Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Saturday, September 3rd, 2005England is under threat of invasion, and though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is our home. This ship is England.
The fans of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin novels are not quite as rabid as those of J.R.R. Tolkein, but they are legion. And if Peter Weir didn’t face quite the monumental task that Peter Jackson did when adapting The Lord of the Rings, the obstacles to bringing Napoleonic-era naval warfare to the screen were formidable.
Firstly, he would be filming at least partially at sea and, as Steven Speilberg could tell you from his experience filming Jaws, that’s just asking for trouble. Secondly, the built-in audience for this film would contain a lot of naval history buffs, who would be sticklers for historical detail.
Fortunately, producer/director Peter Weir overcame both barriers and created a film that succeeds on virtually all levels.
