When historian Nathaniel Philbrick’s book “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex” came out in 2000, the true-life tale of the whale ship that inspired Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” won the National Book Award for nonfiction. Fifteen years later, Philbrick’s bestseller about a whale that violently attacked — and sank — a vessel has been made into an adventure movie by director Ron Howard.
Unlike Melville’s 1851 novel, which was inspired in part by the memoir of the Essex’s first mate, Owen Chase, “In the Heart of the Sea” only really gets started where “Moby-Dick” stops: with the 1820 sinking of the ship in the Pacific. Set up as a yarn told by the Essex’s former cabin boy, Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), to a young Melville (Ben Wishaw), “Sea” concerns far grislier events than the slaughter of whales (which is depicted in the film in vivid, bloody detail). As the 21-man Essex crew struggles to reach safety in a trio of small whaleboats, they are forced to resort to cannibalism.
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The true-life tale that inspired ‘Moby-Dick,’ and a new movie by Ron Howard
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A scene from "In the Heart of the Sea." (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
By Michael O'Sullivan December 13
When historian Nathaniel Philbrick’s book “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex” came out in 2000, the true-life tale of the whale ship that inspired Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” won the National Book Award for nonfiction. Fifteen years later, Philbrick’s bestseller about a whale that violently attacked — and sank — a vessel has been made into an adventure movie by director Ron Howard.
Unlike Melville’s 1851 novel, which was inspired in part by the memoir of the Essex’s first mate, Owen Chase, “In the Heart of the Sea” only really gets started where “Moby-Dick” stops: with the 1820 sinking of the ship in the Pacific. Set up as a yarn told by the Essex’s former cabin boy, Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), to a young Melville (Ben Wishaw), “Sea” concerns far grislier events than the slaughter of whales (which is depicted in the film in vivid, bloody detail). As the 21-man Essex crew struggles to reach safety in a trio of small whaleboats, they are forced to resort to cannibalism.
I sat down with Philbrick, whose book — based on Chase’s account and a book by Nickerson that was not published until 1984 — is back on the bestseller list, to talk about the process of handing over his meticulously researched book for the Hollywood treatment, but also about the enduring appeal of the whaling yarn.
Q: The film is different from the book, in ways large and small, though it’s respectful of the source material. When watching it, did you regret anything that was changed?
A: Initially I was just so ignorant of it all. I felt this is the sacred text. Then, as versions of a screenplay were generated, I began to watch movies with a different appreciation. I realized that the worst thing they could do would be a slide show of my book. To be true to the book would be a deadly dull movie. The last thing I wanted was something that was true to my book and lousy.
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The true-life tale that inspired ‘Moby-Dick,’ and a new movie by Ron Howard
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A scene from "In the Heart of the Sea." (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
By Michael O'Sullivan December 13
When historian Nathaniel Philbrick’s book “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex” came out in 2000, the true-life tale of the whale ship that inspired Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” won the National Book Award for nonfiction. Fifteen years later, Philbrick’s bestseller about a whale that violently attacked — and sank — a vessel has been made into an adventure movie by director Ron Howard.
Unlike Melville’s 1851 novel, which was inspired in part by the memoir of the Essex’s first mate, Owen Chase, “In the Heart of the Sea” only really gets started where “Moby-Dick” stops: with the 1820 sinking of the ship in the Pacific. Set up as a yarn told by the Essex’s former cabin boy, Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), to a young Melville (Ben Wishaw), “Sea” concerns far grislier events than the slaughter of whales (which is depicted in the film in vivid, bloody detail). As the 21-man Essex crew struggles to reach safety in a trio of small whaleboats, they are forced to resort to cannibalism.
[Read a review of “In the Heart of the Sea”]
I sat down with Philbrick, whose book — based on Chase’s account and a book by Nickerson that was not published until 1984 — is back on the bestseller list, to talk about the process of handing over his meticulously researched book for the Hollywood treatment, but also about the enduring appeal of the whaling yarn.
Q: The film is different from the book, in ways large and small, though it’s respectful of the source material. When watching it, did you regret anything that was changed?
A: Initially I was just so ignorant of it all. I felt this is the sacred text. Then, as versions of a screenplay were generated, I began to watch movies with a different appreciation. I realized that the worst thing they could do would be a slide show of my book. To be true to the book would be a deadly dull movie. The last thing I wanted was something that was true to my book and lousy.
Q: Your book brings a lot of contemporary psychological insight to bear into the conflict between Owen Chase, the ship’s ambitious first mate, and its newly appointed captain, George Pollard. Their contentious relationship, as depicted by Chris Hemsworth and Benjamin Walker, is central to the film.
A: All my books are about leadership, and this one is in particular. The Essex had a dysfunctional leadership model. The captain, who was wired as a mate, was not prepared to make the kind of decisions that were required. Then you had a first mate who felt he was destined to be a captain. Although it’s heightened, I really feel like the relationship between Pollard and Chase in the movie is an enactment, of a kind, of what I’m talking about in the book.
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The true-life tale that inspired ‘Moby-Dick,’ and a new movie by Ron Howard
Resize Text Print Article Comments 0
A scene from "In the Heart of the Sea." (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
By Michael O'Sullivan December 13
When historian Nathaniel Philbrick’s book “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex” came out in 2000, the true-life tale of the whale ship that inspired Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” won the National Book Award for nonfiction. Fifteen years later, Philbrick’s bestseller about a whale that violently attacked — and sank — a vessel has been made into an adventure movie by director Ron Howard.
Unlike Melville’s 1851 novel, which was inspired in part by the memoir of the Essex’s first mate, Owen Chase, “In the Heart of the Sea” only really gets started where “Moby-Dick” stops: with the 1820 sinking of the ship in the Pacific. Set up as a yarn told by the Essex’s former cabin boy, Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), to a young Melville (Ben Wishaw), “Sea” concerns far grislier events than the slaughter of whales (which is depicted in the film in vivid, bloody detail). As the 21-man Essex crew struggles to reach safety in a trio of small whaleboats, they are forced to resort to cannibalism.
[Read a review of “In the Heart of the Sea”]
I sat down with Philbrick, whose book — based on Chase’s account and a book by Nickerson that was not published until 1984 — is back on the bestseller list, to talk about the process of handing over his meticulously researched book for the Hollywood treatment, but also about the enduring appeal of the whaling yarn.
Q: The film is different from the book, in ways large and small, though it’s respectful of the source material. When watching it, did you regret anything that was changed?
A: Initially I was just so ignorant of it all. I felt this is the sacred text. Then, as versions of a screenplay were generated, I began to watch movies with a different appreciation. I realized that the worst thing they could do would be a slide show of my book. To be true to the book would be a deadly dull movie. The last thing I wanted was something that was true to my book and lousy.
Q: Your book brings a lot of contemporary psychological insight to bear into the conflict between Owen Chase, the ship’s ambitious first mate, and its newly appointed captain, George Pollard. Their contentious relationship, as depicted by Chris Hemsworth and Benjamin Walker, is central to the film.
A: All my books are about leadership, and this one is in particular. The Essex had a dysfunctional leadership model. The captain, who was wired as a mate, was not prepared to make the kind of decisions that were required. Then you had a first mate who felt he was destined to be a captain. Although it’s heightened, I really feel like the relationship between Pollard and Chase in the movie is an enactment, of a kind, of what I’m talking about in the book.
Q: What is it about the tale of the Essex that fired Melville’s imagination, not to mention yours and Ron Howard’s?
A: I grew up with “Moby-Dick.” “Moby-Dick” was everything to me. Then to discover the history of Nantucket and to dive deep into that, to see the historical bones on which Melville created this mythical beast, for me it was kind of a revelation to realize, “Wow, it actually happened.” And how wonderful and strange it was. It had never happened before, in the recorded history of American whaling, where a whale had attacked a ship. That invokes all sorts of “Why?” If you believe in God or karma or whatever, it messes with your head, particularly if you’re a whaleman devoted to killing these creatures, and suddenly this creature has turned you into the prey.
Q: How many times have you read “Moby-Dick”?
Style
The true-life tale that inspired ‘Moby-Dick,’ and a new movie by Ron Howard
Resize Text Print Article Comments 0
A scene from "In the Heart of the Sea." (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
By Michael O'Sullivan December 13
When historian Nathaniel Philbrick’s book “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex” came out in 2000, the true-life tale of the whale ship that inspired Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” won the National Book Award for nonfiction. Fifteen years later, Philbrick’s bestseller about a whale that violently attacked — and sank — a vessel has been made into an adventure movie by director Ron Howard.
Unlike Melville’s 1851 novel, which was inspired in part by the memoir of the Essex’s first mate, Owen Chase, “In the Heart of the Sea” only really gets started where “Moby-Dick” stops: with the 1820 sinking of the ship in the Pacific. Set up as a yarn told by the Essex’s former cabin boy, Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), to a young Melville (Ben Wishaw), “Sea” concerns far grislier events than the slaughter of whales (which is depicted in the film in vivid, bloody detail). As the 21-man Essex crew struggles to reach safety in a trio of small whaleboats, they are forced to resort to cannibalism.
[Read a review of “In the Heart of the Sea”]
I sat down with Philbrick, whose book — based on Chase’s account and a book by Nickerson that was not published until 1984 — is back on the bestseller list, to talk about the process of handing over his meticulously researched book for the Hollywood treatment, but also about the enduring appeal of the whaling yarn.
Q: The film is different from the book, in ways large and small, though it’s respectful of the source material. When watching it, did you regret anything that was changed?
A: Initially I was just so ignorant of it all. I felt this is the sacred text. Then, as versions of a screenplay were generated, I began to watch movies with a different appreciation. I realized that the worst thing they could do would be a slide show of my book. To be true to the book would be a deadly dull movie. The last thing I wanted was something that was true to my book and lousy.
Q: Your book brings a lot of contemporary psychological insight to bear into the conflict between Owen Chase, the ship’s ambitious first mate, and its newly appointed captain, George Pollard. Their contentious relationship, as depicted by Chris Hemsworth and Benjamin Walker, is central to the film.
A: All my books are about leadership, and this one is in particular. The Essex had a dysfunctional leadership model. The captain, who was wired as a mate, was not prepared to make the kind of decisions that were required. Then you had a first mate who felt he was destined to be a captain. Although it’s heightened, I really feel like the relationship between Pollard and Chase in the movie is an enactment, of a kind, of what I’m talking about in the book.
Q: What is it about the tale of the Essex that fired Melville’s imagination, not to mention yours and Ron Howard’s?
A: I grew up with “Moby-Dick.” “Moby-Dick” was everything to me. Then to discover the history of Nantucket and to dive deep into that, to see the historical bones on which Melville created this mythical beast, for me it was kind of a revelation to realize, “Wow, it actually happened.” And how wonderful and strange it was. It had never happened before, in the recorded history of American whaling, where a whale had attacked a ship. That invokes all sorts of “Why?” If you believe in God or karma or whatever, it messes with your head, particularly if you’re a whaleman devoted to killing these creatures, and suddenly this creature has turned you into the prey.
Q: How many times have you read “Moby-Dick”?
A: It’s now up to a dozen. Ron Howard was very interested in Melville in his relation to the story. He actually read my book “Why Read ‘Moby-Dick?’ ” and said he found it very helpful. From the beginning, he said he wanted to have visual quotations of “Moby-Dick” in the film. Nothing direct.
Q: Yet the whale in the movie is white, like Moby Dick, but he’s not white in your book.
A: That’s the burden of the movie. If you just did it as the story of the Essex with no reference to “Moby-Dick,” I think a modern audience would go, “What? Why do I care?” My dad’s a retired English professor with a specialty in maritime literature, so he taught “Moby-Dick” all the time. In talking with him about the movie adaptation, he was saying, “Melville borrowed shamelessly from the Essex. It’s kind of cool to think that the story of the Essex is borrowing from ‘Moby-Dick.’ ”
Q: You could argue that the movie inoculates itself against charges of inaccuracy by setting the story up as oral history. Late at night, an old man regales a writer with a tall tale.
A: The conversation between Nickerson and Melville never happened, yet it is the essence of what did happen, which is that Melville met with Owen Chase’s son and he read his father’s book about the Essex while aboard a whale ship. And he did meet Pollard. What screenwriter Chuck Leavitt has created is a really inspired metaphor for all of those interactions. It’s kind of like what happened to me. I felt like I was interviewing Nickerson. [Nickerson’s book] was a newly discovered source. No one had written a book about the Essex disaster using it as a source. To quibble about “Oh, that never happened” is to miss the point.
Q: What makes this such a quintessentially American story?
A: What makes America different is that we have a wilderness. We think of the West as being the wilderness, with the buffalo, but before that it was the sea. It was stories of the Essex, instead of the Donner Party. We have this sense of a spiritual destiny, combined with a desire to have our guns and to be coldly brutal about it. There’s this disconnect: Violence meets spiritual sanctity. The concept of a Quaker whaleman — that’s it, baby. That is the ultimate American.