THE LONG VOYAGE HOME (1940)

John Ford was never as happy as during long sea voyages aboard his ship, the Araner, in the company of family and friends. This feature concerns merchant seamen sailing from South America to England with a stop in the US to pick up some TNT. It's based on four one-act Eugene O'Neill plays and it's a labor of love for Ford and many among the cast. John Wayne, who plays a Swede yearning to return home, Ward Bond, Ian Hunter, and other cast and crew members were regulars aboard the Araner. The ensemble acting is absolutely riveting. A kind of male counterpart to the outstanding showcase of acting skills one finds in All About Eve or The Women. No other film dramatizes the lives of sailors with such realism and passion. And the cinematographer was the great Gregg Toland, at the top of his game here and reportedly given a great deal of leeway by Mr. Ford. The Long Voyage Home received six Oscar nominations.