![The Extraordinary Seaman [Region 2]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Zwp9Oob2L._SX300_SY300_QL70_ML2_.jpg)
Rather a disappointing effort from director John Frankenheimer, despite an interesting cast that includes, David Niven, Faye Dunaway, Alan Alda and Mickey Rooney. Set during World War Two, the far-fetched story has Niven playing an alcoholic ghost who is fated to sail the seas in order to redeem himself after falling dead drunk on his first assignment during the First World War. Encountering some American seamen, which includes Alda and Rooney, and a lady, played by Dunaway near the beginning of her career, they set sail, eventually sinking a Japanese ship.
I think the problem lies in the fact that the film has too much newsreel footage, which interferes with the continuity of the proceedings. One gets the impression that budget limitations resulted in using such footage to plug the gaps as to what is happening around the main characters. I do like the film; there's a good story there to be told, but the results are mundane, to say the least. A pity.
The Italian dvd from Golem entitled, Il Capitano di Lungo Sorso, while perfectly acceptable, is a disappointment, too. I found the image a little soft. This is mostly evident in the long shots. The close-ups look better. The aspect ratio, despite being 2.35:1, as filmed, is not anamorphic, which required me to use the zoom button to open up the picture.
At present, if I'm not mistaken, this is the only release of The Extraordinary Seaman available, thus for anyone interested in this particular dvd, I do recommend it, but with reservations.
Being an MGM release, a better quality print should, at some point, be released from The Warner Archive Collection.
Spitzenrezensionen aus anderen Ländern
Alsome
The Un-extraordinary Release
Rezension aus dem Vereinigten Königreich vom 10. September 2016
James M. Russell
The Extraordinary Seaman : an unappreciated joy of a film
Rezension aus den Vereinigten Staaten vom 28. Juni 2013
Steve Kenney
Great! Hard movie to find
Rezension aus den Vereinigten Staaten vom 24. November 2014