Fathers & Sons in Captains Courageous

[sistermagpie]

Yesterday I finally saw Captains Couragous, which I've wanted to see for a long time, and totally loved it. I couldn't help but notice, actually, that certain aspects of this movie from 1937 are the type of thing modern Hollywood loves to do--and especially did in the 90s. When I finished the movie I went and read the book to see how true it was to

Comments

[teratologist]

I think this ties back into the discussion we were having the other day about role models in books. It's ok for girls to have any old role models, but boys must strive to emulate men and other boys - focusing on mother won't help a boy grow up into a decent human being, even if mother is one, but a spoiled mollycoddle.

Unfortunatelty, the 'spoiled brat becomes a better person through work' storyline, which you'd think I would enjoy because of its class implications, is almost always spoiled IME by some kind of gender implications along these lines. Of course, I'm also just contrary.

[sistermagpie]

But being contrary is part of your charm!

I think the book is more negative on this than the movie is. Since in the movie Harvey's mother is dead you can imagine that perhaps he'd have been a much better person with her influence. In the book the mother is clearly the influence; Dad's just uninvolved. Not only that, but Mom is less than pleased by the new Harvey, because while Dad wants him to be independent, Mom would prefer he be a baby. In reality, of course, there are plenty of boys who get the same kind of "tough love" (for lack of a better word) from their *mothers*--especially if there's no father in the picture.

[sarahtales]

I am shocked that you like him, shocked, I say.

I am left with nothing but the desire to see Harvey - uh, the movie and read the book.

[sarahtales]

Partly, of course, because I am ver' interested in the dynamics of a father/son relationship that I want repaired - since Lucius is a killer so Draco needs to be kept away from him, even though he loves his daddy. *cries*

[sistermagpie]

Oh, you should totally read it--and see it, too. It's funny there were certain lines in the book that made me totally think of teenager!Draco. How could I not warm to Harvey with this introduction:

"Once more the door banged, and a slight, slim-built boy perhaps fifteen years old, a half-smoked cigarette hanging from one corner
of his mouth, leaned in over the high footway. His pasty yellow
complexion did not show well on a person of his years, and his
look was a mixture of irresolution, bravado, and very cheap
smartness."

He's also quite a storyteller, and people sometimes think he's nuts.

You can read the book online here:

http://www.online-literature.com/kipling/captains_courageous/

[sistermagpie]

Poor Dan gets his role reduced in the movie, so I almost feel like I can't compare them. I *loved* Dan in the book. And actually, now I think about it, he *did* remind me of some character I've read of before, but I can't remember who it was. Somebody I really loved.

Oh! You know who it might be--and this might be strange? But Sam Gamgee. I think because he's so competent but good with somebody like Harvey when given Dan's background he could have been a real irritation to him. Instead he's really very patient. It's always such a given that in most ways on the boat Dan's better--or like when they get in a fight and of course Harvey loses, but it's just good that he accepts his loss to Dan and doesn't try to get him back in an underhanded way.

Probably my favorite moment is when they pull up that corpse, though. EEEK!

[earth_magic]

I remember the film but have never read the book, so I was interested in the way it was changed for the screen. As for what would be cut out today, I'm surprised you picked the punch. Isn't that exactly what was added to PoA?

[sistermagpie]

Oh gosh, you're right! Though there Draco is the "villain" and Hermione is the hero and a girl, so that's different. Girls can probably hit anybody. The main punch I think would be a problem isn't the one at the school but the one from Capt. Disko, because that's an adult hitting a child.

[truehobbit]

What an interesting post, Magpie! :)
I've yet to read CC (I think it's on my shelf somewhere, where it's been gathering dust for ten years or so) - but I bought it because I love the movie. I can't comment much on the things you observe, because it's been so long that I've seen it, but I'm even more curious about the book now.
So, I just wanted to say I'm glad to see you loved the movie, too. :)

[sistermagpie]

I'm glad I just reminded you of the movie--I really loved it!