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Moby Dick
1956 115 min United States of America 12+
★7.4
Adventure, Drama
Director: John Huston
🎭 Based on
«Moby-Dick»
byHerman Melville
Trailers
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EN
EN
Description
In 1841, young Ishmael signs up for service aboard the Pequod, a whaler sailing out of New Bedford. The ship is under the command of Captain Ahab, a strict disciplinarian who exhorts his men to find Moby Dick, the great white whale. Ahab lost his leg to that creature and is desperate for revenge. As the crew soon learns, he will stop at nothing to gain satisfaction.
Budget:
$4.5M
Worldwide:
$10.4M
Starring
Gregory Peck
Actor
Richard Basehart
Actor
Leo Genn
Actor
Awards
5 wins & 4 nominations total
Key opinion
John Huston's 1956 adaptation of Moby Dick is widely celebrated for its ambitious practical effects and successful integration of Melville's original prose. While the film is praised for its atmospheric sea sequences and strong thematic ambition, it remains a subject of debate regarding its casting choices and structural faithfulness to the source novel.
| Production | The use of a massive mechanical whale and location-based production creates sea sequences that provide enduring, tactile realism. | |
| Screenplay | The collaboration between John Huston and Ray Bradbury effectively incorporates Melville's original dialogue and distinct biblical undertones. | |
| Acting | Gregory Peck’s performance as Ahab is polarized: some viewers find his portrayal a magnetic, chilling study of fanaticism, while others feel he lacks the necessary age and grit required for the character. | |
| Adaptation | Critics are divided on the film's fidelity, with some appreciating the preservation of core themes and dialogue, while others criticize the omission of key book episodes and character arcs. |