White Squall Essay

517 Words3 Pages
Based on a true story, White Squall is the story of 13 high school students and their adventure onboard the sail training ship Albatross in the period 1960-1961. Directed by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise) it stars Jeff Bridges as Christopher Sheldon, the skipper of the ship. Forgoing their final year of schooling at a proper land-based school, this group of students will still take normal lessons on board the ship, but will also learn the art of sailing and the importance of team work. The boys who board the ship for a year of sailing half way around the world and back again read like the who's who of clichéd school-aged characters. There's Chuck Gieg (Scott Wolf), the squeaky clean boy who only wants to please his demanding father and who becomes the narrator for much of the story (the film is based on the real Chuck Gieg's memoirs), Tod (Balthazar Getty) a tough kid with some hidden troubles, Frank (Jeremy Sisto) a boy with some problems of his own who has to deal with a truly unsavoury wealthy father, and Gil (Ryan Phillipe), a wimpy sort of character who's afraid of heights and can't climb the rigging. Lending a helping hand on board the ship are Sheldon's wife Alice (Caroline Goodall), who doubles as teacher and doctor, and the Shakespeare quoting English teacher McCrea played by John Savage. Setting sail from Connecticut, the disparate group of boys will learn the ways of the sea and hopefully some discipline along the way. Skipper Sheldon is a wise man who will often remind the boys about the art and dangers of sailing and how the ship is not a toy and only with teamwork will everyone succeed. "Where we go one, we go all" is the catchcry of the Albatross and it's a message that is instilled painfully into the young crew. In between a few life lessons, including encounters with some lovely female Dutch students and a Cuban border
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