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Two Years Before the Mast (film)

Two Years Before the Mast
Two Years Before the Mast Poster.jpg
Directed by John Farrow
Produced by Seton I. Miller
Written by Seton I. Miller
George Bruce
Based on book by Richard Henry Dana Jr.
Starring Alan Ladd
William Bendix
Music by Victor Young
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • November 22, 1946 (1946-11-22)
Running time
98 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2 million
Box office $4.4 million (US/ Canada rentals)
1,270,487 admissions (France)

Two Years Before the Mast is a 1946 adventure film based on Richard Henry Dana Jr.'s travel book of the same name.

In 1834, Charles Stewart (Alan Ladd), the spoiled, dissolute son of a shipping magnate, is shanghaied aboard the Pilgrim, one of his father's own ships. He embarks upon a long, hellish sea voyage under the tyrannical rule of Captain Francis Thompson (Howard Da Silva), assisted by his first mate, Amazeen (William Bendix). One of his crewmates is Richard Henry Dana Jr. (Brian Donlevy), who will ultimately recount the entire voyage on paper as a book.

In 1936, Republic Studios announced plans to make a version of the film starring James Dunn and produced by Bert Clark. Actor Lew Ayres was mentioned as a possible director and Lionel Barrymore, or, if he refused, Walter Connolly was going to star. The movie was meant to be an attempt by Republic to move into bigger budgeted productions. Negotiations with Barrymore, Connolly and Fredric March fell through and the studio tried to sign Herbert Wilcoxon.

Republic never made the movie. Edward Small announced plans to film the book in 1939 under his deal with United Artists. However this was postponed when World War Two was declared, as Small was reluctant to make such an expensive film in an uncertain marketplace. Plans to film the novel were again announced in 1940 and 1941 but no movie resulted.

Paramount eventually bought the rights off Small in 1943, including a script Seton I Miller had written for the producer in 1939; Miller had since become a writer and producer at Paramount. Alan Ladd was announced as star.


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