Moby Dick (1956 film)

Moby Dick
Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1956; 70 years ago
Founder	John Huston
Headquarters	United Kingdom / United States
Products	Adventure film
Parent	Warner Bros. (distribution)

Moby Dick is a 1956 adventure film directed and produced by John Huston, with the screenplay adapted by Huston and Ray Bradbury from Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick. The film features Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab, Richard Basehart portraying Ishmael, and Leo Genn as Starbuck. Supporting roles include Orson Welles in the role of Father Mapple.

This UK-US collaborative production was distributed by Warner Bros. and debuted on June 27, 1956. It garnered favorable reviews from critics and performed well commercially, earning a spot among the National Board of Review's Top 10 Films of 1956. Huston received the Best Director Award, Basehart was honored with Best Supporting Actor, and Huston also secured a nomination for a Directors Guild of America Award.

Plot

Set in 1841, the story follows sailor Ishmael as he arrives in New Bedford, Massachusetts, seeking to join a whaling voyage. He quickly forms a friendship with Queequeg, a harpooner from the Pacific Islands, and together they enlist aboard the Pequod, captained by Ahab. Driven by vengeance, Ahab is fixated on hunting the infamous white whale Moby Dick, which had previously cost him his left leg. Before setting sail, a man named Elijah warns that many who follow Ahab are doomed to perish.

Ahab remains out of sight until the ship embarks towards Bikini Atoll, reputedly the lair of Moby Dick. While the crew benefits financially from harvesting whale oil, Ahab’s obsession overshadows their mission. Upon learning from another captain—who lost a hand to Moby Dick—that the whale is near Madagascar, Ahab abruptly halts a profitable hunt. His first mate Starbuck contemplates rebellion but refrains from acting.

As they approach the atoll, a crew member falls overboard and vanishes; the ship becomes becalmed for several days. Queequeg predicts his own death and has a coffin constructed but recovers after Ishmael defends him against mistreatment. Moby Dick briefly surfaces but manages to evade capture.

After departing the calm waters, the Pequod encounters the Rachel, whose captain seeks his missing son taken by Moby Dick; however, Ahab refuses assistance. A typhoon both aids their pursuit and threatens the vessel’s safety. Starbuck considers overthrowing Ahab but ultimately yields after hearing about Ahab’s self-destructive fixation.

An ominous prophecy appears on the verge of fulfillment as Moby Dick reemerges. The crew launches their boats for an attack; Moby Dick destroys Ahab’s boat but Ahab clings to the whale and wounds it before drowning entangled in harpoon lines. Starbuck commands the hunt to continue; Moby Dick destroys the boats and sinks the Pequod. Ishmael survives alone by holding onto Queequeg’s coffin until rescued by the Rachel.

Development and writing

During script development, Ray Bradbury confessed that he had "never been able to read the damned thing," referring to Melville's novel. Creative tensions arose between Bradbury and director John Huston, reportedly due to Huston's authoritative style conflicting with Bradbury's writing background.

Norman Corwin provided uncredited script revisions.

The film distinctively situates Moby Dick’s habitat at Bikini Atoll, referencing recent nuclear testing there—an element introduced by Bradbury connected to his atomic bomb-themed story "There Will Come Soft Rains."

Funding was provided by brothers Walter, Harold, and Marvin Mirisch—who had previously supported Huston's Moulin Rouge. The Mirisch brothers arranged a seven-year distribution agreement with Warner Bros. before reverting distribution rights back to their own company, Moulin Productions.

Casting

Gregory Peck was unexpectedly chosen to portray Ahab, a decision driven by studio demands to include a prominent star. Peck later expressed that John Huston himself would have been better suited for the character. Huston had long aspired to bring Moby-Dick to the screen, originally planning for his late father, Walter Huston, to embody Ahab.

Peck revisited a similar role in the 1998 miniseries adaptation, favoring it for its greater adherence to the source material and its adventurous spirit. In 1957, Peck and Huston intended to collaborate on a Typee project, which ultimately never materialized. This led to tensions when Peck discovered he had been cast primarily because of financial considerations rather than artistic direction. Efforts to mend their relationship were unsuccessful before Huston passed away. Nevertheless, Huston's daughter Anjelica confirmed that her father "adored" Peck.

Anjelica Huston first encountered Peck on set at the age of four; many years later, they developed a close friendship that lasted until Peck's passing.

Orson Welles utilized his earnings from this film to fund his own theatrical adaptation of Moby Dick, featuring Rod Steiger in the lead role.

Friedrich von Ledebur wore tight-fitting prosthetic tattoos created by a local nylon manufacturer.

Folk musician A.L. Lloyd makes a brief appearance performing a sea shanty in the tavern scene prior to Ishmael's boarding of the Pequod.

Filming

Filming commenced in Wales, specifically at Fishguard and Ceibwr Bay, locations selected at Huston's request. Crucial maritime scenes were captured near Caniçal, a historic whaling community in the Madeira Islands, Portugal, where genuine whaling activities by local hunters were featured. Additional shooting took place at Las Canteras beach, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, located in the Canary Islands, Spain. The ship used during production was commanded by Captain Alan Villiers.

Scenes depicting New Bedford’s exterior were filmed in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, chosen for its well-preserved 19th-century harbor atmosphere. In recognition of Huston’s work, the town awarded him the Freedom of the City. To recreate New Bedford of the 1800s, local artisans manually dredged the harbor, constructed period-appropriate facades over existing coastal buildings, and disguised telephone poles as ship masts. Nearly twenty thousand spectators attended filming in Youghal, with many locals and extras from nearby Cork participating.

A public house in Youghal, formerly owned by Paddy Linehan, appears in the film and was renamed Moby Dick's shortly after production concluded. The establishment remains under family ownership and displays photographs of cast and crew members. Gregory Peck contributed his prop whalebone leg to the bar as a memento. John Huston used this location as his production base during filming.

To replicate the look of vintage whaling engravings, black-and-white prints were layered over color footage using a technique similar to bleach bypass.

The movie’s budget escalated from $2 million to around $4.4 million, placing significant financial strain on Moulin Productions. To alleviate debt owed to the Mirisch brothers, Moby Dick was sold to United Artists, although Warner Bros. initially handled distribution under license. Following United Artists’ acquisition by MGM in 1981, MGM took over distribution rights and now holds the film’s copyright. Despite these measures, Moby Dick failed to recover its production costs upon release.

Special effects

Contrary to popular belief, no full-scale whale replicas were lost at sea during the production. The film featured a 75-foot, 12-ton white whale model constructed by Dunlop in Stoke-on-Trent, England, which utilized compressed air and hydraulic systems to maintain buoyancy. Although this prop broke free from its tow-line and drifted away in foggy conditions, the majority of whale scenes were filmed using miniature models at Shepperton Studios. Special effects specialist August Lohman and art director Stephen Grimes designed various scale models of the whale and longboats, including a life-sized Moby Dick jaw and head with functional eyes for indoor sequences. Gregory Peck delivered his final monologue atop the whale’s hump, which concealed a drilled opening for his leg.

Ships

The vessel representing the Pequod was the Moby Dick, originally named the 1887 English-built Ryelands. This ship later appeared in films like Treasure Island before being destroyed by fire in Morecambe, England, in 1970. Additional schooners featured in the film included the Harvest King and the James Postlethwaite, both hailing from Arklow, Ireland.

In a documentary included with the Jaws 30th anniversary DVD, Steven Spielberg disclosed his initial plan to show Quint (portrayed by Robert Shaw) watching the 1956 film and ridiculing its inaccuracies. However, Gregory Peck refused permission to use footage due to his dissatisfaction with his own performance.

Release

The movie debuted in New Bedford, Massachusetts on June 27, 1956. Its UK premiere took place in London on November 7, followed by a general release in January of the following year.

Reception

According to Kinematograph Weekly, the film was financially successful at the British box office in 1957.

Critical response

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times lauded Moby Dick as "a rolling and thundering color film... one of the great motion pictures of our times," emphasizing its meticulous depiction of whaling practices.

Time praised both the production and cast but felt Gregory Peck was miscast as Ahab, suggesting his portrayal lacked the intensity shown by supporting actors.

Variety characterized it as a "chase" film with some repetitive sequences, finding Peck’s subdued performance insufficient for a character fueled by rage.

Edwin Schallert from The Los Angeles Times described it as "something less than really great," yet recognized its unique artistic qualities and dramatic highlights.

Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post regarded it as a memorable classic, applauding its thrilling moments and philosophical undertones.

Harrison's Reports acknowledged high production standards but noted that excitement was lacking until the final whale confrontation, which was executed with intensity but failed to fully compensate for earlier slow pacing.

John McCarten from The New Yorker viewed it as a solid adventure film that, despite missing Melville’s mystical elements, provided an engaging seafaring experience.

The Monthly Film Bulletin commended its adventurous aspects but criticized Moby Dick’s depiction for lacking a menacing aura, which weakened the overall thematic effect.

TimeOut highlighted powerful whaling sequences and effective color treatment reminiscent of vintage whaling illustrations, despite shortcomings in character development and special effects.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating reflecting mixed reviews; critics agree it emphasizes spectacle over Melville’s profound themes but remains an impressive cinematic adventure.

Comic-book adaptation

Dell Comics Four Color issue #717 (August 1956)

Home media

Though produced by Warner Bros., the film Moby Dick was distributed on VHS by United Artists under the MGM banner on November 12, 1996, as part of MGM's Vintage Classics series, with global distribution handled by Warner Home Video. A DVD edition was released by Kino Lorber on September 15, 2015. Subsequently, a limited-run Blu-ray version became available on November 15, 2016, courtesy of Twilight Time, with additional Blu-ray editions offered in Spain.

References

Bibliography

External links

Moby Dick Pub Youghal - Location