The Old Man and the Sea (DVD, 2000)

Spencer Tracy brings Ernest Hemingway's novel to life in this 1958 movie for which he received his 6th Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The 86 minute movie has Tracy in an Everyman role on the screen for at least 97% of the time as it describes him as an old man whose luck has run out in fishing. And then suddenly, on just another ordinary day a giant Marlin tugs at his line. The battle between fish and man begins.

The battle takes the biggest part of the movie. The old man even talks to the fish and compares their lives. In the end, there is no winner. But there is proof that the old man's luck has changed.

Dimitri Tiomkin won an Oscar for his music throughout the movie, which highlights the struggle. The movie is beautifully photographed too in living color.

The only other two characters are a young boy named Manolin (Felipe Pazos) and the cantina owner played by Harry Bellaver, whom you may recognize from the soap opera Another World.

This is strictly a male bonding movie. It is not for everyone and does bog down in the plot. And you have to love the sea to feel its full impact.

Happy viewing!

There's a reason Hemingway chose Spencer Tracy to play the title character for this movie adaptation of his most condensed and recognized novel: no one in the day could have portrayed Santiago better. And indeed, no one has done a better job since. This is THE production of TOMATS to watch and rewatch, whether you've read the book or not.

It's a timeless tale of an old man's dreams. It is a classic that we've read the novel and now wanted to see Spencer Tracy (one of our favorites) portray such a unique character.

Awesome movie. I read the book years ago and Spencer Tracy does a wonderful job bringing this Hemmingway work to life!!!!

I saw it as a child and have never forgotten ot. I love it now as much as I did then.
spencer Tracy was excellent . You can't help but feel sorry for him.