User Reviews

Compared to other projects like 'The Great Santini' and 'The Mechanic,' this 1976 drama was a bold endeavor for writer-director Lewis John Carlino. 'The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea' is Carlino's adaptation of a novella set in post-World War II Japan by Yukio Mishima, a prolific 20th century author who tried to revive the Bushido code of samurai honor and committed ritual suicide in 1970. Mishima was a grand literary force, considered several times for the Nobel Prize and was lauded as the 'Japanese Hemingway' by Life Magazine. Indeed, it says a great deal about his writings that Carlino was able to transport the novella's ideas to a modern English setting.

'Sailor' focuses on Anne Osborne, a lonely widow and antiques dealer played by Sarah Miles. The middle-aged woman lives with her sea-loving, teenaged son Jonathan (Jonathan Kahn) in an English coastal town. Well into the rebellious phase of life, Jonathan finds himself without an adult male influence and backs a schoolmate known only as Chief (Earl Rhodes), who runs a secret club with four other boys as his underlings. This club is not the usual fun-and-games of children, however; Chief is the precocious son of a town surgeon and looks to teach the four members his nihilistic points of view (morality, for instance, is just rules that adults invented to control the world). So dedicated is the boy to his values that he even autopsies the family cat to prove an idea about existence.

Providing Jonathan with another outlet is Jim Cameron (Kris Kristofferson), an American sailor who arrives into port and has a change meeting with Anne. The two fall in love almost immediately and Jonathan discovers a man who fits Chief's description of 'a heart of steel' - a man who travels the Earth and overcomes great odds. However, Jonathan feels betrayal as the love affair between Anne and Jim thickens; his hero decides to stay in England and remain tied to the soil. It's only Jonathan and his friends who can restore Jim's 'grace' with the sea from which he came, leading to one of the most outrageous conclusions in film history.

As a person who has seen numerous films and read quite a few novels, 'The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea' was a very strange experience. The film doesn't fit any one particular genre, nor does it really generate one clear emotion. The love story between Anne and Jim functions as an obvious work of erotica, while the dark portrayal of adolescence reminds me of writers like Aldous Huxley and Patrick McCabe. The story's meaning is intentionally unclear, although it seems to imply that each person is given a specific destiny and that the feelings of children, by necessity, are of equal value to those of adults. There is also a certain sexual philosophy judging passion as the destroyer of good things, in this case the strong bond between Jonathan and his mother.

One of Sailor's technical strongpoints is its broad, languid pacing that has a feel similar to waves of the sea. Cinematographer Douglas Slocombe offers breathtaking images of ocean, sunrise, and house interiors that compare with still-life paintings. Adding to the rich visuals is a lean, chilly score by Johnny Mandel (with themes by Kristofferson) that captures the film's underlying ideas. The entire cast is superb, especially the children headed by Jonathan Kahn (who had a brief screen career). Sarah Miles conveys a wide range of emotion and has a physical elegance that is ideal for her role. Kristofferson was an excellent choice for the Jim Cameron figure, a rugged, brooding individual whose tales of sea life feel authentic. Of vital importance is the chemistry between Miles and Kristofferson, which must be strong for the film to work. Unlike inferior films that produce a cardboard love affair, Anne and Jim's rapport is solid and nothing less than convincing.

Anyone who is put off by graphic sexuality or cruelty to animals will best avoid this film. Miles and Kristofferson are involved in two explicit sex scenes, with Kahn watching through a peephole to sate his teenaged curiosity. Miles is also viewed masturbating at her dressing table, but all of this material was filmed with great sensitivity. The cat 'experiment' is highly unpleasant, although not exceptionally graphic, and Chief blasts apart an overhead seagull by tossing a firework stuffed inside pieces of bread. The end credits mention that no real animals were harmed in the film, a rare disclaimer in the 1970s.

'Sailor' deserves good DVD treatment for its photography alone, if not for its fine acting. Image Entertainment has come through with a 2003 disc that presents the film with respect, undoing years of mistreatment by TV broadcasts and full-frame VHS tapes. The film is presented in widescreen with immaculate visuals and Dolby enhancement of the original mono track. Unfortunately, there are no extras, with chapter stops offered as the lone feature. Another minus is its auto-play of the film when loaded into a DVD machine, which is inconvenient if you need a few moments to settle in. But for admirers of this film, IE's new disc restores the vibrant imagery seen in cinemas thirty years ago. Moving, shocking, and at times repugnant, 'Sailor' is one of the most bizarre film experiences you will ever have.

*** out of 4

Roving Reviewer - www.geocities.com/paul_johnr

THE SAILOR WHO FELL FROM GRACE WITH THE SEA is a very unusual British drama, based on a Japanese novel. It feels a lot like one of the notorious 'pinku' genre films, with explicit sexual sequences and nudity for the day, but it turns out to be far more interesting than that. This film's strength lies in its focus on a gang of boys led by a politically-minded leader who's possibly the most frightening child character I've ever seen in a movie. He commands the screen whenever he appears, and he commits some truly disturbing acts as the running time progresses (animal lovers, look away!). This slow-burner is well acted by both the adult and child actors and builds to a subtle climax that I found completely horrifying in its implications.

Ever since her husband passed away, the introvert but endearing widow Anne Osborne (Sarah Miles) raises her son Jonathan by herself. Life isn't easy, as Anne feels lonely and clearly needs male affection while her son dangerously gets hooked on the mildly unsettling ideas of a fellow school boy who proclaims to eliminate all adults. When the handsome and charismatic sailor Jim (Kris Kristofferson) arrives in town in his enormously impressive cargo-boat "Belle", Anne finds in him a new lover and Jonathan a new fatherly role model. But when Jim stays to marry Anne, Jonathan feels that he "betrays" the sea and plots a morbid vengeance. I expected a whole lot from "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea", actually. The unusual title as well as the oddly designed DVD-cover always appealed to me and, moreover, the story is adapted from the works of controversial Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. This notorious author, who literally shocked the world with his sudden suicide, wrote perverse tales and had an awkward interpretation on human psychology, and thus I was anticipating a slow-brooding melodrama that is disturbing and beautifully enchanting at the same time. Unfortunately the transition to a remote English sea-town setting and its depressed inhabitants isn't totally successful and, despite remaining to be a stylish & well-made film, "The Sailor..." miserably fails in terms of offering genuine shocks and sheer creepiness. Writer/director Lewis John Carlino hints at several controversial themes (like voyeurism, the Oedipus complex and "Lord of the Flies"-esquire ideas) but never really has the courage to translate them on screen. The two main plots, about the romance between the adults and the boys' peculiar descent into mental insanity, never conjunct like they should, resulting in a rather incoherent film that comes across as absurd and highly implausible. Although the DVD-box guarantees chills, the film sadly never becomes disturbing or even remotely frightening. Nonetheless "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea" remains a curiously fascinating piece of 70's film-making, as the atmosphere is continuously compelling and the acting performances are convincingly emotional. Especially Sailor Jim's extended speeches about the mysteriously untameable sea are downright staggering. Because of his poetic monologues, the sea itself almost becomes an uncredited extra character and you willingly allow him to take you on imaginative journey around the world. Contrary to these mesmerizing sequences are the rather nasty and gratuitous images of the fascist children's cult relentlessly torturing animals in order to revolt against the grown-up world. The supposedly 'startling' climax filmed on a beautiful hillside location overlooking the sea is painfully disappointing. Not having read the novel, I don't know whether or not it's supposed to end like this, but I found it to be an extremely cowardly finale after building up to it so much.

Anne Osborne (Sarah Miles) is a young widow living in a picturesque seaside village in England. Her troubled son has fallen in with a bad crowd; he belongs to a secret society run by a bully who has his own very definite ideas about the proper order of things. When Anne decides to marry a merchant sailor (Kris Kristofferson), her son takes the news quite badly and turns to his pals for help.

This movie was quite controversial in 1976, and with it's graphic sexuality and shocking cruelty, it still is. Miles is well-cast as the needy widow but sometimes overdoes the cow-eyed trances and histrionics. Kristofferson looks the part of a rugged seaman and the two have great chemistry. The creepy boys' club provides some truly cringe-worthy moments as innocent young boys commit unspeakable acts, and this movie is not for the squeamish (especially animal-lovers).

Lovely Devon locations contrast nicely with the increasing tension and overall feeling of doom. An interesting and haunting movie for adults.

Terrific performances by Sarah Miles and Jonathan Kahn and some gorgeous seaside settings can't help turn this personal drama into something uplifting. In fact, I came out of it rather depressed, having had a sense of dread in a notorious scene where a family kitty ends up as a scientific experiment. This story deals with a gorgeous but lonely widow (Miles) who seems to have son Kahn under lock and key, and at first, you are not sure why. But by the middle of the film where the horrifying cat sequence takes place, you realize why. Kahn is borderline sociopathic, and his group of young teen friends aren't aiding him in being cured. In fact, they pretty much seem worse as they influence Kahn's vulnerable brain with all sorts of paranoia as Miles becomes seriously involved with a quiet, brooding American sailor (Kris Kristofferson) who seems willing to be giving up the sea so he can have an idyllic romance with Miles.

Written and directed by Lewis John Carlino ("The Great Santini", "Resurrection"), this drama has elements of beauty mixed with horror, and the bad seed children are a part of the later. The long love scene between Miles and Kristofferson (rather bland as an emotionless man) is nicely filmed with the two spending a good part of it simply staring at each other before the sexual part of the scene occurs. The beautiful Miles never got to have the type of career of other British stars of the time (the Redgrave sisters, Glenda, Maggie, the two Julie's), but her performance is stunning. The film really leaves you hanging, and perhaps that's the point, but something is really missing other than a conclusion, and it is a shame that the repercussions of the last scene are never revealed.

In Director Lewis John Carlino's THE SAILOR WHO..., Sarah Miles stars as Anne, a lonely, widowed mother, who lives in an enormous house on the cliffs overlooking the harbor. Anne's son, Jonathan (Jonathan Kahn) has fallen in with a group of boys led by a budding psychopath known only as "The Chief" (Earl Rhodes). He's sort of an updated version of Jack from LORD OF THE FLIES, with a bit more added sadism.

When a naval ship docks nearby, Anne meets and eventually becomes involved with a sailor named Jim (Kris Kristofferson), which, if this were a normal love story, would be just peachy. Unfortunately, The Chief and his devoted followers, including Jonathan, have other plans.

This has been called a "thriller", but it's not really. It has an ongoing, ominous tone, and an unforgettable ending that absolutely make it a horror film...

First, this film is slow. They don't make movies like this anymore but if you like slow story telling, you might like it. I didn't. (SPOILER), this move doesn't have a happy ending and that's what I really didn't like about it. I like happy endings. I just do. Still, even though I saw this in my teens, and I watched it cause I caught a clip with nudity, I was a little curious and I stuck with it and it stuck with me, enough for me to write this bad review 20 years later.

Some of the boys are mean, and while that might be accurate for boys at school (in fact, I know it is), it seemed a bit over the top to me. More cruel than necessary. Beyond that, the ending was unpleasant.

It's strange to me to read all the positive reviews of this. I didn't enjoy it, nor did I find the "artistic" side of it made up for the unpleasantness or the slow pace. Others are welcome to disagree, but this isn't a film I'd recommend.

Another rarity from the library,that again,I've never heard of. So naturally I just had to see it. I'll warn those who haven't seen it,to not be taken in too much by the beautiful scenery shown at the beginning. Which makes it seem like this will be a real '70s touching love story with a happy ending.

Now,Kris Kristofferson will more than likely never get a lifetime achievement award from the Academy,or for that matter even a best supporting Oscar. Here in "The Sailor.." (which should have been enough of a title)he's actually effective.

He's not loud and abrasive here,like he was in "A Star Is Born" or "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". His performance,while not overly spectacular is actually very evenly paced and quite thoughtful and even poetic.

I've never heard of the other players in the film but Kris's love interest is quite a bold actress for the scenes of nudity she's given. As for her love scenes with Kristofferson,if the two characters weren't portraying being in love,I'd think less of them being pictured here. Personally,I find them in this context to be quite romantic.

The boy peeping in on his mother and then the couple,is just a young boy satisfying his newborn curiosity. I'm certain the producers weren't going for an "Edipous and his mother" plot. Speaking of the boy,I wondered,"how can he let himself be friends with such a rotten kid"?

How also could he and the others let themselves be bossed around,hit and abused by this kid,who needs at least 20 years of psycho-therapy? It's almost impossible to imagine what could screw a young kid like that up so badly that he hates basically everything and is practically a pint-sized Hitler?

I have to say I was truly disappointed that the boy and his buddies didn't come to their senses and ditch him or take him on all at once or one at a time! Instead they blindly follow his lead to where they end up offing Kristofferson. What an incredible downer! I'm glad they didn't show a scene with the mother realizing her chance at new happiness had been taken away,that would have been too much to take.

Seven stars for the love story,the innocence of the boy before he goes bad,the scenery and even Kristofferson's acting. 3 off for the morbidness that I feel had no place alongside the romantic storyline. Even if it was taken from the book. (END)

The movie is an adaptation of a Japanese story by the respected author Yukio Mishima. It simply doesn't make the transition into a credible story about Brits and Americans.

The story moves sluggishly, especially the part where Miles and Kristofferson are separated and the director fills in with the cliched shots of a ship's prow cutting through the waves, and the little route line filling in on the maps, while their letters are heard in overvoice. The film moves so languidly that I even fast-forwarded through the sex and masturbation scenes which, although long, are not really either passionate or erotic. The film did achieve a measure of notoriety when Kristofferson's then-wife divorced him for extra-curricular activities with Miss Miles during the filming. I guess they enjoyed the sex scenes, but it isn't quite the same for a viewer.

There are no characters to hang on to. The sexually frustrated widow is unlikeable, the little kid is detestable. Kristofferson is amiable enough, but he just doesn't have the acting skills to bring much to the role, although perhaps we don't really want get too involved with him, considering his ultimate fate.

As for the little kid, well, he kinda falls in with a bad crowd after his dad dies, and they help him plot some evil against the man who enters his mum's life. Now this is a really bad crowd. They don't just shoplift and smoke dope, nosireebib. They slip a mickey to a cat and vivisect it. This is shown in gory detail. But of course, this is only practice so they can do the same thing to Kristofferson!

So the movie mostly moves slowly, with no characters to relate to, and when something does happen it is unrelentingly morbid.

The ending is about as unsatisfying as any movie you'll ever see.

This all might have made some sense if the Japanese locale and cultural context had been retained. As it stands, it is just abysmal.

While the story does translate itself into a movie to a certain extent, it misses a very important point that is made in the book. Yes, we have the tension and the undercurrent of horror in the film, but being made into an English story and background, it is emasculated. Bear in mind that (and I speak with a Western generalisation, here) Japanese people are more likely to engage in group activities, and are more regimented than British. There is a structure and a 'wholeness' about nature and the order of things, and that idea of order and subservience is more pronounced - and indeed revered - in Japan. But the overall point which could not be made within an English adaptation, is that the death penalty for murder in Japan is not enacted upon children under the age of 13. What is particularly devilish about the concept is that the boys knowingly and willingly plan the murder without any fear of punishment.