The classic Ernest Hemingway novel about man battling nature and the demons within himself is adapted admirably in this 1958 film starring the legendary Spencer Tracy. Playing the fisherman who goes on an intense and futile quest as he contemplates his own nature, Tracy turns in a spellbinding performance of understated power. He plays an itinerant Cuban fisherman whose luck at catching his prey has been poor of late, until he becomes embroiled in an intense pursuit of a giant marlin and in the process must confront his own frailties. Though the visual aspect of the film seems dated, Tracy is more than enough reason to see this effort at bringing one of the modern classics of literature to life on the screen. --Robert Lane

Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Comment: I watched this movie for the first time 20 years ago with Anthony Quinn - not Spencer Tracy. It was slightly different - but still a great watch.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A movie you must see.
Comment: Hemmingway and Tracy at their best. This is one of the films and books that need to be taken in in your late teens, and then seen again thirty years later.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: old man and the sea
Comment: This movie is excellent!A true classic done by one of the greatest actors Hollywood has ever had.The transfer from film to dvd is quite good.This is a must have for any classic movie collection.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: innaccurate
Comment: I loved the movie when i first saw it at age 11 and still do but the inaccuracy is the marlin footage used is the world record 1560lb Black Marlin caught off Cabo Blanco Peru (Pacific Ocean) by US angler Alfred Glassel in the 1950s.
Black Marlin are only caught in the Pacific NOT in the Caribbean or Atlantic Oceans!!!They should have used Blue Marlin footage which is the marlin species that inhabits Cuba. Still a fun movie!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: If you review... Jabber..... Be a more informed and sentive reviewer!
Comment: I find it interesting that a person with a nickname (Jabber) finds works like "As time goes by", a wonderful British Sit-Com with Oscar winner Judy Dench who played the Queen in "Shakespeare in Love"(1998) and "The Old Man and the Sea", and this person thinks they are Dull. Well I can only say that this person probably has no interest in Character study, Human Nature, Literature, Human Inner Struggle and even Good Comedy and should consider confining his/her Comments & Critiques to Subjects that have nothing to do with the Human Condition. I would also suggest for this person to find a way to broaden his/her horizon by Traveling,Good Books,Literary works by renowned Authors and even merely observing other people and maybe only maybe his/her horizon might broaden.
I will be honest and have not been able to get into it yet, because unfortunately I have a short attention span. I am willing to give it a second try knowing that Ernest Hemingway was such an accomplished writer and got a Nobel Prize for this work. I will probably read the Book first then see the Movie again.
I have a special interest in this story because I am Cuban born and have also been in Cojimar, the fishing Town where the story took place. It will be of interest that Hemingway was adopted by the Cuban people and he based his story on a real fisherman who lived in Cojimar and became his friend.
I was a a young girl when the story was written (1953) and lived there until 1962. In the 1940's & 50's the pace of life in Cuba was much slower than here, specially in small Fishing Towns like Cojimar. It is a very different world from the one we know here in the USA but it is a wonderful one to live or vacation since it is so relaxing. Your tensions just melt away. The Movie may not be for everyone for its style departs from the ones where they chew it for you. I am sure the book is much better as you can enjoy Heminway's wonderful descriptive prose and enjoy a world foreign to so many here in the USA.
I spent my best Summer days/hours at a Beach named Baracoa, in Havana's North Coast, not far from where the story took place, and met real Cuban Fisherman there. I hope my comment is helpful to those who are looking for more than an easy way out in being entertained. Worth watching!

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