White Squall

“Sorry is not gonna cut it.”

I was able to watch White Squall this afternoon. Now, I've heard about this movie; I remember people asking me if I've seen the film. “Uh, yeah. I think so. Wasn't that some Warren Miller freeskiing wannabe movie?” No wonder they looked funny and changed the conversation topic. Awkward. I do much better talking sourdough bread than the crazy movie world with their J-Lo and Jackie Chan, Errol Flynn and Miss Zeta Jones. But before I rabbit trail off into a ramble on flemish desem and storebought flour, let's get back to the movie.

White Squall follows a class of sail trainees, boys from all over the place that together must become a crew onboard the brigantine 'Albatross'. It is the schoolship of schoolships. No apparent benthos buckets or fishtanks in the galley. Chest bursting fresh air, raw saltwater (I could almost taste it on my lips) and bluewater sailing under the free sky and those tanbark sails I'll always love. The guys all seem to be between 15-17 years of age. I thought of my five brothers and imagined them as the ones on this ship. It is an exacting enviroment and not as forgiving as the wilderness. Still, those boys became men. They had to face their fears, control their passions, sweat blood and draw together as a community.
I liked the movie from the beginning. The boy walks up to the ship and in those first emotions and tumbling words, he asks what happened to the Albatross. Her pretty whites are all streaked rusty. He's a kid; he doesn't know about darling Mary Kate and the constant maintenance that every ship demands. When the boys jumped from the yards, I was right there with them. I understood when the captain told the kid to “hate your way up another rung.” I've never had hate like that, or fear either. It's like the Nike jingle: Just Do It. Whatever it is within you that drives you, use that energy: love, hate, pride, compassion... fill in the blank up another rung! I'm getting a little philosophical for a moment but I just want to pose this question: Is love as compelling as hate? I've got a really good, sweet heart but I can't imagine scraping up enough love myself to 'go another rung.' Unless love is greater than self, it won't trump anything and even then it is a weak, small sort of love. I have been taught that the love of God is so great that it is beyond conceptualization. Jesus Christ came and lived as one of us, he embodied love for us. We all know the story. Christ is God Incarnate. He gave touch and feel tangibility not only to God but to love as well. 'All you need is love?' Well that's the sort of love that does the job. Okay, so maybe talking God and all that is awkward when you are wanting to hear about sailing, mountain climbing and movies. It's an integral part of my life's adventure but it doesn't tie up all my questions nice and pretty. Love seems to look stronger on paper and in my cozy circles of friends than it does in the 'real world.' Why does Hate and War seem to be the trump card in this life?

Anyways, wrapping up the movie review; It's not a pretty movie. Beautiful, yes. Watching those boys sail that tremendous ship set all my heart to the sea. I am so glad to be going back to varnish, Mary Kate and happy sailing in Key West but I really miss the bluewater and that life. By the end of the film I was all aglow and a little streaky with tears. Love is not to blame for the freaky storm that bowled them over but it was there painfully at the end. [sigh] You'll like this movie if you love the sea and especially the traditional tall ships that sail across her. Tell me what you think.

Be Well,
LuLu

White Squall, 1996
PG-13 for the usual sailor stuff; boys talking about sex, drinking and some strong language. All appropriate for the story.