But they might have liked the good things in the movie, and so did I: the feel of the ship itself, the spectacular photography, the delicious sense of liberty during nights in port, and especially the storm sequence near the end.About this storm I will not say much, except to observe that a "white squall," according to the dictionary, is a sudden storm that comes unaccompanied by clouds.

 

And so it does, in storm footage of great fury and effectiveness (save for one shot where you can see that Bridges and two others are in fact standing on the bottom of a tank). One outcome of the storm is a hearing held by the Coast Guard, at which positions are taken and speeches are made that will sound very familiar to anyone who recalls the climax of "Scent of a Woman" (1992).The movie could have been smarter and more particular in the way it establishes its characters. Its underlying values are better the less you think about them.

And the last scene not only ties the message together but puts about three ribbons on it. Yet I enjoyed the movie for the sheer physical exuberance of its adventure. It is magnificently mounted and photographed. I sat up close to the screen, and was immersed in the glory of the sailing ship and the exhilaration of the voyage.