Captain Jack (1999)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Written by Jack Rosenthal
Directed by Robert Young
Starring Bob Hoskins, Gemma Jones, Maureen Lipman, Sadie Frost, Peter McDonald, Anna Massey, and Keith Clifford

Features:

• Production notes fold-out
  
• Cast and crew bios
  

Released by: Lance Entertainment
Region: 1
Rating: NR, safe for most ages
Anamorphic: No; appears in full-frame format.

My Advice: Rent it at least. You’ll probably want to buy it in a widescreen format someday.

Eccentric, irascible old Captain Jack (Hoskins) lives on his boat in the English port town of Whitby. Resentful of the fame of Captain Cooke, who only passed through Whitby, Jack tells anyone who will listen how the wealth and success of Whitby are really based upon the legacy of one Captain Scorseby, a "scientist, sailor, social worker, and inventor," who made many sailing voyages to the Arctic, a highly dangerous proposition even with today’s materials. The film is based upon the true story of Captain Jack’s illegal trip to the Arctic to place a plaque to the 200th anniversary of Scorseby’s trip. Part action-adventure, part modern drama with a historical shadow, and part comedy, Captain Jack could have been a shipwreck of a film; instead, it’s inspiring, beautiful, well-done, and just plain entertaining.

The acting is superb. Bob Hoskins is the perfect choice for Jack, and his goofy reverence brings life to this enigmatic figure who could far too easily be made into a laughingstock. The secondary characters are also wonderful in their own way, from the star-crossed lovers Tessa and Andy to the dueling elderly sisters. They are all charming, likable, and useful to the plot. None of them are mere window dressing, and even though they were not all based upon real members of Jack’s memorial cruise, they do work as part of a film. The Quaker meetings are absolutely hysterical and should not be missed.

One of the "features" on this disk is the fold-out information sheet that comes with the disc. Readers will find information about the real Captain Jack, a bit about how Hoskins was chosen for the lead, how the Whitby locals felt about the production, and how the polar bear cast member was treated. The other feature on the disc itself is a collection of bios for the cast; these bios are interesting and, as always, yield a new appreciation for the actors who brought their roles to life.

The production quality, of what we can see of it, is solid. Even the scenes that are all grey, filled with cloudy skies and rough seas are clear as a bell and attractive to look upon. The sound at such times, even over loud seas, is also good. The music is a wonderful accent to the action and was well-written by composer Richard Harvey. An emotional tale blended with a comedy, the music can’t have been easy to write, but Harvey does a bang-up job. It's a shame, however, that this was released in a full-frame format, when it was originally a widescreen film. It's gorgeous to look at, but regrettable that we're not allowed to see it all--at least not in Region 1.

In the end, this is more than a film in honor of Scoresby. It is rather a film in honor of Captain Jack, following dreams, and basically not letting the Man get you down. When port authorities tried to stop Jack’s trip to the Arctic citing a bell that was two centimeters too small, a lack of sand in the fire bucket, and slightly small life-jackets, Jack went anyway. Even with the whole Royal Navy seemingly after him, Jack would not let his point of honor slide, and who today doesn’t need a lesson on the power of friendship and the importance of living for something?