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This past weekend, my husband and I watched Away All Boats, which is an older movie that he really likes. I had never seen it before so I can understand why it is his favorite. The film is set in World War 2 and has a great cast so naturally, I was impressed.
The movie starts off by showing Captain Jebediah S. Hawks (Jeff Chandler) on a Navy transport ship called USS Belinda. This is set during the early stages of WW2. As the captain, it is Hawks’s job to train inexperienced navy recruits and prepare them for efficient combat. Unfortunately, while Hawks is a great leader, he is also quite cruel. With that said, my task is to ensure that Belinda does not sink along with the rest of the men during the Pacific campaign.
Certain elements make understanding AWAY ALL BOATS much easier through the lens of YOU’RE IN THE NAVY NOW (1951). Chandler as Hawks’s gentle direction portrays a competent leader who is also a deeply lonely man cut off from camaraderie with his subordinates. It is even more interesting to observe him and the impact he has on some of his subordinates, such as the unsophisticated Commander Quigley (Lex Barker), who is a rather pretentious officer, relishing all the perks of his position but none of the obligations.
While it is true that Hawks comes across as ruthless and unemotional, it will become evident that he is a caring family man who values the individual contribution of every single man who served on the ship, which includes the foolish father figure in charge of shredding up the rubbish so the vessel does not leave a record for anybody who would want to follow them; he is also quite knowledgeable concerning team dynamics. It’s a wonderful role, and it is to Chandler’s credit that the greatest amount of it is achieved.
I personally questioned the film’s conclusion because it seemed a little too garnished and sentimental, especially considering that the previous parts were rather intense and stoic. Nevertheless, I will say this was a very engaging film and it was executed well. Without a doubt, any film with actors like Richard Boone, Charles McGraw, John McIntire, Julie Adams, Jock Mahoney, Arthur Space, and Frank Faylen should be somewhat decent, and yes, the film does live up to that. McIntire’s only in one scene and Adams is seen only at the opening and in a flashback, but I liked that even the smallest parts were played by excellent actors. Keith Andes, George Nader, William Reynolds, and James Westerfield are among the large cast as well. I had not heard of the David Janssen and Clint Eastwood credits, but apparently, they had small roles as quoted near their peak in Hollywood. On their IMDb, they were credited for bit parts, but I didn’t notice them on this watch.
The screenplay was written by Ted Sherdeman and covers Kenneth M. Dodson’s novel of the same title.
AWAY ALL BOATS was produced by Joseph Pevney and his team of William Daniels who filmed it in VistaVision. The movie has a run time of 114 minutes.
I am grateful that I was able to view the movie, as it seems to be one of the films that is hardest to find in today’s market. AWAY ALL BOATS was released on VHS in 2001 and DVD in the same year. Both releases are out of print and expensive.
It can be found on DVD in Region 2 in Europe only. This title “Universal Vault Series” needs far more attention as it features brilliant cinematography and composition. I believe this title would sell very well as long as the print quality is up to standard.
Fans of World War II movies, along with supporters of Jeff Chandler or Universal’s movies from the 50’s will thoroughly enjoy this film. Definitely worth watching.
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