Year: 2003Rated: PG-13
Captain Aubrey of the British warship HMS Surprise is ordered to pursue a larger, faster and more heavily armed French privateer within the Pacific Ocean during the 19th century. Confrontations with the more powerful adversary test Captain Aubrey's cunning and resolve, and his loyalty to a friend.
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It was an unfair match.
There was no dishonour in it.
She was more like a ship of the line.
You have to wonder about her hull.
Our shots wouldn't penetrate.
Triple-shotted at 200 yards - no effect.
She had the weather gauge and a clear advantage in firepower.
What is the weather gauge?
- Shall I show you again, Stephen? It means she had the wind in her favour, therefore control of the engagement.
And she had longer guns, so she could hit us beyond our range.
- The simple fact is we were soundly beaten.
Heavy frigate like that in the Pacific...
Could tip the war in Napoleon's favour.
By comparison, the Surprise is a somewhat aged man-of-war. Am I not correct?
- Would you call me an aged man of war? The Surprise is not old. No one would call her old. She has a bluff bow, lovely lines. She's a fine sea boat, weatherly, stiff and fast. Very fast, if she's well-handled. No, she's not old. She's in her prime.
We can patch up the main and mizzen.
Foresail's gone, so we'll bend our spare.
Mr Lamb is confident with basic repairs. We can get home as we are.
- We're not going home.
But to refit we need a port, and the Acheron may be still looking for us.
- We can refit at sea. Here, where it shoals. As you said, she is taking the war to the South Seas. We are supposed to stop her.
But, sir - with respect - she's a vastly heavier ship. She's out of our class. She could be halfway to Cape Horn by the time we're repaired.
- Well then, there's not a moment to lose.
