Spencer Tracy acts and narrates in this film about an old fisherman getting the catch of his life. The small boy, the terrace owner and any other characters are really there for a few scenes. The entire story is about the old man and the struggle with the fish a metaphor for life: it's hard and it sucks, and then you die. It was funny that my wife was always asking me "is he going to die?" like there was any chance the old man could be immortal. In the film he doesn't die, but that is clearly besides the point.
Tracy was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, but really, it's just a guy in a boat, talking to himself and to a fish and nothing much is going on. The film is just one hour and a half, but its simplistic plot makes it feel a bit too long, especially now, more than 50 years later since the movie was made. I guess it is a nice movie and it helps if you want to not read the written story, just don't expect too much.
Tracy was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, but really, it's just a guy in a boat, talking to himself and to a fish and nothing much is going on. The film is just one hour and a half, but its simplistic plot makes it feel a bit too long, especially now, more than 50 years later since the movie was made. I guess it is a nice movie and it helps if you want to not read the written story, just don't expect too much.