White Squall (1996)

Plan: In the fall of 1960, Charles Gieg (Scott Wolf) boards the Albatross, a school ship, captained by ‘Skipper’ Sheldon (Jeff Bridges). While learning to sail, the boys are schooled in sciences by the Skipper’s wife, Alice (Caroline Goodall), and in English by McCrea (John Savage). Discipline and camaraderie are the basis of the teaching, and Chuck bonds with rich-kid Frank (Jeremy Sisto), acrophobic Gil (Ryan Phillippe), and diver Dean (Eric Michael Cole). All is going well until the Albatross is caught in a white squall, six people die, and a disciplinary committee seeks to take the Skipper’s ticket.

I felt I could tell you all of that without ruining the movie because it’s based on a true story. In fact, Todd Robinson’s screenplay is based on the book, The Last Voyage of the Albatross by Charles Gieg, Jr. and Felix Sutton. I would think that Chuckster would know what was going on since he was there. Don’t know about this Felix character, though.

Although Robinson’s narration portions, also done by Wolf, are filled with the kind of heavy handed language and literary style that doesn’t sound much like a 17 year-old boy, it does reflect the kind of wisdom and gravitas Gieg may have possessed years later, so I will let that part slide.

Otherwise, Robinson’s script captures all the mocking and rivalry of teenage boy friendship without becoming insensitive of the topic. It’s especially difficult to create something compelling out of something that must have been so well known in the its day, but Robinson and director Ridley Scott rise to the challenge by saving the squall and court for the end, focusing instead on what happens between the crew members before hand.

Scott’s a funny guy. That’s what I always think when I think of his movies (e.g. Gladiator, Thelma & Louise, Black Hawk Down, Blade Runner). He’s the kind of meticulous director who decides before hand how a scene should be, and then he shoots it until he gets want he wants. Smart move, if you’ve got the talent to pull it off. Scott, though sometimes a little misguided, has got the goods.

He works especially well with his leading men (ignoring the growingly vapid, Keanu-clone Josh Hartnett), although who wouldn’t with Bridges? Sure, everyone’s all about him now for The Door in the Floor, but Jeff’s pretty much been a director’s dream since the start. He generally tears into his roles with gusto, and this film is no exception. The Skipper’s a strong and hard man, the kind, as Gieg observes, that “makes you want to please him.”

Plus, I really like Bridges’ weird and instantly identifiable voice.

It’s great to see the eternally youthful Wolf (already a mature 27 when this movie was made) frolicking about with Sisto, Phillippe before he was an ass, and Cole, as well as goodies like Ethan Embry, David Lascher, and Jason Marsden.

I’m not going to lie. As much as a joke as the end has become among those in the know, I still cry every time Frank rings that bell. B+