A documentary about the disastrous 1968 round-the-world yacht race.
Genre(s): Documentary, History, Sport
Runtime: 92 minutes
Rating: 7.9/10 (873 votes)
Release Date: 3 September 2006
Country: UK
Languages: English
Company: APT Films
Sound: Dolby Digital
MPAA: Rated PG for thematic elements, mild language and incidental smoking.
Director(s): Louise Osmond, Jerry Rothwell
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Producer(s):
François Ivernel - executive producer
Ralph Lee - executive producer
Stewart Le Marechal - co-producer
Cameron McCracken - executive producer
Alison Morrow - producer
Jonny Persey - producer
John Smithson - producer
Paul Trijbits - executive producer
Cast:
Jean Badin - Bernard Moitessier (voice)
Clare Crowhurst - Herself
Donald Crowhurst - Himself (archive footage)
Simon Crowhurst - Himself
Santiago Franchessie - Himself
Ted Hynds - Himself
Donald Kerr - Himself
Robin Knox-Johnston - Himself
Françoise Moitessier de Cazalet -
Simon Russell Beale - Donald Crowhurst (voice)
Music: Harry Escott, Molly Nyman
François Ivernel - executive producer
Ralph Lee - executive producer
Stewart Le Marechal - co-producer
Cameron McCracken - executive producer
Alison Morrow - producer
Jonny Persey - producer
John Smithson - producer
Paul Trijbits - executive producer
Cast:
Jean Badin - Bernard Moitessier (voice)
Clare Crowhurst - Herself
Donald Crowhurst - Himself (archive footage)
Simon Crowhurst - Himself
Santiago Franchessie - Himself
Ted Hynds - Himself
Donald Kerr - Himself
Robin Knox-Johnston - Himself
Françoise Moitessier de Cazalet -
Simon Russell Beale - Donald Crowhurst (voice)
Music: Harry Escott, Molly Nyman
Posted on: November 24, 2008
Posted in: Documentary, Sport
December 8th, 2006
Some of the most difficult journeys are the ones we make alone. Totallyalone. Donald Crowhurst's journey was made before satellitepositioning. When he sails over the horizon he is, in effect, alonewith the universe. His mission: to be the first or the fastest to sailaround the world non-stop.
"We are all human beings and we all have dreams." Such are the firstwords of Deep Water. The sea of troubles that Crowhurst encounters aremore than just physical. In this spellbinding documentary, we see thedaunting adventure that he and some of the other competitors undertake.We experience the different ways they come to grips with intimidatingloneliness and horrifying psychological pressures.
Personally, I can't swim. I don't particularly like water and my Kiwifriends make fun of me. But even the waves of the best made Hollywoodpictures come with a comfort zone of music, reassuring dialogue orother reminders that it is 'all pretend'. Not so with Deep Water. Bleakopening credits leave us in no doubt of the cruel and relentless natureof the sea – the physical and also the mental challenge. A friend ofmine, a few years ago, sailed around the world with a very small groupof other people, all experienced yachtsmen. When she came back, it wasseveral years before she was herself again.
Deep Water starts in 1967. Francis Chichester has just circumnavigatedthe globe on his own, but with a brief stop in Sydney. The Sunday Timesannounces a competition for sailing single-handedly around the worldnon-stop. Crowhurst enters, with not only glory but the financialfortunes of his family at stake (having mortgaged his house). But ashis wife says, "There is a moment when an opportunity arises – and ifyou don't grasp it, that's that." They are noticeably worried about theoutcome. Last minute preparations are been rushed. Later we will findonly one of the original nine final contestants ever returns.
Bernard Moitessier, within reach of the end and possible victory aftersix months alone at sea, discovers he has found peace in the vastloneliness. He changes course to begin a second circuit. Somethinginside him changes. Something changes inside Crowhurst too, but for himthe inner journey is far more turbulent.
Deep Water, beautifully narrated by Tilda Swinton, is a moving andtotally absorbing account of one man who gets in over his head bothphysically and morally. The small boat becomes a microcosm for lifewhere a person has to find their own rules. Crowhurst's journey is notthe journey of Sunday Times heroes, but of a man. His dilemma isdangerously easy to identify with. This is an incredibly moving story -if you don't already know the historical details, do see the filmfirst.
December 20th, 2006
This is a story about a journey made by a man who once had a dream andguts. Donald Crowhurst was an English businessman and amateur sailorwho competed in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, a single-handed,round-the-world yacht race.
I was very intrigued by the story after listening to a radio interviewfrom the producer John Smithson, who is also the producer of "Touchingthe Void", one of the first documentaries that made a commercialsuccess in 2003. I had gone to the cinema with great hope and not muchprevious knowledge on the historic event, and I'm relieved that itdidn't let me down. For 92 minutes I was led through a haunting storyand came out with much to think about.
Without any reenactment, this film made great use of the limited audioand video archive footage they found and turned it into a compellingstory which allowed the audience to understand Crowhurst from apersonal level. The story unveiled itself as people who had directlinks to the events including his wife and his son, and the eventualwinner, also the only one who made it back out of the 9 competitors,Robin Knox-Johnston gave their own accounts of what happened almost 40years ago.
Crowhurst's logs(journals) that he kept during the 243 days at sea areso haunting that it made it much easier for me to come to understandwhat being in total isolation can do to a man. While Crowhurst's bodywas never found, the other competitor Nigel Tetley whose yacht sankjust weeks before claiming the prize for fastest passage committedsuicide three years later after unsuccessful attempts at properlycompleting a circumnavigation.
Everything could take its toll, especially the sea.
The director Louise Osmond was also at the Q&A session after theshowing together with producer John Smithson. I had no idea that it's afemale director and that just came as a very nice surprise. The film isgetting a limited release in the UK (a couple of days in certaincinemas). Catch it in cinema while you can, unless you have a state ofthe art sound system that can recreate the sound of the bashingSouthern Ocean.. then I'm sure they'll soon have it on DVDs too.
December 21st, 2006
Deep Water examines the pressures and ambitions on an ordinary man in acompelling documentary. The testimony and archive footage are afascinating insight to the late 1960's and a ground-breaking round theworld yacht race. The personal conflicts of duty to family, self andreputation are played out in one of the most memorable and affectingfilms I have seen. I was not familiar with the history of this storyand the drama was successfully and clearly directed. The story ismostly respectful to the participants with heroes and villains impliedrather than ruthlessly exposed. Most of the interpretation is left opento the viewer allowing room to personally relate to the situations andcharacters. This movie is a bitter sweet experience with anentertaining mix of thoughtful suspense, joy and drama.
January 25th, 2007
This is an account of events that have been covered in print severaltimes, and I had read two books – 'A Voyage for Madmen' and 'TheStrange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst' before seeing the film inSheffield just before Christmas. I must say, it exceeded allexpectations in its telling of the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe yachtrace. These men set out to do something that had never been done beforewith no support vessels, wooden boats, no satellite phones, no GPS, andjust their wits and skill to get them round the globe in one piece. Notto mention the months of solitude, the thundering southern ocean,little sleep, and boats that were often literally falling apart aroundthem.
This documentary is excellently put together in my opinion, tightlyedited, well paced with superb narration. The archive footage and theinterviews are fascinating and bring the story to life. ClareCrowhurst's interview footage is especially revealing and moving as sherelates the events that led up to her husband, Donald Crowhurst'sdeparture from Teignmouth, the doubts and fears in his mind and herreaction as subsequent events unfolded.
I was moved and had even shed a tear or two by the time the creditsstarted rolling, and overheard other people expressing similarfeelings.
The two books I mentioned above are useful for more detail andback-story which couldn't have been fitted into the 90 minutes and Iwould recommend those too.
This is ultimately a true story of human courage and human frailty. Amust see for anyone interested in sailing, adventure, human endeavourand real-life heroes.
September 9th, 2007
Note: This should probably be read only after watching the film.
It is very rare to find a documentary or movie that focuses on theloser. Deep Water does just this, making it one of the most thoughtprovoking films in a very long time. It does not provide us with a heroto look up to, but rather an anti-hero who forces us to look intoourselves.
The film is about a group of men who attempt to sail around the globe,singlehandedly, and without stopping. Only one makes it, several die,one decides not to return home, each of them on a psychological journeyintriguing enough to merit entire films for themselves. Yet the mostinteresting is Donald Crowhurst, or rather the way that he is portrayedby the filmmakers and our reactions to him as viewers.
By any standards this man should be considered a despicable character,yet why is he depicted so heroically? Why are we so sympathetic to him?From the beginning he made all of the wrong choices. He risked hisfamily financially to get the boat, he left at a more dangerous time toget more publicity, he ignored all of the warnings despite his lack ofexperience, he chose to lie instead of admitting defeat, these choicessnowball until the inevitable and final one: suicide. All for what? Aplace in history? A feeling of accomplishment? Perhaps. What isimportant to consider is whether this mans situation was inevitable.
Each individual must ask himself if his natural human drive for fameand accomplishment would bring him to such recklessness, and I believethat examining your own reaction to Crowhurst's story will offer atleast some answer to that question.
September 19th, 2007
Filmmakers made a rather boring everyman's story look interesting andcomplex by focusing on his wife back at home. At the same time, we'reexposed to a truly original, existential French loner.
The film is more than a documentary. Hardly ever do I feel that I'veexperienced something that's accidentally profound, which makes it allthe more profound.
Film has visually interesting interior moments. Absolutely loved thejourney the filmmakers took me on. (Quite a lot of Europeans in thecredits). Hopefully, PBS will screen this so that it reaches a wideraudience in the USA.
October 4th, 2007
I happened upon this by chance. I was at my friends house and he hadjust started watching it, so I sat down thinking we would shoot thebreeze whilst this was playing in the background. However, withinseconds I was immersed in this docu-drama, and we both spent the restof the time completely focused on this and not saying a word to eachother.
I never knew the tale of the the first solo around the world yachtrace, let alone the tragic events of one man's attempt against theodds, which set out to be his redemption for all of his misfortunes inlife, but ultimately ends up becoming an example of them. Having notknown of the story, I did watch this with the same fervor as I imaginethose who were reading about the race at the time it actually washappening, engulfed in what was taking place and eager for moreinformation, hoping the lone amateur was going to pull it off againstthe odds and beat the pro's, which makes the shocking twists of thestory all the more tragic, I felt like I was living the story.
The story is told with great care, and the interviewees have clearlyhad time to reflect on the tragedy, which gives great insights, but isalso contrasted nicely by the archive footage of interviews at the timeof the tragedy, the recordings and photographs of the lone sailors isalso excellently used, and the insights into the minds of the sailorsand how solitude was affecting them was superb.
I'm shocked that this story isn't more widely known or has been turnedinto a movie, but also thankful. Thankful that we have thisdrama-documentary to tell the tale from those who knew the man, insteadof some wishy-washy movie adaptation, and thankful that I caught thisgem of a film by pure chance.
It's a must see, whether you like documentaries or not.