Father Mapples Sermon

[Bierhoff2220]

Orson Welles was robbed of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar....



[markcom808]

I have never failed to be moved to question my life when I have watched this sermon. 

[zaggy3110]

At 1:31 Orson Welles is leaving the restroom

[MrATLACATL]

what moby dick represents? Our fears? God????

[candr]

@MrATLACATL God, maybe, but who thinks they can strike against God if they believe in a God, perhaps passion and hate, vengeance is more likely.

[iconpoet]

Multitudinously Murmuring...

That is classic!!!

[docmalthus]

It is easily forgotten in his brilliant performance, but the fact is that Orson Welles, at Huston's insistance, also wrote every word of his part. Absolute genius!

[cschoon1213]

A magnificent series of thoughts. I too have read Moby Dick several times over the years and this rendition by Orson Welles reaches into the core or your soul. Thank you so much for putting this up. It is a masterpiece !

[SSArcher11]

"sin ... though He pluck it out from under the robes of senators and judges."

The Mariner's Chapel in Detroit should be witnessed. That is where the pastor rang the bell for the men on the Edmund Fitzgerald.

[setalip68]

Sublime!!! 

[MrDeCorey]

This is a grate Movie Orson Wells was grate for this part.

[MrBrooke66]

as before (see 'The Third Man' 1949) Orson Welles steals the show with a cameo.

[stanthology]

The definitive "example of 'the power of the spoken word'"

[ih234]

Great song.

[krosero]

The last lyrics in this scene are also in the book: The ribs and terrors in the whale, Arched over me a dismal gloom, While all God's sun-lit waves rolled by, And lift me deepening down to doom. I saw the opening maw of hell, With endless pains and sorrows there; Which none but they that feel can tell -- Oh, I was plunging to despair. In black distress, I called my God, When I could scarce believe him mine, He bowed his ear to my complaints -- No more the whale did me confine

[kingskid1985]

@krosero Wow! Thank you so much for the lyrics! Very powerful lyrics! They just don't write lyrics like this anymore!

[helmuthoorn]

This inspired me to preach about Jona.

[meengrn]

This is one of two opposing sermons. What is the other?

[Jonathan6561]

I love this book! Riveting story, great character studies, poetic in nature and a great course in 19th century sailing and Cetology.

[rastabus]

Magnificent

[rotterdam1953]

Wells had writen his own version of this sermon but yielded to Ford's gentle pursuasion to accept his own. It was also filmed in one take.

[infodisinfo]

one take that was suppose to be just a practice run of the dialog.

only Welles could have done that, all those years of cold reading for radio, only Welles then, and now. there are no actors like this today because there is no need for them to be this sharp.

[rotterdam1953]

Welles' performance was riveting to the extreme. I recall watching this as a very young man but THIS performance was the one I remembered for ever more. It left an emormous footprint on my soul.

[krosero]

"It left an emormous footprint on my soul."

Me too.

[davisx2002]

There is none higher...

[holomutto]

Whats the name of the song ????

[Silversgrl]

The lyrics were written by Melville and are found in the novel-Chapter 9-The Sermon. The tune was composed by Philip Sainton, who wrote the music for this film.

[hhiibbss]

Sounds like the 107th psalm

[lagunaflyguy]

Call me Ishmael....This story and the film are quite simply both brilliant...The acting in this movie is a real tribute to the story that Melville wrote....this scene featuring Welles is as powerful and moving as any I have ever seen in any film. A great great great piece of work.

[painelarson]

Could someone Please post a clip of the scene where Elijah predicts the demise of Ahab and "all,save one"...also the scene where Ahab speaks to Starbuck about blasphemy..."Speak not to me of blasphemy , man..." ?

Much obliged, I would be.

[rotterdam1953]

Painelarson, I'm with you on this one. I have it on audio.

[punished4honesty]

While his live leg made lively echoes along the deck, every stroke of his dead limb sounded like a coffin tap. On life and death this old man walked.

[mattleemattlee123]

Absolutely NO one can touch Welles. His power and depth, his sheer presence, his command of both the English language and that incredible voice...there will never be anything like him again. To go from the melancholy "...shuddering cold and blackness of the deep" to the gentle "...upon dry land" and end with a smile in his voice...that is a range only a master like Welles could command. Beyond great!

[dapoetmaster]

Melville was reading much bible & Shakespeare while writing Moby Dick. My favorite Novel of all time. I cannot remember the number of times I have read it, probably around 25 times? In re-reads it continues to reveal new things, it's so rich...

[SSArcher11]

@dapoetmaster Intrigued by your love for the book. (Me too.) Believe it or not, my 6th grade class read it as a group. Got more out of it over the years.

What do you think of Huston's decision to show Starbuck standing behind Lincolnesque Ahab with the derringer?

[Scorner99]

The best piece of writing ever set to film.

[rotterdam1953]

Welles' rendition is the best I've ever seen. Director John Huston had noted Welles' own version but gently persuaded him to do it his way.

[Chatham50]

Undoubtedly, one of the best biblical sermons delivered on film by one of the best actors-that voice reveberates with the power of God's authority. Does anyone know the name of the opening hymn?

[tarikrajab]

The best of the BEST.

[Idjitz]

Welles does great credit to Mapple's beautiful oratory. And the script is a marvelous condensation of the original sermon in Melville's book.

[Leibo07]

Thanks for uploading THIS. What a great drama. Been waiting long for this.

[markcom808]

the best sermon i've ever heard, one of the best scenes in all film.

[charliemctruth]

Pity about the sync.

But still a treasure to discover on youtube.

Many thanks.

[AVictorRex]

Todays films fall way short of this virture of common men in society.