Moby Dick

The captain of a whaling ship (Gregory Peck) obsessively hunts the whale that maimed him.

Moby Dick is an exceptionally well-produced adaptation of Herman Melville’s classic novel. A labor of love for co-writer/director John Huston, who shopped it around for years before Warner Bros. finally agreed to finance it, provided Huston could land a big name to star. Enter Gregory Peck, without whom the film couldn’t be made, but who ultimately proved to be its weakest link.

Peck is, at best, passable as the tyrannical Ahab. His early scenes are very shaky, as he lacks the pure physical presence the role requires. Peck is a rugged charmer, but Ahab is a monster, and, try as he might, Peck is no monster. He works somewhat better later in the film, when he’s free to be more emotive, but those early scenes really kill Moby Dick’s momentum.

For his part, John Huston does everything he can to overcome Peck’s shortcomings. His script with co-writer Ray Bradbury moves along well, while retaining much of the novel’s language and imagery. Further, the distinct color process he co-developed gives the whole film a distinct atmosphere that perfectly matches the story.

Finally, as a side note for Hammer Film fans, check the credits for future Hammer alumnus Freddie Francis, who served as camera operator and the second unit director of photography.