The Seafarers

While nowadays Stanley Kubrick is considered as one of the most influential and acclaimed filmmakers of all time, the career of this legendary director had its humble beginning in the documentary genre, specifically in the making of two newsreels for RKO Radio Pictures in 1951 when he was only 23 years old. At that age, Kubrick was already a full-time staff photographer for the "Look" magazine, but after making those two short films he quit his job and decided to become a full-time filmmaker. However, those two short films wouldn't be the only documentaries the master would direct in his lifetime, as in 1953 he had to return to the documentary genre after the commercial failure of his feature length debut, "Fear and Desire" in 1953. His third and last documentary would also be his first time working in color, and all in an infomercial for Seafarers International Union.

Simply tittled, "The Seafarers", this short documentary is essentially an infomercial about the benefits that joining the Seafarers International Union can bring to mariners, fishermen and boatmen of the U.S. if they join it. Narrated by CBS reporter Don Hollenbeck, the film details the different activities a member can do while visiting the Union Halls that are spread around the country's coasts, as well as the many services they offer. From barbershops to restaurants, the film talks about the establishments that offer good discounts to those who join the Union. It also explores other important benefits, such as health care, insurance, and scholarships for the children of the seafarers. Finally, it also explains some of the rights and obligations of every member, as well as how is the Union organized and how their democratic processes work.

Written by Will Chasen (quite possibly a member of the Union himself), the movie is a very complete and informative commercial about the Seafarers International Union, as in its barely 30 minutes of duration it manages to cover a wide arrange of topics of major interest for the film's intended audience. Clearly devised to convince sailors to join the Union, Chasen's script is written in a very persuasive way, highlighting the Union hall's commodities and the leisure activities that the members can do in order to give the organization the image of a fun place to be. While a bit typical of the era, Don Hollenbeck's effective narration adds power to the persuasive script, as he truly makes the Union sound like a club every worker should join thanks to his friendly, yet strong presence.

In this his fourth movie as a director, Kubrick shows an enormous progression in his skills with the camera. An acknowledged follower of Max Ophüls' work (his movies inspired him to be a filmmaker), Kubrick once again shows in "The Seafarers" the enormous influence the German director had during the early years of his career, as the movie showcases scenes with very fluid and dynamic cinematography, pretty much in Ophüls' style. Also, considering it was his first movie in color, "The Seafarers" looks very, and Kubrick's creative experimentation with color can be seen in several scenes. As with the rest of his documentaries, the strength of the film is in the visual compositions the young photographer created, as Kubrick crafts a movie that supports Chasen's script efficiently and delivers the core message of the institution.

Even when there is no doubt that this is a very interesting movie to watch for fans of Stanley Kubrick, other than its excellent craftsmanship there is not really anything truly remarkable about the movie. And as written above, this is not because the movie is bad, but mainly because while competently made, it's still nothing more than an infomercial that Kubrick made as a hired gun. Of course, there's a number of sparks of the brilliant talent the young filmmaker would show in his following films, but besides that this is still a very typical commercial film in the classic 50s style. Anyways, while the film certainly suffers from being made for a specific audience, it manages to transmit successfully Seafarers International's intended message of looking like an organization made by sailors and intended for sailors.

It would be difficult to recommend "The Seafarers" to those uninterested in Stanley Kubrick's career, as due to the kind of film it its, it's probably of interest only for Kubrick aficionados (although maybe those interested in 50s infomercials will find it useful). It's kind of fun to watch the young filmmaker mastering his skills, as one can truly see how he developed the techniques that would make him a legend. While "The Seafarers" is not really one of the highlights of his career, one has to be thankful for it as this movie helped to pay his 1955 movie, "Killer's Kiss", film that would open Kubrick the door to bigger projects like his masterpieces "The Killing" and "Paths of Glory". Even when personally I think that "Day of the Fight" is the best of the three documentaries by Kubrick, "The Seafarers" is a good film by its own merits. 6/10

Well, this very old-school narrated laudatory documentary is quite boring and did not make me more interested in Seafarers International Union, which represents, provide services and protects interests of mariners, fishermen and boatmen who work aboard vessels flagged in the United States. The very first colour film of great master Stanley Kubrick is uninteresting and may be watched only by Kubrick filmography completists (like me) or for those particularly interested in US labour unions' main concerns and strategies of achieving memberships. Considering artistic qualities (it was just an advertising film, not an artistic one), it is Kubrick's worst film, worse than previous Day of the fight and Flying padre, which are also not very interesting at all. It is amazing that just four years after The Seafarers Kubrick would be ready to make masterpiece Paths of glory.

This is considered, at least by IMDb, as Stanley Kubrick's "first feature made in color" and it was long thought lost. Well, first, it isn't a feature film but just a dreadfully boring promotional video for the Seafarer's Union and the narration makes Jack Webb's delivery on "Dragnet" seem emotional and off-the-cuff in comparison!! Now the awfulness of this film should NOT be held against Kubrick. Sure, it's dull, uninspired and stilted, but he was a young man who was hopeful of becoming a professional director one day and was dirt poor--so poor that he had to start at the bottom...and this is certainly the bottom! For a more fair idea of his potential, try watching his real first features--KILLER'S KISS and THE KILLING--two exceptionally well made low-budget films that proved the man could make a lot with nothing.

Anyone who sees brilliance in this film is a fanatic and is not to be trusted! This film should have stayed lost, if you ask me! Don't say I didn't warn you!

Stanley Kubrick's first film made in color. Lost for over 40 years! The documentary extols the benefits of membership to the Seafarers International Union.

How do you judge a film like this? I mean, although Kubrick obviously was the creator, can he be held responsible for the final product? This is essentially a marketing video -- a promotional advertisement -- for a union. I doubt that there was much room for creativity or a need to deviate from the script. Heck, there is no place even for odd camera angles or use of sound.

So, you know, is it a good ad? Sure. But can I say it was some of Kubrick's best work? Of course not. And yet, it is not really fair to judge this against his other work when the format is so different.

As soon as this short film ended I wanted to sign a Union Card and join The Seafarers International Union. Great benefits package by-the-way.. Produced for the SIU, Atlantic & Gulf Coast District, which is head-quartered in Sir Stanley's birthplace & then home, New York City.

Yes this is Sir Stanley's (not knighted yet & will never be, because he only lived in England for almost 40 yrs & is American born--for shame Gov's)), ANYHOW, its his first colour film, his second was Spartacus. Kubrick never actually wanted to do this film, in the first place, but he needed the money - that was the motivation for this film. As usual, it was not up to Sir Stanley's standards and is why it remained 'buried' for so long until it resurfaced in the early-80's--but only the VHS copy survives. I guess dee prints are somewhere in Sir Stanley's vault outside London? Anyhow, his first feature FEAR & DESIRE, suffers the same fate, no prints available, because in the early-80's, Kubrick took the film prints out of circulation, only two copies of F&D, survive - at George Eastman House archives (Rochester, NY); but those can't be screened publicly.

I love THE SEAFARERS, you see Kubrick's love of the camera showing through every grain of colour. The narration track is very traditional Kubrick, this is only his third film, and had only been making films for three years & a still- photographer for about 13 years at this point in 1953. He never went to film school, never actually finished high school (it bored him), and was self taught as a filmmaker by reading both Pudovkin's FILM THEORY & FILM ACTING.

Religiously attending MONA film screening in late forties (Jay Leyda, was a curator there), was all he needed, to propel him into dee film world and abandon photography - more-or-less!!!

This film was used by SIU as a membership-drive tool. They let workers know the benefits of organized labour and why the SIU in particular. The benefits package alone was worth the monthly union fee. Sir Stanley did a bang-up film here. The seafarers were the men & women that worked on the ships, and not to be confused with the longshore men. OK, now go out and get a copy for yourself!!! GO.....

Gio.