Captains Courageous 1937 Death scene of Spencer Tracy

[@woofwgn]

I never will forget how much I owe to our English teachers, for putting on a showing of this film to all the classes together 50 years ago, when I was in 6th grade. All us kids started out thinking, "Oh geez, an old black and white movie", and of course, ended up absolutely thoroughly enjoying it ⛵🌟

[@edtracker47]

Freddie Bartholomew is one of best young actors of all time. I cry every single time I see this movie. It is so heartwrenching

[@atyourserviceable]

As a boy I loved this movie and to this day I still do 65 Years later

[@joeschmoe1150]

I love that LongJack is the one to comfort him at the end....

[@stephenpeplow2870]

Right?!

[@eatdrinkbe1323]

When he gives Harvey the safety razor he got from Manuel...chokes me up every time.

[@richardconner15]

This mans science of dying a good death is the mark of one who knows what awaits him.There is no fear.All this is just one slice of the layer cake.And it gets sweeter as we get to the top.

[@vernwallen4246]

AMEN!

[@kobyashimaru1353]

God bless

[@k-1llmatic832]

Saw this while unattended to at my aunt's house, before the days of remote controls. She turned on the tv, this movie was on, and I dared not touch the set to change the channel. I was maybe 5! I swear to god I remember thinking, ahh a crappy black and white old movie:/ It slowly reeled me in until I was invested and entranced. It really taught me something about life at that young, impressionable age that I never forgot! Over three decades later, I think about it randomly after watching Lighthouse, google it, and here I am. What a trip.

[@oceanusprocellarum1119]

Same, that's real uncanny.

[@petecernan2568]

One of the greats watched it with my dad in the seventies wonderful time to be growing up a few tears watching this scene again thinking of my dear old dad

[@riverbender9898]

I saw this movie in my youth and have always remembered that powerful scene! Thanks for posting it.

[@martinepstein3332]

I love this film so much, Tracy turned what could have been a caricature performance into pure gold and Freddie Bartholomew is terrific too

[@manueldeabreu1980]

Whose cutting onions in here!?!?!!?

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

This is one of my favorite films featuring the sea and sailors. This climactic scene is an emotionally moving scene that is well acted, and with convincing special effects and excellent real footage of a schooner pitching on the high seas. This sequence is one of those few that has stayed vivid in my mind as I have thought of it over 40 years since first seeing it. As a sailor myself, the scenes of the perils of rigging failure at sea are ones I have in mind when sailing. I also see this as a great movie showing the bonds of love and trust that people (men, boys, different ages) can have for one another, despite coming from very different backgrounds and economic levels on land. The sea is a great leveler.

[@helenparker3540]

When this scene happened, watching with my dad, phew I couldn't believe it. What an amazing film.Freddie Bartholomew - incredible kid.

[@dothetruffleshuffle6233]

I seen this movie years ago.My dad showed me alot of black and white movies and I'm so glad he introduced me to them. It's one of the best movies I've ever seen and the end is sad. Little fish was a little rich brat who ,in the end, i believe learned to be a man . And by chance ended up on a fishing boat with a bunch of strangers ,meeting probably the best friend he'll ever had who was Manuel. But yeah this scene will always stand out to me as well as the movie On Borrowed Time.

[@nessaj4522]

I looooove the way he changed that little boy's life to realize the world doesn't just revolve around U because of what's in your pocket or the color of your skin or anything like that. It's the passion U show to others that U accept from each other that's truly in your heart. They had pride in whatever they loved. This is how I honor all of these old movies. U wanna make something great again look at and take a lesson from all of these movies. These should go in our time capsule.

[@saltalgilmour9745]

this movie still bring me tears... especially this scene..Spencer Tracy what a great actor!!! the whole movie is a great story! goodbye Manuel!

[@antoniotovio5016]

This scene still gets the waterworks overtime when I watch it. Such a great movie. Spencer Tracey what a legend!

[@hnming]

One of the greatest family films ever.

[@rhythmster]

Cried my eyes out watching this as a kid!

[@catherinemuat4446]

I have this movie watch it all the time and still cry every time love❤ Freddie Bartholomew best child actor of all time ❤

[@lesbeefmemebois5552]

Even though this movie is almost 90 years old, it is one of my all time favorites. I cry every time

[@MarkKerrigan-h6b]

Fabulous film

[@wheelzbabyliz89]

:'( i cried like a baby watching this

[@saltalgilmour9745]

I am still crying watching this!

[@tg040659]

@@saltalgilmour9745 yeah its hard for me too

[@alexcopland6257]

It is a complex and humanistic tale. The mechanics are that the topsail's ropework became inextricably entwined with Manuel's lower limbs. The topmast's weight, combined with sheer oceanic drag caused wounds which were not treatable at sea. Were it not cut loose, there remained the risk that the drag might lead to the capsize (overturning) of the entire craft, leading to the deaths of ALL on board - including "Little Fish." Even as I write my eyes sting with the rage of my helplessness.

[@petecernan2568]

One of the greatest films ever

[@ronburati257]

Great film

[@demiurgoplatonico7815]

Women: I can’t believe he didn’t cry during the titanic, do men even have feelings? Men:

[@demboys18]

Talk about a man's man. A real father figure.

[@giuseppecunto8716]

Ero un ragazzino quando l'ho visto, e, ancora oggi mi commuovo.👍❤

[@castalia60able]

@missvile07 - I love Freddy's performance and I don't care what other people said.. he was a great child actor.. Had a tough life and parents that tried to take his money is a sorry situation no matter what.

[@alexcopland6257]

Do you remember that line in 'Sunset Boulevard'. A reporter says to Norma Desmond: "Hey! You used to be be big." Her reply - "I am big. It's the movies that got small." My question, sir, is why people aren't writing books like this?

[@jessicaclauson1997]

I saw this when I was like 7 years old, it was traumatic

[@vernwallen4246]

SPENCER TRACY WAS A GIANT.⚓⚓⚓

[@openeverydoor8879]

I was maybe nine when I saw the movie first and it has stayed with me ever since I'm a massive fan of Spencer Tracy's body of work

[@19torento]

Carradine was always a good actor.

[@sunncheria8088]

I loved this scene and the other one with Sam McDaniel (Hattie’s brother) who plays Doc. He’s the only one who, other than Manuel (Tracy) that speaks Portuguese. He translates what Manuel said to Captain Disko (Barrymore) and this is a 1931 film!!! amazing 😉

[@alexvaliansky7707]

The film was released in 1937.

[@divisioneight]

Interestingly enough, this scene was repeated on that Jack Aubrey movie that came out several years ago.

[@confuzzled_rat3438]

I always loved black and white movies they never failed to impress me but lord did my English teacher nearly make me cry because of this.

[@ColleenCupido]

Who needs Heathcliff when I have Manuel?.....my #1

[@mariettasmith6543]

Love this movie, hate that Manuel died. Harvey will be a different person forever. Great classic movie.

[@BlindDesertPete]

He didnt have to. He didnt die in the book.

[@dk60ish]

Just heart wrenching....

[@aethelwulf8753]

Gut wrenching.

[@Statalyzer]

Disco Troop sure did get off light considering that this whole thing happened because of his ego.

[@googleuser3163]

Exactly! That old codfish has Manuel's blood on his hands!

[@ColonelFredPuntridge]

Rudyard Kipling deserved his Nobel prize.

[@GregDucati]

man started to get emotional there! real men real work no people claiming off insurances or complaining about working conditions back then!

[@rogerbunch4411]

What happened to good movies like this

[@JohnWesleyDowney]

Very well written post.

[@aethelwulf8753]

He wore a cross around his neck because he was playing a poor Portuguese CATHOLIC fisherman, now run along and watch Rocky V again.

[@eddy2121]

No we all die in the end. From there roll the dice. Hope you chose wisely.

[@pandemits]

I've never watched the film, but I had the chance to watch this scene in a documentary about Spencer Tracey. Can please someone explain to me why they cut him loose? Is it true that the mast almost cut him in half, therefore he is doomed? Was it his choice (a kind of euthanasia?) or the captain's decision to spare them and the boy to watch his wounds while he was dyeing? Or they have to cut him loose in order to detach the broken mast?

[@saltalgilmour9745]

@Rob DeAbreu yeah that was!

[@danahenrickson3378]

And also, he didn't want the boy to see his injuries, which is why he wouldn't let Long Jack try to get him out of the water. His injuries were already fatal, he knew it, and he wanted to spare the boy from seeing how gruesome it was. Also, the mast hanging over was causing the ship to take on water, which would make it sink. So, cutting the mast was the best decision all around.

[@kraig1256]

Like thst movie alot! Coming rom a fishernmans' family!

[@grahammccay6909]

I guess I don't have to watch it now that your title has spoiled it. Thanks.

[@stevesedberry]

For a wonderful and complex story full of many fascinating details and sub plots read the book by Kipling.

[@duinnerfs]

The Captain/owner of this fishing boat should be fined, arrested for criminal negligence. . . .horse play at the cost of someone's life. . .

[@pandemits]

Thank you for a start for enlightening me. So, if I got it right: he became one with the topmast, topmast had to be released or they would all go down, he was dead anyway, so they cut the rope that hold him (and the topmast) to the surface?

[@NoBody-nu6kx]

the top mast landed on his midsection and tore off his whole bottom half. He didnt want the kid to see him that way, nor did he want to live like that. So he told them to cut him loose

[@Herblay63]

A time of real men doing real jobs....

[@jamesalec60]

I heard this movie was good so came on to see if I could find it. Thanks for giving away the fact that a major character dies in it with your title. Please consider changing the header so you don't keep ruining the movie for people that have not seen it.

[@aethelwulf8753]

I know those movies fool, and I know Spencer Tracy was the greatest actor, you know shit.

[@metteholm4833]

Dead video. Why?

[@normanbraslow7902]

Far too much sail up. Very dramatic sight, but not good seamanship.

[@bobbyrobby3600]

Hollwywood can't make movies like this anymore. None of the producers have it in them. They are too busy with sex and liberal causes.

[@StarsAbove100]

This is sooo dumb. Manuel didn't die in the book. This movie has so much in it that wasn't in the book. It barely resembles the Rudyard Kipling story. Read the book. It much better this steaming pile of crap movie.

[@markmooroolbark252]

The film is so much better than the book.

[@alexvaliansky7707]

You’re outnumbered, kiddo.

[@martinepstein3332]

One of my favourite films