I watched this years ago. Indeed this is one of my first memories sitting down on a Saturday or a Sunday watching this film with my father. I was confused when Spencer's Old Man described the fish as his brother. I even asked dad -how can a fish be his broher I remember Spencer's old man praying. Noting that My father told me they were Atlantic Marlin. Which he claimed people had seen in Irish waters. A quick search leaves me sceptical. I am however describing events from decades ago. Close to 50 years
The cast is slim, Spencer's Old Man , the boy, and a cafe owner, and a black man the Old Man wrestles with in Casablanca..
Cuba looks beautiful. It is a hard life the Old Man lives, but not without its comforts. The Old Man speaks about baseball, he remembers seeing several greats in Cuba he has a beer and the boy has a soda
The Old man lives in a shack=sacred heart of Jesus picture. The universalness of the Church
I liked the meditation on aging- do old men rise early because they want more of the day? The Old Man not dreaming of faces, or women but the African coast- he knew as a stevadore. The lions playing on the coast- we see a tabby cat later- a bit of mirroring
The Marlin is huge- I had forgotten how damn big it is, Sharks are an eternal enemy. Unlike the Lion, they cannot be forgiven. They are relentless like Measles or exposure
A delighful performance by Spencer Tracey
