“No white man hides himself in the wilderness without a reason.”
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Synopsis:
After a young merchant seaman (Peter O’Toole) abandons his ship during a storm, he tries to rectify his shame by drifting around the South Seas, soon befriending the owner (Paul Lukas) of a cargo ship and agreeing to help a local town leader in an uprising against a warlord known as The General (Eli Wallach). Eventually he falls in love with a native girl (Daliah Lavi) and attempts to live a happy life with her — but the arrival of a ruthless pirate (James Mason) forces him to make difficult choices.
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Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
- Akim Tamaroff Films
- At Sea
- Eli Wallach Films
- Historical Drama
- James Mason Films
- Paul Lukas Films
- Peter O’Toole Films
- Richard Brooks Films
Review:
Richard Brooks wrote and directed this adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s 1900 novel of the same name, based on a real-life incident involving Muslim Indonesians on a seabound pilgrimage to Mecca. It received some negative reviews upon release, and unfortunately, I can see why. Though Freddie Young’s cinematography is as beautiful as always:
… and O’Toole is effectively earnest as a young man wracked with guilt for his decision during a time of crisis:
… the rest of the plot simply plays like a standard tale of a White man attempting to lose himself in foreign lands with a beautiful native girl (while getting inextricably caught up in local politics). The eventual appearance of James Mason’s “Gentleman Brown” is a welcome plot turn, but the storyline as a whole fails to compel.
Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:
- Paul Lukas as Stein
- James Mason as Gentleman Brown
- Freddie Young’s cinematography
Must See?
No, though fans of the stars and/or Richard Brooks will likely be curious to check it out.
Links:
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One thought on “Lord Jim (1965)”
Not must-see – and in total agreement with the reasons given in the astute assessment. Kind of a slog, really, in spite of its Mason plus-factor.