Lord Jim
Directed by Richard Brooks
Written by Richard Brooks from a novel by Joseph Conrad
1965/UK/USA
Columbia British Productions/Keep Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Marlow: [Narrating] One hope kept Jim going – a hope common to most men. Rich or poor, strong or weak, who among us has not begged God for a second chance?[/box]
This adventure story is not bad but could have been better.
The plot is based on the Joseph Conrad novel. Jim (Peter O’Toole) begins life as a sealoving boy, sets sail early on and climbs his way from deck hand to First Officer. Jim appears to be an eager paragon of virtue and hard work. When he has to leave his first ship due to an injury, he books on as First Officer the first ship out after his release from the hospital.
The ship happens to be carrying 1000 Muslims from the Malay peninsula on part of their pilgrimage to Mecca for the hajj. The drunken captain’s error causes the ship to founder and take on water. A terrible storm overtakes the ship. Overcome with fear, Jim finally jumps on the lifeboat the remainder of the crew are escaping in, abandoning their human cargo in the process. Their perfidy comes to light and Jim becomes state’s witness, loses his commission, and begins wandering seedier waterfronts across Asia in his shame and despair. He is pursued wherever he goes by vengeful Muslims.
Lots of stuff happens and eventually Jim falls in with arms merchant Stein (Paul Lukas) who is selling guns to an indigenous tribe that is rebelling against powerful and evil warlord “The General” (Eli Wallach). Jim comes to believe he can find redemption by fighting the tribes battle against a better armed enemy. With James Mason, Curd Jurgens and Akim Tameroff as other bad guys.
Although it has many merits, this was a disappoinment. Despite my admiration for O’Toole as an actor he is simply miscast here – there is just no hint of madness in the wholesome Lord Jim. This movie represents the first time I have seen Curt Jurgens play anyone other than himself and he doesn’t quite succeed. Otherwise we have some good performances from an excellent supporting cast and exotic scenery of South-East Asia. I thought that the movie was strongest in the first act at sea. It gets convoluted and somewhat ponderous after that.
