Down to the Sea in Ships

Down to the Sea in Ships is a 1949 American seafaring drama film directed by Henry Hathaway, starring Richard Widmark and Lionel Barrymore. The supporting cast includes Dean Stockwell, Cecil Kellaway, Gene Lockhart, and John McIntire. There is no connection between this picture and the silent film by the same name; the only thing they have in common is the title and the setting. Plot Elderly whaling ship Captain Bering Joy (Lionel Barrymore) walks on crutches and is at the end of his career, based in New Bedford. His cousin Captain Jason Briggs visits and they debate Captain Joy's next voyage. Captain Joy takes his grandson Jed (Dean Stockwell) to the large but empty family house and gives him some education in preparation for a test. After their bedtime prayer grandpa says the outcome of the test is not so important. The next day he goes with Jed to meet with Andrew Bush, the school principal, who had once served under Captain Joy. Jed sits for the one hour written exam to determine whether he can be allowed to continue his education at sea or will be compelled to stay ashore and attend formal schoolroom classes. Jed fails the test, but Principal Bush instructs the teacher, who had administered the test, to change the score from 32 to 70, so the boy can be allowed to again go to sea, where he will learn real-life manly virtues from his grandfather.