THE EXTRAORDINARY SEAMAN
US, 1968, 80 minutes, Colour.
David Niven, Faye Dunaway,, Alan Alda, Mickey Rooney, Jack Carter.
Directed by John Frankenheimer.
The Extraordinary Seaman was dismissed on first release as being unworthy of director, John Frankenheimer. However, in retrospect many people would consider it as an important part of his cinema output. Frankenheirner emerged from television with a number of strong dramas in the late fifties and, especially, in the first half of the sixties, e.g. Birdman of Alcatraz. The Train, Seven Days in May and Seconds. In 1967 he turned to films about human endurance like Grand Prix, The Gypsy Moths, I Walked the Line. Amongst those films was this small anti-war comedy. It starred David Niven in typical fashion, had strong performance from Faye Dunaway. Perhaps the ironic look at war was not acceptable at the height of Vietnamese involvement. However, as a comedy-fantasy showing some of the more ludicrous aspect of war and linking them to the experience of World War II, the film is most effective within its brief running time.
1. Was this an enjoyable film? As a war film, comedy, satire? The film was small but short, Was it effective? The criticism implied in the film? How strongly was it an anti-war film? Successful in this intention? The significance and tone of the title in this regard? Irony?
2. How appropriate was the use of Panavision for this short film? The use of colour, the Mexican locations for the Philippines? The picturing of the boat and its list? The use of the stars? Did this give too much style and glamour to the anti-war film? or did it reinforce it? How successful was the use of newspapers and the irony of the commentary with the realities? The use of newsreels and the commentators? Were these well integrated into the whole film? The device of using chapters: how well did these correspond to the different stages of the film? -
a. the Grand Alliance,
b. The gathering storm,
c. closing the win,
d. Their finest hour,
e. The hinge of fate,
f. Triumph and tragedy?
- The Churchill overtone of these chapters? How elaborate a device was this for the film?
3. The film was made in the late '60's before M*A*S*H and Catch 22. What impact did it make then? Why? In view of the mad-cap ironic anti-war films, what would its impact be now?
4. How enjoyable were the Ghost Goes West overtones of the film? The fact of the English ghost, the details of the ghost story, the flash-backs to England's past, the portraits, the facts of Finchaven's failure? What was the appeal of the ghost story and the thunder from heaven and its integration into a World War 11 film?
5. How was the film influenced by The African Queen? The parody of this film, and, especially, the sabotaging at the end?
6. How British was Finchaven? Was this important for the film and the American war? The history of Finchaven. the presentation of his mysterious character, the gradual emergence of his being a ghost - the whisky, his being shot, not eating or sleeping? What values of war and anti-war did he stand for? His discussions with the characters? His interaction with them all? His preoccupation with success? His managing of the boat, his final failure, the world going on just the same, the irony of his war in Disneyland?
7. Was Krim a suitable hero for the film? A non hero? Some of his heroics being very ordinary, (the contrast with the military training films etc.) His capacity for leading, understanding the mystery, relating to Jennifer? What point was being made about the American soldier through him?
8. What was the point of having Jennifer in the Philippines? Her bargaining power? Her role on the ship? Her relationship with Finchaven, with Krim? What did she add to the film? Was it a romantic interest or was romance subordinated to the war?
9. The importance of Oglethorpe? Of Toole and his continued eating in the engine room. of Starr and the satire on the Indians?
10. How successful were the various adventures portrayed? Under fire? The strafing by the planes? (The contrast continually with the newsreels. especially Mrs. Truman's launching of the ship?) The various interviews about heroics and the reality?
11. What was the ultimate achievement of the film: as regards entertainment and message?
