works.

However I do believe the film was Hollywoodized(Dumbed down) in the finale. I do not believe that a competent sea officer would have fallen for the frigate-to-whaler ruse. A frigate has tumblehome and sharp hull lines which would have been visible from a vessel approaching from astern. A whaler is slab sided and beamy. (Compare some of the finished model images on the web for visuals. Especially the whaler Charles Morgan and frigate Unicorn) The French commander had been extremely competent even crafty up to the final piece.

Despite the above. I would see the film again. Detail was impressive.

Regards,

Celestino C.

You need to remember that not all the whalers were true to form for the classes. Some were converted ship from other walks of life. I do agree it is a far streach to make a 32 gun 6th. rate frigate into a whaler, but it is not the strangest thing to have happened at sea.

I liked it better than the book(s). At least the movie had a battle at the end. Funny Hollywood changed the rival to a French privateer instead of the American frigate that was in the book.
Can't wait until is comes out on DVD. Add it to my reference collection.
I'm also excited about the latest Hornblower movie on A&E.
Now if they would make a movie based on Alexander Kent's "To Glory we Steer". Same plot, but IMHO a much better book.

i enjoyed the film for the reason of detail regarding life aboard a 19th century warship. i hope a sequal is in the works , however i think that a film regarding the constitution's exploits would have had more exciting material & been even more interesting to the american audience. i am game for any naval sea story so both this film & the hornblower films were a breath of fresh air with regard to what has been coming out of hollywood thes days

I agree, these movies let those who do not have any experience or do not have any interest in this subject gain some knowledge by capturing the interst through plot and characters. Both my 7 yr old and my wife now have an understanding to why I model ships from this period because of these movies. He is really into Neopoleonic period amy soldiers and cannons. They are both really getting involved with my research because of all the drama and romance the movies entail and can now see that these are not just "boats". That, and they both have learned what yards and shrouds are, and can tell the difference between a 1st Rate and 5th Rate. Now if I can just keep him from calling the French "Darn Frogs".