"The Lightship" takes place aboard a lightship...an anchored ship that acts like a lighthouse. The beauty of these is that they can be moved, if necessary. I grew up seeing the lightship Chesapeake near my house. I was surprised, however, to learn that these ships are not just an American thing but are used in Europe as well...and this film was filmed in Germany with English-speaking actors. And, if you care, there never was a lightship called 'Hatteras' like it is in the film. In fact, the lightship that DID work the coast along the Virginia/North Carolina region was not the Hatteras but the Diamond Shoal...which was sunk during WWI.
The plot is very simple. The crew of a lightship see a derelict vessel...a small boat whose engine appears to be broken and her passengers stranded. So, they did what you would expect...they bring the men aboard the lightship. But no good deed goes unpunished and it turns out the three rescued men are wanted criminals and they commandeer the lightship. What's next? See the film....or don't...as it seems to take FOREVER for anything to happen in this film...and so often the actions of the characters simply make little sense.
This film marks, by far, the strangest performance by Robert Duvall (the leader of the criminals). His accent is weird...sort of like a patrician from Long Island AND a Southern gentleman combined. Non-Americans might not notice how strange he sounds...but he sure sounds and acts weird in this one. In fact, I think it's the worst performance I've seen by this incredibly talented actor. This might account for why it's one of his more obscure films.
So, apart from Duvall's character, is the movie any good? Not really. As I mentioned above, it seems to take forever for much of anything to happen and mostly the movie consists of Duvall's weird character talking and talking and talking. It's not especially enjoyable and I had to struggle to stick with the movie. And, considering how nonsensical the characters act, I cannot understand a few reviews which give this movie 10s.
The plot is very simple. The crew of a lightship see a derelict vessel...a small boat whose engine appears to be broken and her passengers stranded. So, they did what you would expect...they bring the men aboard the lightship. But no good deed goes unpunished and it turns out the three rescued men are wanted criminals and they commandeer the lightship. What's next? See the film....or don't...as it seems to take FOREVER for anything to happen in this film...and so often the actions of the characters simply make little sense.
This film marks, by far, the strangest performance by Robert Duvall (the leader of the criminals). His accent is weird...sort of like a patrician from Long Island AND a Southern gentleman combined. Non-Americans might not notice how strange he sounds...but he sure sounds and acts weird in this one. In fact, I think it's the worst performance I've seen by this incredibly talented actor. This might account for why it's one of his more obscure films.
So, apart from Duvall's character, is the movie any good? Not really. As I mentioned above, it seems to take forever for much of anything to happen and mostly the movie consists of Duvall's weird character talking and talking and talking. It's not especially enjoyable and I had to struggle to stick with the movie. And, considering how nonsensical the characters act, I cannot understand a few reviews which give this movie 10s.