The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (film)

1976 British film

Martin Poll-Lewis John Carlino Production
Sailor Company

Distributed byAVCO Embassy Pictures (through Fox-Rank^[1])

Release date

April 5, 1976 (1976-04-05) (United Kingdom)

Running time

105 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishBox office$7 million^[2]

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea is a 1976 British drama film starring Kris Kristofferson and Sarah Miles, directed by Lewis John Carlino.^[3] It was adapted from the 1963 novel The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.^[4] The location was changed to the English town of Dartmouth, Devon, where it was also filmed.^[5]

Plot

Jonathan Osborne, the 14-year-old son of widow Anne Osborne, has become involved with a group of boys led by a neo-Nietzschean sadistic boy named "Chief". Anne daydreams about her husband who died three years earlier. When a large merchant ship anchors temporarily in the harbour, Anne arranges to give her son a tour of the vessel. They meet the second officer of the ship, Jim Cameron. Jim takes a liking to both the boy and his mother. Jim and Anne become involved sexually, which throws Jonathan into a rage of jealousy. Cameron returns to sea and while he is gone, Jonathan reveals his jealous sentiment to the group leader, Chief. When Cameron comes back to renew his relationship with Anne and forsake his life on the sea, Chief and the boys concoct a sinister plot to do away with the intruder.

Cast

Sarah Miles as Anne Osborne
Kris Kristofferson as Jim Cameron
Jonathan Kahn as Jonathan Osborne
Margo Cunningham as Mrs. Palmer
Earl Rhodes as "Chief"
Paul Tropea as "No:2"

Production

The movie was filmed on location in and around Dartmouth, Devon, England.^[6]

Reception

John C Mahoney saw the central triangle through the prism of Greek myth: "How much Oedipal vengeance is there in his sense of betrayal by adults, his growing conviction that he must participate in a ritual to return Kristofferson to his place in the pure order of the sea and away from the corruption of his code on land? The intricate ambiguities are the substance of Sailor. Kristofferson is an uncommonly strong presence, who does not appear to try to exceed the limitations of a natural performance. Miles gives a superior performance, a pure and unsuspecting Circe sending out a sensual call".^[7] However, John Simon said it was "very pretty to look at, and makes absolutely no sense".^[8]

Awards

Nominee Best Actress Golden Globe award (Sarah Miles)
Nominee Best Actor Debut Golden Globe award (Jonathan Kahn)^[9]

Availability

On June 19, 2012, Shout! Factory released the film to Blu-ray.^[10]

References

^ "Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1976)". BBFC. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
^ Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987). American film distribution : the changing marketplace. UMI Research Press. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-8357-1776-2. Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada
^ "The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1976)". BFI. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017.
^ Goble, Alan (1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 954. ISBN 3598114923.
^ Eder, Richard (12 April 1976). "Movie Review - The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea - 'Sailor Who Fell,' a Film After Mishima". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
^ "The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea". Music Box Records.
^ Los Angeles Free Press, Volume 13, issue 618, May 21–27, 1976.
^ Simon, John (1982). Reverse Angle A Decade of American films. Crown Publishers Inc. p. 241. ISBN 978-0-517-54471-6.
^ "Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea, The". www.goldenglobes.com. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
^ "Schlock-Wire: Shout Factory Brings THE SAILOR WHO FELL FROM GRACE WITH THE SEA To Blu-Ray". Schlockmania.com. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2017.

Bibliography

"News of the Screen; A New Tarzan From Old Novel Major Film Due On War in Spain Davidson Taps I. B. Singer Novel Mishima 'Sailor' To Be Made in West", NY Times, August 4, 1974, Section GN, Page 43. (Subscription required)