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The ocean is a vast and beautiful place. It contains many mysteries that the human race has yet to solve. The sea can be calming, or it can be deadly. The sea surrounds us with beauty but also keeps many secrets from us deep within its depths which we will never know until long after our time here on Earth is done.
For this reason, sailing has been a fascination for humans since the beginning of time and there have been countless films made about sailing in all sorts of genres-comedy, drama, documentary, etc.
Today we’re going to jump in and gather up the very best sailing movies for you here. So let’s start with the best!
Here are the best sailing movies:
Moby Dick
Another well-known movie that includes sailing is Moby Dick starring Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab. The movie follows The Pequod, a whaling vessel that is out looking for The White Whale. The crew is led by The Captain who after an extended period without finding The White Whale, begins to become more and more obsessed with finding the creature possibly at the cost of his crew’s safety. The film was a hit in theatres when it was released but unfortunately, The Rotten Tomatoes shows a fairly low score of 42%. The film was nominated for The Academy Award for Best Special Effects at The 1956 Oscars. The movie will forever be remembered for Gregory Peck’s performance as The Captain.
Life Of Pi
Another well-known sailing movie is Life Of Pi. The film was released in 2012 and stars Suraj Sharma as The main character and tells The story of The real-life sinking of The Japanese Whaling Ship Tsimtsum which was carrying a number of zoo animals during The 1980s. The sole survivor of the wreck is The adolescent Pi Patel who spends time stranded at sea having to survive using The ship’s lifeboat. The film won The Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and The Canadian Film Critic Association awarded The film The award of Best Canadian Film Of 2012. The movie has a score of 87% on The Rotten Tomatoes which is very good indeed!
The Perfect Storm
The most recent entry on our list is The Perfect Storm which was released in The Year 2000 and The film tells The story of The Andrea Gail, a fishing boat on it’s way back from Newfoundland with The crew hoping to cash in on The up and coming storm which has been forecasted. A small amount of the movie is actually based on fact but The majority is a fictionalized drama that The audience has The pleasure of watching. The Perfect Storm also had the benefit of George Clooney starring in the lead role with Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane and Mary Elizabeth Mast. The film didn’t score The highest The Rotten Tomatoes score at the time of release with a score of 64% but it’s still considered a classic.
Sinking Of Titanic
This film was released in 1953 and is the earliest entry on our list of best sailing movies of all time. The movie tells the story of the sinking of the RMS Titanic during her maiden voyage with over 2000 passengers aboard including rich industrialist J Bruce Ismay who is played by Charles Coburn. The movie is a combination of real-life characters and fictionalized elements with a full cast of actors to play both the passengers and crew members aboard the RMS Titanic. The film was shot in black and white so as not to portray the tragedy more real but it’s still one of the most notable films listed here. Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Captain Ron
Captain Ron was released in 1992 starring Kurt Russel as The Captain and Martin Short as his reluctant mate. This comedy film shows a different side to sailing as The main characters, along with their family travel from Miami to The Bahamas onboard The Hero. From there they have several adventures involving stealing two pirate’s treasures from the bottom of the sea and almost being sunk by The Bermuda Triangle. The movie was rated PG-13 but it’s still suitable for family audiences with only minimal swearing in the film. Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%
Wind
Another classic sailing movie which features on our list is Wind starring Robert Redford who plays The lead role of Cowboy, a flatulent sailor who has a certain way with The ladies! His character is forced to return home after going AWOL from The Navy and he goes on a voyage of self-discovery. The film doesn’t have a huge amount of dialogue but it’s still worth watching for the sheer quality of the cinematography involved. Wind was nominated for 5 awards at The 1994 Oscars and won 2 of these awards for Best Cinematography (Nominated) and Best Sound. Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
Maidentrip
This documentary film follows the story of Laura Dekker who at the age of 14 attempts to make a single-handed voyage around The world. She wanted to be the youngest sailor ever to achieve this and she was successful in her quest, crossing The finish line in under ten months. It’s an amazing story and one that is sure to raise your spirits if you’re feeling low. The film has a Rotten Tomato score of 83%.
Captain Phillips
Another entrant on our list of best sailing movies is Captain Phillips which was released in The Year 2013 and features Tom Hanks who plays the lead role of Captain Richard Phillips. The movie tells the story of Somali pirates taking over a container ship off The coast of Somalia with Phillips onboard. It’s an interesting concept for a film and one that had some very memorable scenes. The movie had some excellent reviews with a Rotten Tomato score of 95%.
Breakaway
Featuring Shatrughan Sinha and Vinod Khanna who play father and son in this film. It’s essentially about two cricket-loving Indians who get their boat confiscated by the government due to illegal activities. They rename the boat, Apnapan and plan on bringing it back home after traveling to Canada. One of the most popular scenes in this film is when Apnapan is sinking mid-ocean.
Deep Water
Another of our best sailing movies that go into a bit more detail is Deep Water which was released in 2006 and stars Chris O’Donnell who plays The lead role. He’s a former Olympic yachtsman whose life is spiraling out of control after his wife dies in an accident. In order to get back on track, he sets off on a solo voyage across The Atlantic with his boat called Water Walker. The movie was reviewed by The New York Times and they described the film as a “Can’t-miss concept” but it doesn’t seem to have taken off quite as well as some of the others on our list. Rotten Tomato score: 58%.
Maiden
Maiden tells the story of Tracy Edwards (played by Maxine Peake) who enters The Whitbread around-the-world yacht race in 1989. This is an incredible tale that shows off the amazing teamwork that goes into running a successful campaign. It’s also one of our best sailing movies due to having no famous actors or actresses involved which is a nice change from some of the others on our list. The New York Times reviewed the film and they said that “Everyone in Maiden has a lot of nerve, especially Tracy Edwards.” Rotten Tomato score: 79%.
The Sea Hawk
Another great movie features Errol Flynn who plays the lead role of Sir Oliver Tressilian in The Sea Hawk. In this movie, Sir Tressilian is sent to sea by King Charles I in order to stop Spain from building a fleet of ships that could turn the tide of The war in their favor. Flynn’s character also falls for Elizabeth (played by Brenda Marshall) who turns out to be a Spanish spy. It has a nice mix of action, romance and comedy, helping to set it apart from the others. It’s been given a Rotten Tomato score of 100% which is the highest on our list so far.
The Commodore: For Love And Gold
Another entry in our best sailing movies is The Commodore: For Love And Gold which tells the story of America’s Cup winner, Dennis Conner. He attempts to win back The cup with his yacht called Stars & Stripes only to be beaten by Australia II who once again reigns victorious. It’s a fascinating insight into what happens behind-the-scenes during races and it stars some of Hollywood’s finest actors including Nicolas Cage, Rebecca De Mornay and Sam Shepard.
The Flying Dutchman
The Flying Dutchman was released in the year 1951 and stars James Mason who plays Captain Hendrick van der Zee. He’s an experienced sailor when he encounters a storm on his voyage across The Atlantic. He wakes up and finds himself in The afterlife and tries to re-join the living through his spiritual adviser, Rev. Marinus (played by Felix Aylmer). It’s a dramatic tale of love and passion with some amazing sailing scenes throughout.
Turning Tide (En Solitaire) (2013)
Another entry on our best sailing movies is Turning Tide which stars François Cluzet who plays Éric Tabarly. In this film, Eric sets out on a solo attempt to become the fastest boat ever in The round-the-world race. He’s a seasoned sailor and has a real passion for what he does but going against Mother Nature isn’t easy. This film has received incredibly positive reviews, especially for its stunning cinematography.
Saint Cyprien (Le Saint des maudits) (1951)
Saint Cyprien which was released in 1951 and stars Jean Marais who plays Édouard Bourdet. The story follows Bourdet and his crew as they plan to break the speed record for crossing The Atlantic. They take a huge risk by sailing across in Winter but everything that could go wrong does. It has some spectacular sailing scenes throughout which are really interesting to watch.
Adrift (2018)
Adrift is a new entry on our best sailing movies and stars Shailene Woodley who plays Tami Oldham. The movie tells the true story of what happened to her and her fiancé, Richard Sharp (played by Sam Claflin) when their yacht was hit by a hurricane. It’s an incredibly tense watch and shows the worst sides of humanity in some truly heartbreaking scenes. Rotten Tomato score: 63%.
White Squall (1996)
White Squall is another entry on our list of best sailing movies and it stars Jeff Bridges who plays Frank Beaumont. It tells the story of how a group of teenagers comes to terms with their future after surviving The storm which sinks their ship. It’s a coming-of-age movie featuring some incredible performances from its young stars. The media says that it’s a definite tear-jerker and warns potential viewers that they might need to stock up on tissues!
The Commodore: A Company Of Sailors
Also on our list of best sailing movies is The Commodore: A Company Of Sailors which stars British actress Gemma Arterton as Jeanne de Clisson. It tells the story of how she became The most fearsome pirate in all France by turning to piracy after her husband was executed for treason. She owned a fleet of ships and raided coastal areas around France during The Hundred Years War. It has some great sailing scenes throughout which are sure to delight any sailing enthusiast.
Age Of Sail
Age Of Sail stars Ioan Gruffudd as Will Morris. The movie tells the story of how a fleet of Dutch ships attack a British vessel and take the survivors as slaves. The captain survives but he knows that he needs to rescue everyone from their inevitable fate as slaves before it’s too late. It has some incredible sailing scenes throughout and the visuals of those ships really are amazing.
The Mercy (2018)
The Mercy is another entry on our list of best sailing movies and it stars Colin Firth as Donald Crowhurst. The movie tells the story of how he sets off to sail around the world as part of a competition but soon gets caught up in a scheme that could cost him everything. It’s an incredible watch and the consequences of his actions are truly shocking. Rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Odyssey (2018)
Also on our list of the best sailing movies is The Odyssey which stars Jack Huston as Will Parker. It tells the story of how he sets off to work on a merchant ship during World War II but everything goes horribly wrong when they’re torpedoed by a German U-boat. It’s based on a true story and contains some incredible acting from Jack Huston who plays the lead character.
Morning Light
Morning Light stars Chris Pine as Joe Roddam. It tells the story of how he sets off on an adventure of a lifetime with some friends when they decide to sail across America’s Cup scene. It shows the danger and difficulty of sailing and it will surely delight anyone who loves adventure films! Rated 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.\
All is lost
All Is Lost star Robert Redford is an unnamed man who finds himself in mortal danger when his 39-foot yacht is destroyed by a storm. It’s incredibly tense and has some incredible sailing scenes throughout which shows how he deals with the disaster that unfolds in front of him. Rated 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Caine Mutiny
The Caine Mutiny stars Humphrey Bogart as Captain Queeg who goes insane while stranded on a lifeboat that is taking him towards The Golden Gate Bridge. It’s an incredible film that has some tense sailing scenes throughout and the scene where he imagines that someone stole his strawberries is something else! Rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Chasing Shackleton
Chasing Shackleton stars Domhnall Gleeson as Tom Crean who is part of an incredible adventure when he sets off to rescue the crew of The Endurance in Antarctica. It’s a thrilling watch that manages to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Rated 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sea Wolf
Sea Wolf stars Jack Nicholson as John Silver who is a charlatan but helps The Sea Wolf escape from being boarded by pirates. It’s incredibly tense throughout and has some great sailing scenes which are sure to delight any sailing enthusiast. Rated 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World
Master And Commander stars Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey who goes on an incredible adventure when his ship The Surprise is sent to find and destroy a French warship. Rated 88% on Rotten Tomatoes the movie has some stunning sailing scenes throughout which are sure to delight anyone who loves history or just great visuals.
Heart Of The Sea (2015)
Heart Of The Sea stars Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase who sets off on an adventure of a lifetime when he sets out to hunt the whale named Moby Dick. Rated 81% on Rotten Tomatoes it’s got some great sailing scenes throughout which are sure to delight anyone who loves adrenaline-fuelled films!
The Old Man and the Sea Return to Cuba
This is a fantastic addition to our list of best sailing movies. It stars Spencer Tracy as Santiago one of the last great Cuban fishermen who goes on an epic adventure when he sets out for a final, heroic catch that could regain his position as the greatest fisherman in all of Cuba. It’s got some stunning cinematography and a great story to boot. Rated 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
A Hijacking
A Hijacking stars Fares Fares as Abduwali Muse who boards a Danish cargo ship with three other Somali pirates in order to hijack it and hold the crew hostage. It’s an incredible film that is tense throughout and it’s sure to delight anyone who loves a great sailing movie. Rated 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Kon-Tiki
Kon Tiki is a fantastic movie that manages to weave together history and action perfectly. It’s based on an incredible true story of Thor Heyerdahl who, with five others sets out on an epic 4,300 nautical mile journey from South America to the Polynesian islands using a handmade raft. Rated 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Dove (1974)
The Dove stars Lee Remick as Ellie Holcomb who sets out on an epic adventure when she travels to the South Pacific with her husband Frank. Rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s got some stunning sailing scenes throughout.
Abandoned (2015)
When their trimaran capsizes only three men survive and battle for their lives in order to get back home. It’s intense, it’s thrilling and it’s sure to delight. Rated 79% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Black Sails
Black Sails stars Toby Stephens as Captain Flint who goes on an epic adventure when he escapes from a pact that he made with the British Navy and sets off on a quest to find a hidden cache of treasure. Rated 86% on Rotten Tomatoes it’s got some great sailing scenes throughout which are sure to delight any fans of The Black Swan or Pirates Of The Caribbean!
Dead Calm
Dead Calm stars Nicole Kidman as Rae Ingram who is trapped on a boat with her husband and a psychotic mad man. Rated 79% on Rotten Tomatoes it’s got some great sailing scenes throughout which are sure to delight anyone who loves a thriller.
Blown Away
Blown Away stars Tommy Lee Jones as Special agent Liam Tasker who must race against time when a terrorist group boards his friend’s yacht and holds them hostage. Rated 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s sure to delight anyone who loves a movie where anything is possible!
What is the best movie on this list?
Moby Dick (1956) is possibly the overall best movie on our list. It’s a fantastic adaption of Herman Melville’s novel and it has great sailing scenes throughout that any fan of the genre would love. Rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
What’s the funniest movie on the list?
A Hijacking (2012) is possibly the funniest film on our list. It’s very tense throughout but it also manages to be quite humorous in some places which makes for a great balance. Rated 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which movie on the list is the most exhilarating?
Dead Calm (1989) is the most exhilarating movie on our list. It’s a thriller so it’s incredibly tense, but what makes it even better is that there are some great sailing scenes throughout. Rated 79% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which movie on the list has the best cinematography?
Black Sails (2014) has the best cinematography on our list. The entire show is incredibly well put together and it manages to perfectly capture what sailing was like during that era which makes for some amazing scenes throughout. Rated 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which movie has the most intense plot?
Blown Away (1994) has the most intense plot on our list. It’s about a terrorist who holds hostages on a boat and there are some great scenes throughout that show the tension involved. Rated 60% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which movie do I personally like best?
I’ve always been fascinated with adventure so I’ve chosen Kon-Tiki (2012) as my personal favorite. It’s a fantastic movie about Thor Heyerdahl who sails from South America to the Polynesian islands using a handmade raft. Rated 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which movie has the best acting?
The Dove (1974) has the best acting on our list. It stars Lee Remick as Ellie Holcomb who sets out on an epic adventure when she travels to the South Pacific with her husband Frank. Rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s got some stunning sailing scenes throughout.
Which movie is best for a date night?
I’ve chosen Dead Calm (1989) as my personal favorite for a date night. It’s got Nicole Kidman, so of course it has to be good, and the plot is very romantic throughout. Rated 79% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which movie do I think will age the best?
The Dove (1974) is my personal choice for aging the best. It was made in the 70’s but it doesn’t feel like it because of how well put together everything is. It has some great sailing scenes throughout that are sure to delight any fans of The Love Boat or Fantasy Island. Rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which movie do I think will not age well?
A Hijacking (2012) is my personal choice for not aging well. It’s incredibly tense throughout and if the audience doesn’t feel scared then it isn’t doing its job properly. However, because of how intense it is I think it will date poorly over time. Rated 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you’re looking for a movie that will not only entertain and excite but also teach you about the beauty of sailing then Kon-Tiki (2012) should be at the top of your list. It’s an incredible story with stunning cinematography and amazing acting.
If we missed any movies on our list that are worth mentioning or if there is anything else you want to know please feel free to leave us a comment below!
Enjoy!
