MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD

US, 2003, 140 minutes, Colour.
Russell Crowe, Paul Betany, James Darcy, Max Pirkis, Robert Pugh, David Threlfall, Billy Boyd, George Innes.
Directed by Peter Weir.

It comes as something of a surprise to hear that Peter Weir has made a historical naval epic. Yet, in the thirty years
since his first full-length feature, The Cars that Ate Paris, Weir has brought his intelligent and refined sensibility to a
wide range of genres, in recent years often taking four or five years between films. The Cars that Ate Paris was a
small-scale comic horror story. He followed it with Picnic at Hanging Rock and then his imagining of aboriginal myths in Sydney, The Last Wave. He has portrayed war in his masterpiece, Gallipoli, Asian political thriller in The Year of Living Dangerously, murder mystery among the Amish in Witness, the retreat from civilisation in Mosquito Coast, creativity in education in Dead Poets Society. He made only three films during the 1990s: Green Card, Fearless and The Truman Show.

Master and Commander is quite epic in scope, based on the seafaring books by Patrick O'Brien. The central character is a fearless, just, even noble captain, Jack Aubrey. Russell Crowe brings his best dignity to the role, as impressive as his performance as Gladiator. He is not perfect, becomes obsessed with his pursuit of a French ship through the Atlantic, round Cape Horn and into the Pacific as far as the Galapagos Islands, but tries to admit and rectify mistakes. The setting is 1805, the aftermath of Nelson's victories with the British navy's goal of preventing a Napoleonic invasion of England. Weir stages the battles at sea with vigour.

What is important for the film is its detailed picture of day by day life on board ship, the camaraderie, rivalry (and
superstition) amongst the crew, the bonds between the officers (and the young nobility who do their apprenticeship at sea). It is tough but not as soul-destroying as is sometimes presented in more melodramatic stories. We feel that we have been to sea here and understood what was required of the seamen.

The other principal character, played by Paul Bettany, is the ship's doctor, a naturalist with an avid ambition to record species of plants, birds and animals. The Galapagos islands are a paradise for him (and the film was shot there) but he has to face the realities of Britain being at war and his principal duty being to serve and obey the captain. Captain and doctor are good friends, can speak honestly to each other - and relax by playing chamber music together.

An impressive and interesting film.

1. The epic design of the film? Impact? Re-creation of history? History of the navy, the sea, battles?

2. The work of Peter Weir, his intelligent approach to film-making? For an adult audience? The adaptation of celebrated novels? The strong cast?

3. The re-creation of the early 19th century world, the sea, ships, life at sea in its detail, the battles? The musical score?

4. The editing, the pace, the personal drama, the social drama, the military action drama? A pacing which coordinated all these aspects into a final entertaining film?

5. The title, the issue of command in the navy, the far side of the world and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in the early 19th century, battles and supremacy, scientific advance and investigation?

6. The transition from the 18th to the 19th century? The significance of the Napoleonic wars, Napoleon as an 18th century leader beginning the romantic revolution and world-conquering aspects of the 19th century? The expanding world into the oceans and far countries of the world? Cape Horn? The Galapagos Islands? The English in these waters combating the French? The role of Britain in the Napoleonic wars? The tradition of Nelson and the stories about Nelson told by Aubrey? The naval heritage? The beginning of empire? Aubrey's comment on the development of ships, the technology, his language about the modern era and its changes? The nature of fighting, strategies, disguise, guerrilla warfare on the sea? The consequences?

7. The themes of command and leadership? The trained officer, Aubrey and his life in the navy, coming up through the ranks? The combination of dedication and humanity, his culture, friendship with Maturin? The role of leadership on a vessel of war, the role of the commander with the men, with the officers? The importance of rules and orders? The danger of obsession with leadership, with goals, especially military conquest? Aubrey's comment about decisions, especially in choosing the lesser of two evils? The culture of punishment, the flogging, persecution by the men, the "Jonah" considered as a jinx on the ship - leading to the officer's suicide? The acknowledgment of the need for humanity as well as discipline?

8. Russell Crowe's screen presence as Jack Aubrey, his age, experience? His command, his ability in sailing, running a tight ship? The orders given to the men, reasonable? His good nature with the officers? The first fight with the Acheron, caught, fighting, the effect of the battle, the repairs? His estimation of his opponent? The detail of life on the ship, the meals, the joke about the lesser of two weevils, his friendship with Maturin, intellectual discussion, playing the musical instruments, the development of the paradigm of science with the paradigm of war?

9. The information about the French ship, the decision to pursue it, the disguising of the Surprise as a whaling ship? Taking the Acheron, the fight, the details of the battle, the dead captain - and the irony that it was a substitute and that the real captain had escaped?

10. The world of the Galapagos Islands, Maturin and his wanting to go there for research, his having Lord Blakeney as his assistant? Blakeney and the loss of his arm? Maturin and the detailed nature of his drawings of flora and fauna? His interest in insects? Aubrey and his promise, not allowing Maturin to land, the pursuit of the Acheron? His obsession and the breaking of his promise? The quarrel with Maturin? The return to the Galapagos Islands, his allowing him to go ashore? The visual impact of the Galapagos, the flora and fauna, the specimens, Maturin and his collecting specimens? The importance for the development of science in the 18th century? His seeing the Acheron sheltered in the bay, his decision to return, the arduous journey returning to the ship, allowing Aubrey to pursue the Acheron?

11. The battle sequences, action, hand-to-hand fighting? Strategies and tactics? The wounded, the doctor and his operations? The role of Aubrey and his leadership? The various officers, their ability with command? Lord Blakeney, the injury to his arm, the amputation?

12. The personalities in the crew, the ordinary working men, the details of life, below deck, work on the deck, meals? The officers' dining room? The importance of respect? The victimisation of Hollar, his fear of the men, his unsteadiness in command, the men persecuting him as a Jonah, his growing desperation, killing himself? The insubordinate sailors, insults, Aubrey ordering the flogging? The officers who had the potential for command, Aubrey giving them opportunities, finally giving the sailor, Pullings, command of the ship? Issues of responsibility, insurrection amongst the men, the 18th century fostering of superstitions?

13. The younger officers, their experience, learning by fighting? The older sailors, orders, rank and promotion, the captain's table?

14. The picture of the French, the enemy, Napoleon as demonised in his wanting to conquer the world, the seas? The conquering of the French, Aubrey taking the ship, seeing the dead captain, realising the truth, going in pursuit?

15. The theme of British conquest of the sea, the beginnings of empire? The film's portrait of war, the role of the navy, training, men at war, the British heritage?