Capitani coraggiosi

We are clearly informed at the outset that the year is 1934. That works fine -- until we reach the quaint New England village, strewn with 1939 and newer cars. Our protagonist's limousine, for the record, is a 1939 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five. Nice car....five years from then! There were plenty of '40 and '41 GM makes lying around the church parking lot, too.

I take pains to mention this because it's such an easy thing to prevent and it harms the emotional climax of the picture because you are constantly reminded that it's just a movie with chronological errors.

Absent the anachronisms, an excellent picture.

The film does a good job of telling the story of Harvey, the disagreeable, spoiled brat who has no concern for anyone else. Harvey has to deal with real life as lived by fishermen in 1934. Dan, the captain's son is well played as the only one who initially gives Harvey any friendship. Harvey has to learn hard work, earning his food and even his bunk. The only problem I had was with the very end of the movie. It was too much of a cliché as Harvey says good-bye to everyone.

A heavy film for the afternoon sessions, painful, completely passionate, dramatic films about sailors associated with boring rebels without a cause learning a lesson always weaken my little heart, beautiful film, captivating characters, the original work (film and book) must be perfect, I need to enjoy them one day...

and not just for the joy of seeing the retired ship "Rotterdam" playing herself, as I once sailed on it, too, but also for the enjoyment of a good story well told.

I did find myself wondering throughout this movie how it is viewed by the people who want to tell children only non-scary fairy tales and such. This is a real grabber of a story of a boy facing scary situations and sadness, things that some people don't seem to want to have children face these days, even in books and movies.

Anyway, great story, great movie, and very enjoyable way to spend 2 hours.

This is the latest version of the movie based on Rudyard Kipling's classic novel of a boy's coming-of-age. First version was the 1937 movie starring curly haired and blonde Freddie Bartholomew as Harvey, the rich brat. Second version was in 1977 with Johnny Doran. And this third version stars curly haired and dark Kenny Vardas as the best of the pouty and sullen boys.

Harvey is the son of a rich man, but much neglected and left to the care of hired help. On a transatlantic ship, he falls overboard thru a boyish prank gone bad. He is rescued by a fishing vessel, with a stern but kindly captain, his son and crew.

Forced to work for his keep, the bratty Harvey, played to perfection by Kenny Vardas comes to appreciate the value of work. And to learn how to love and be loved by the kindly folk who took him in.

Of all the three versions of this movie, this one best portrays the novel. It gives the real feeling of a boy going bad who is reformed through the power of love. And Vardas despite his youth plays both the insolent brat and loveable boy to perfection. A movie to see if you appreciate a good Kipling yarn, and they are good!