The Whale

The Whale

90 mins | Drama, History | Dec. 22, 2013

Dramatic retelling of the fateful last voyage of the Nantucket whaleship Essex. When the Essex is attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in November 1820, her crew take to three fragile whalers. Alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the men must decide whether to head for the nearest islands - a thousand miles downwind to the west - or set out on an epic journey of almost three thousand miles to reach the South American mainland. Fear of cannibals forces them to choose South America. Almost three months later, the first whaler is rescued by another whaleship. Only three men are still alive. A week later the captain's whaler is also rescued, with just two men aboard. The third whaler is never found. This is a story of human endurance and what men in extremis will do to survive.

The Whale

90 mins | Drama, History | Dec. 22, 2013

The Whale
Dramatic retelling of the fateful last voyage of the Nantucket whaleship Essex. When the Essex is attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in November 1820, her crew take to three fragile whalers. Alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the men must decide whether to head for the nearest islands - a thousand miles downwind to the west - or set out on an epic journey of almost three thousand miles to reach the South American mainland. Fear of cannibals forces them to choose South America. Almost three months later, the first whaler is rescued by another whaleship. Only three men are still alive. A week later the captain's whaler is also rescued, with just two men aboard. The third whaler is never found. This is a story of human endurance and what men in extremis will do to survive.
IMDb rating 6.3
Producers BBC Factual Productions
Original title The Whale
Directors Alrick Riley
Writers

Cast

Martin Sheen

as Tom Nickerson

Jonas Armstrong

as Owen Chase

Paul Kaye

as Matthew Joy

Adam Rayner

as Captain George Pollard

Jassa Ahluwalia

as Owen Coffin

John Boyega

as William Bond

David Gyasi

as Richard Peterson

Ferdinand Kingsley

as Obed Hendricks

Jolyon Coy

as Benjamin Lawrence

Chris Starkie

as Watson