John Paul Jones, maître des mers

Not entirely accurate but at times rousing nautical adventure purporting to tell the story of the early American naval hero.

Stack is okay in the lead but some of his early career zest would have benefited the character. What we get instead is a rigid and mostly humorless stick figure in the lead. Some reverence for Jones is that man's due but a bit more animation in Stack's performance would have made him more accessible.

What helps deflect from his wooden performance is an incredibly colorful and sumptuous production with several maritime battles thrown in for good measure that's a treat to the eyes. Aside from that there are some very well cast performers in key roles. MacDonald Carey makes a fine Patrick Henry and Bette Davis, dolled up in a sky high wig, ermine and pearls, has a lot of fun in her tiny cameo as Catherine the Great. The real standout though is Charles Coburn as Benjamin Franklin. So right is he for the role, not just in appearance but getting the balance of the pattern of Franklin's personality right, a mix of seriousness and the twinkle in his eye and sense of fun that old Ben was renown for that it makes you regret that he never had a chance to more fully portray Franklin in a biography.

As a true document of John Paul Jones life it may miss the mark but it's still a decent entertainment.

Essentially a biography in movie format, tells of the life of John Paul Jones, the man who put the U.S. Navy on the map during the American Revolution. It touches briefly on his early life, concentrating on his life in the colonies and what led him to go there after a career in the King's service. Movie also touches on the impact and standards that Jones imprinted on today's navy, and it is this element, among others, that makes this well worth watching. Stack (although taller than Jones's height of 5'4") is perfectly cast in the title role. Not to be overlooked either are Coburn's portrayal of Benjamin Franklin, Davis's of Catherine the Great, and Max Steiner's excellent musical score. Additional note: movie was produced by Samuel Bronston, who also produced and did a magnificent job on "El Cid." Whether one is looking for a movie about the Age Of Sail period or simply wants to learn about Jones, this is an excellent choice.

I enjoyed the movie despite its historical inaccuracies, and okay action but that is what I expect and enjoy in old Hollywood movies especially when they were made in color. This movie caught my eye when I saw that it was a Robert Stack movie. Always an imposing figure. And then the added benefit of seeing the lovely Marisa Paven in color! She was Italian, so I must say, Che Bella Donna! Molto bene per me a guadarla a lei. (That is if my Italian is any good?!?). So, while my wife found it boring and quickly gave up on it, I found its slow pace with vivid color a welcome.

I have always believed that one of the reasons that John Paul Jones continues to be a fascinating figure is that we in America pride ourselves in that Horatio Alger tradition of the young man rising from humble circumstances to obtain wealth and prominence. Riches were not to be for Jones in his lifetime, but you can't fault the historical prominence he obtained as the spiritual if not the historical founder of the American Navy. And as the son of the gardener of a Scottish estate who ran away to see as a boy, his circumstances could hardly have been more humble.

Robert Stack makes a commanding John Paul Jones and he's a full blown hero in the tradition of the Samuel Eliot Morrison biography from which this film is adapted. There is a later book about him that came out a few years back written by Evan Thomas which presents Jones as the hero this film makes him out to be.

One thing that was overlooked is that it presents Jones as a man unlucky in love. Erin O'Brien-Moore and Marisa Pavan are the Virginia planter heiress and the French noblewoman who were the women in his life. I can assure you that there were many others, Jones was quite the ladies man, he never lacked for feminine companionship when on dry land.

Except for a cameo appearance as himself in Pepe, this film was the farewell role for Charles Coburn who played Benjamin Franklin who was Jones's biggest booster in the Continental Congress. He's good as the foxy philosopher Franklin was reputed to be. It is a factual error when you see him at Jones's death bed, Franklin had died a couple of years earlier in the USA. He also did not bring him the news of an offer of a commission in the Russian Navy under Queen Catherine the Great.

Bette Davis played Catherine the Great ever so briefly and I wish we got to see more of her. Jones did take command of her fleet and did defeat the Turks as per the film. It was the only time Jones showed what he could do as a naval strategist and he passed the test. His exploits with the Continental Navy were as a single ship in combat.

In vain Jones fought vigorously for a permanent Navy for the young United States. You see one of his opponents being John Adams. In an ironic twist of history when Adams got to be the second president of the United States and we were in an undeclared naval war with France, he got a Navy going in a hurry then. Our department of the Navy was founded during his administration, but John Paul Jones was a few years dead by then.

Despite some historical errors the film does present John Paul Jones as he would wish to be remembered. And this review is dedicated to the United States Navy, to the many men and women who have served and continue to serve in it, guided by the example of a fine fighting commander in John Paul Jones.

Just a question; where was JPJ filmed? (I'm looking for ALL locations)and does the movie archive keep a list of unnamed and uncredited extras who appeared (in the backdrop) of the film? My folks have had a replica of the Declaration of Independence in our living room that they say was a souvenir given to people (i.e. my uncle) who were hired by the producers as extras. He said that he was a signer of the document. He and my aunt also kept a copy in their house. It's been awhile since I've seen the movie, but I will look more closely next time to see if I recognize him. My uncle wasn't an actor, but a military man (retired, I think, by that time). He had to have been in the right place at the right time to be chosen as an extra. I'd love to have more info. Jeff