The Sea Beast
Cast & Crew
Millard Webb
John Barrymore
Dolores Costello
George O'hara
Mike Donlin
Sam Baker
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Ahab Ceeley and his half brother, Derek, are rivals for the hand of Esther Harper, a minister's beautiful daughter. Because Esther favors his brother, Derek pushes Ahab overboard on a whaling trip; Ahab's leg is chewed off by Moby Dick, a white whale; and he returns to Esther a broken and embittered man. Ahab, believing that Esther no longer loves him, becomes captain of a whaler and obsessively sets out to kill Moby Dick. Ahab learns of Derek's treachery and, after killing the whale, kills Derek. Ahab return to New Bedford and, his obsession gone, settles down with Esther.
Director
Millard Webb
Cast
John Barrymore
Dolores Costello
George O'hara
Mike Donlin
Sam Baker
George Burrell
Sam Allen
Frank Nelson
Mathilde Comont
James Barrows
Vadim Uraneff
Sojin
Frank Hagney
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Priscilla Bonner was originally cast as Esther because 'Barrymore, John' 's first choice, then-love Mary Astor, was unavailable. Before filming started he met and fell for Dolores Costello and replaced Bonner with her.
To "doctor" the film, 'Warner, Jack L.' enlisted the help of Rupert Hughes, who reedited it and provided new titles. Since no compensation had been agreed upon, Warner sent a check for $1500, which Hughes returned saying he had done the work as a favor to both Warner AND Herman Melville.
Notes
In 1930, Warner Bros. produced English and German-language versions, entitled Moby Dick and Dämon des Meeres. For information on other film versions of Melville's novel, see entry for the 1956 Warner Bros. production of Moby Dick in AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1951-60.
