Richard Widmark was at his very best here so were the rest of the cast. I wish more people would see this movie. This is one of the all-time greats and a lot can be learned from their struggle to survive while producing the very useful product, lamp oil. This story goes back before electricity, and they didn't even so much have a flashlight. Seems like most people couldn't imagine being caught out in a predicament like many were during the whaling years. Story also mentions that they sailed out of New Bedford, Conn. I believe most of the whale ships were out of that area, and Lionel Barrymore mentions that insurance companies bud up the sea coast at Boston, Mass. Boston must have been the headquarters for the first insurance companies.
Review of Down to the Sea in Ships
