Well, maybe it isn't that bad. Some moments are touching, others genuinely harrowing. And Jeff Bridges always comes up with something surprising. But, "true story" though it may be, "White Squall" is overwhelmed by its obvious schematic and Ridley Scott's signature gloss.

 

Each young crewmember has a stamped-on singular defect, Scott Wolf's tomcruisy precociousness is particularly grating, and for all the magnificent ocean scenery and blather about boys being forged into men, we're shown precious little of the day-to-day grunt /teamwork that's at the core of the whole business.

 

Add to this the greatest assemblage of immaculate white t-shirts and bronzed, hairless torsos since Abercrombie met Fitch,and a potentially gritty,moving story lies trapped in amber 

                                                                                                                                              

 

"White Squall" is the sort of red-blooded young man's adventure movie that Jack London might have penned, although not quite in this way. Said to be based on fact, it's about a group of high school students who sign on aboard the brigantine ship Albatross in 1960 for their senior year at sea. They'll sail to the tip of South America and back, learning along the way to be sailors, accept responsibility and grow up.

 

The skipper: Sheldon (Jeff Bridges), a skilled sailor and schoolmaster who believes in firm onboard discipline. His wife: Dr.Alice Sheldon (Caroline Goodall), who will teach science and be ship's nurse. 

 

The English and history teacher: McCrea (John Savage), whose approach to instruction is to wake the lads every morning with loud doses of Shakespeare and Coleridge. There is also a Cuban cook who, true to type, pops up in an opening scene to warn the boys to stay out of his galley. And the ship's motto: "Where we go one, we go all."