Captains Courageous
Encyclopedia
- For the 1937 MGM film, see Captains Courageous (1937 film).
1897 in literature
The year 1897 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:* January 2 - Newspapers in London, England erroneously report the death of Mark Twain. It is believed that the rumors began when Twain's cousin had become ill...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, by Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
, that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the arrogant and spoiled son of a railroad tycoon. The novel originally appeared as a serialization in McClure's
McClure's
McClure's or McClure's Magazine was an American illustrated monthly periodical popular at the turn of the 20th century. The magazine is credited with creating muckraking journalism. Ida Tarbell's series in 1902 exposing the monopoly abuses of John D...
, beginning with the November 1896 edition.
The book's title comes from the ballad "Mary Ambree
Mary Ambree
In 1584 the Spanish captured the city of Ghent, and Dutch and English volunteers fought to liberate the city.A female French Legionnaire in the book Sowing Glory by P.C. Wren was referred to by the pseudonym of Mary Ambree in order to protect her identity. She became the subject of an English ballad....
", which starts, "When captains courageous, whom death could not daunt". Kipling had already used the same title for an article on businessmen as the new adventurers, published in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
of 23 November 1892.
Plot
Harvey Cheyne is the son of a wealthy railroad magnate raised (and quite thoroughly spoiled) by his over-indulgent parents. Washed overboard from a transatlantic steamship and rescued by fishermen on the Grand BanksGrand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. These areas are relatively shallow, ranging from in depth. The cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream here.The mixing of these waters...
, the young Harvey cannot persuade them to take him ashore, nor convince them of his wealth. However, the Captain of the We're Here, Disko Troop, offers him a job as part of the crew until they return to port. With no other choice, Harvey accepts.
There follows a series of trials and adventures where the boy learns to adjust to his rough new life, and with the help of his friend, the captain's son, Dan Troop, he makes fine progress. Eventually, the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
returns to port and Harvey wires his parents. They rush to the fishing town (Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
) and find to their amazement that their child has become an industrious, serious and considerate young man.
Harvey's mother rewards the seaman who initially rescued Harvey. Harvey's father rewards Captain Troop by hiring his son, Dan, to work on his prestigious tea clipper
Clipper
A clipper was a very fast sailing ship of the 19th century that had three or more masts and a square rig. They were generally narrow for their length, could carry limited bulk freight, small by later 19th century standards, and had a large total sail area...
fleet, and is delighted at his son's new maturity and their relationship dramatically improves even as Harvey decides to begin his career with his father's shipping lines.
Film, TV, theatrical, or other adaptations
Captains Courageous has been filmed three times:- In 1937 as Captains Courageous (film), produced by Louis D. LightonLouis D. LightonLouis D. Lighton was an American screenwriter and producer. He wrote for 40 films between 1920 and 1927. He also produced 30 films between 1928 and 1951....
, directed by Victor FlemingVictor FlemingVictor Lonzo Fleming was an American film director, cinematographer, and producer. His most popular films were The Wizard of Oz , and Gone with the Wind , for which he won an Academy Award for Best Director.-Life and career:Fleming was born in La Canada, California, the son of Elizabeth Evaleen ...
and starring Spencer TracySpencer TracySpencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
, Freddie BartholomewFreddie BartholomewFrederick Cecil Bartholomew , known for his acting work as Freddie Bartholomew, was an English-American child actor. One of the most famous child actors of all time, he became very popular in 1930s Hollywood films...
, Lionel BarrymoreLionel BarrymoreLionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
, Melvyn DouglasMelvyn DouglasMelvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
, Mickey RooneyMickey RooneyMickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
, and John CarradineJohn CarradineJohn Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...
. Tracy won the Academy Award for Best ActorAcademy Award for Best ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for his work in this film. - In 1977 for televisionTelevision movieA television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, directed by Harvey Hart and starring Karl MaldenKarl MaldenKarl Malden was an American actor. In a career that spanned more than seven decades, he performed in such classic films as A Streetcar Named Desire, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, On the Waterfront and One-Eyed Jacks...
, Ricardo MontalbánRicardo MontalbánRicardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino, KSG was a Mexican radio, television, theatre and film actor. He had a career spanning six decades and many notable roles...
, Fritz WeaverFritz WeaverFritz William Weaver is an American actor and voice actor.-Life and career:Weaver was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Elsa W. and John Carson Weaver. His mother was of Italian descent and his father was a social worker from Pittsburgh. Weaver attended Peabody High School...
, Fred GwynneFred GwynneFrederick Hubbard "Fred" Gwynne was an American actor. Gwynne was best known for his roles in the 1960s sitcoms Car 54, Where Are You? and The Munsters, as well as his later roles: Pet Sematary and My Cousin Vinny...
and Neville BrandNeville BrandNeville Brand was an American television and movie actor.-Early life:Neville Brand was born in Illinois. He was born to Leo and Helen Brand as one of seven children. Leo, was an electrician and bridge building steel worker in Detroit, where Neville was raised...
. - In 1996 for televisionTelevision movieA television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, directed by Michael AndersonMichael Anderson (director)Michael Joseph Anderson, Sr. is an English film director, best known for directing The Dam Busters , Around the World in 80 Days and Logan's Run .-Early life:...
and starring Robert UrichRobert UrichRobert Urich was an American actor. He played the starring roles in the television series Vega$ and Spenser: For Hire...
, Kenny VadasKenny VadasKen "Kenny" Vadas is a Canadian actor, now living in Toronto.Vadas was born in Montreal, Quebec to immigrants from Hungary...
, Kaj-Erik EriksenKaj-Erik EriksenKaj-Erik Eriksen is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles as Danny Farrell in the television series The 4400, Jeremy Peters in the television series Boston Public, and as the son of the main character in the 1990s show The Commish.-Career:Eriksen began his acting career in Vancouver,...
, Sandra NelsonSandra NelsonSandra Nelson Winkler is an American actress. She is best known as the second actress to play the role of Phyllis Romalotti on The Young and the Restless from 1997 to early 1999.Nelson's other credits include guest roles:*Monk as Dr Jackman*Without a Trace as Stephanie...
and Colin CunninghamColin CunninghamColin Alexander Cunningham is an American television and film actor, now living in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Television:...
.
Musical theatre:
- Captains Courageous, The Musical was a 1999 Off Broadway production at the Manhattan Theatre ClubManhattan Theatre ClubManhattan Theatre Club is a theater company located in New York City. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown since its founding in 1970 from an Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed...
.
Other Adaptations
- The Billion Dollar BoyThe Billion Dollar BoyThe Billion Dollar Boy is a 1997 science fiction novel by Charles Sheffield. The story takes place centuries in the future where asteroid mining is a major industry. Earth's population is 14 billion, most live in poverty...
by Charles Sheffield is a retelling of Captains Courageous in a futuristic science fiction setting. - Cabin BoyCabin BoyCabin Boy is a 1994 fantasy comedy film directed by Adam Resnick and produced by Tim Burton, which starred comedian Chris Elliott. Elliott co-wrote the film with Adam Resnick...
, a movie starring Chris Elliott, is a (very) loose adaptation.
Derivative usages
"Captain Courageous" in the singular is sometimes used as praise for a leader of a group or team, e.g. http://www.mqmagazine.co.uk/issue-4/p-15.php http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/86/gettingahead.html http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/11/25/stories/2004112503862100.htm.In the 1992 movie "Captain Ron" Martin Short's character derisively refers to Captain Ron as "Captains Courageous".
External links
- Introduction to the novel at Kipling Org
- Note on the text at Kipling Org
- Captains Courageous, The Musical at The Internet Off Broadway DatabaseLortel ArchivesThe Lortel Archives, or the Internet Off-Broadway Database is an online database that catalogues theatre productions shown off-Broadway.The archives are named in honor of actress and theatrical producer Lucille Lortel.-See also:...