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John Paul Jones

  • 19591959
  • 2h 6m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
John Paul Jones (1959)
The career of Revolutionary War naval hero from his youth in Scotland through his service to Catherine the Great of Russia.
Play clip0:31
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1 Video
19 Photos
  • Action
  • Biography
  • History

The career of Revolutionary War naval hero from his youth in Scotland through his service to Catherine the Great of Russia.The career of Revolutionary War naval hero from his youth in Scotland through his service to Catherine the Great of Russia.The career of Revolutionary War naval hero from his youth in Scotland through his service to Catherine the Great of Russia.

IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • John Farrow
  • Writers
    • John Farrow
    • Ben Hecht(uncredited)
    • Jesse Lasky Jr.(film)
  • Stars
    • Robert Stack
    • Marisa Pavan
    • Charles Coburn
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Farrow
  • Writers
    • John Farrow
    • Ben Hecht(uncredited)
    • Jesse Lasky Jr.(film)
  • Stars
    • Robert Stack
    • Marisa Pavan
    • Charles Coburn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Clip
    Clip 0:31
    Clip

    Photos19

    Bette Davis, Charles Coburn, Marisa Pavan, and Robert Stack in John Paul Jones (1959)
    John Paul Jones (1959)
    John Paul Jones (1959)
    Robert Stack in John Paul Jones (1959)
    Charles Coburn in John Paul Jones (1959)
    John Paul Jones (1959)
    Bette Davis in John Paul Jones (1959)
    Robert Stack in John Paul Jones (1959)
    Charles Coburn and Robert Stack in John Paul Jones (1959)
    Robert Stack in John Paul Jones (1959)
    Peter Cushing and Robert Stack in John Paul Jones (1959)
    John Paul Jones (1959)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert Stack
    Robert Stack
    • John Paul Jonesas John Paul Jones
    Marisa Pavan
    Marisa Pavan
    • Aimee de Tellisonas Aimee de Tellison
    Charles Coburn
    Charles Coburn
    • Benjamin Franklinas Benjamin Franklin
    Erin O'Brien
    Erin O'Brien
    • Dorothea Dandersas Dorothea Danders
    Bette Davis
    Bette Davis
    • Empress Catherine the Greatas Empress Catherine the Great
    Macdonald Carey
    Macdonald Carey
    • Patrick Henryas Patrick Henry
    Jean-Pierre Aumont
    Jean-Pierre Aumont
    • King Louis XVIas King Louis XVI
    • (as Jean Pierre Aumont)
    David Farrar
    David Farrar
    • John Wilkesas John Wilkes
    Peter Cushing
    Peter Cushing
    • Capt. Richard Pearsonas Capt. Richard Pearson
    Susana Canales
    Susana Canales
    • Marie Antoinetteas Marie Antoinette
    • (as Susan Canales)
    Georges Rivière
    Georges Rivière
    • Russian Chamberlainas Russian Chamberlain
    • (as Jorge Riviere)
    Tom Brannum
    • Peter Wooleyas Peter Wooley
    Basil Sydney
    Basil Sydney
    • Sir William Youngas Sir William Young
    Bruce Cabot
    Bruce Cabot
    • Gunner Lowrieas Gunner Lowrie
    Archie Duncan
    Archie Duncan
    • Duncan MacBeanas Duncan MacBean
    Thomas Gomez
    Thomas Gomez
    • Esek Hopkinsas Esek Hopkins
    Judson Laire
    Judson Laire
    • Mr. Dandersas Mr. Danders
    Robert Cunningham
    • Lt. Wallingfordas Lt. Wallingford
    • (as Bob Cunningham)
    • Director
      • John Farrow
    • Writers
      • John Farrow
      • Ben Hecht(uncredited)
      • Jesse Lasky Jr.(film)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    The swashbuckling adventures of the Revolutionary War hero and inspiration of the US Navy. His contributions weren't always appreciated by the new U.S. government. After the Revolutionary War, Congress loans him to Catherine the Great of Russia where he fights for her. The story concludes with his death in France. —Steve Crook <steve@brainstorm.co.uk>
    • catherine the great character
    • john paul jones character
    • benjamin franklin character
    • patrick henry character
    • george washington character
    • 221 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A name ... a battle cry ... and now a mighty motion picture !
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Biography
      • History
      • Romance
      • War
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The real John Paul Jones' actual name was John Paul. He added the name "Jones" to avoid prosecution when he was accused of killing a seaman over a dispute of wages.
    • Goofs
      Prior to the battle between Serapis and Bonhomme Richard, Captain Pearson of the Serapis states that it is probably John Paul Jones' squadron. Although Pearson knew there was an American raiding force in the area, he actually thought that Jones' force was a Royal Navy squadron also in the area. It was this confusion which allowed Jones to get close to Serapis before the action began.
    • Quotes

      Captain Richard Pearson: Captain, are you surrendering? Do you ask for quarter?

      John Paul Jones: No sir! I have no yet begun to fight!

    • Connections
      Featured in Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Hollywood Royalty (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Yankee Doodle Dandy
      (uncredited)

      Traditional Anglo-American song

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A Fine Fighting Commander
    I have always believed that one of the reasons that John Paul Jones continues to be a fascinating figure is that we in America pride ourselves in that Horatio Alger tradition of the young man rising from humble circumstances to obtain wealth and prominence. Riches were not to be for Jones in his lifetime, but you can't fault the historical prominence he obtained as the spiritual if not the historical founder of the American Navy. And as the son of the gardener of a Scottish estate who ran away to see as a boy, his circumstances could hardly have been more humble.

    Robert Stack makes a commanding John Paul Jones and he's a full blown hero in the tradition of the Samuel Eliot Morrison biography from which this film is adapted. There is a later book about him that came out a few years back written by Evan Thomas which presents Jones as the hero this film makes him out to be.

    One thing that was overlooked is that it presents Jones as a man unlucky in love. Erin O'Brien-Moore and Marisa Pavan are the Virginia planter heiress and the French noblewoman who were the women in his life. I can assure you that there were many others, Jones was quite the ladies man, he never lacked for feminine companionship when on dry land.

    Except for a cameo appearance as himself in Pepe, this film was the farewell role for Charles Coburn who played Benjamin Franklin who was Jones's biggest booster in the Continental Congress. He's good as the foxy philosopher Franklin was reputed to be. It is a factual error when you see him at Jones's death bed, Franklin had died a couple of years earlier in the USA. He also did not bring him the news of an offer of a commission in the Russian Navy under Queen Catherine the Great.

    Bette Davis played Catherine the Great ever so briefly and I wish we got to see more of her. Jones did take command of her fleet and did defeat the Turks as per the film. It was the only time Jones showed what he could do as a naval strategist and he passed the test. His exploits with the Continental Navy were as a single ship in combat.

    In vain Jones fought vigorously for a permanent Navy for the young United States. You see one of his opponents being John Adams. In an ironic twist of history when Adams got to be the second president of the United States and we were in an undeclared naval war with France, he got a Navy going in a hurry then. Our department of the Navy was founded during his administration, but John Paul Jones was a few years dead by then.

    Despite some historical errors the film does present John Paul Jones as he would wish to be remembered. And this review is dedicated to the United States Navy, to the many men and women who have served and continue to serve in it, guided by the example of a fine fighting commander in John Paul Jones.
    helpful•7
    1
    • bkoganbing
    • Aug 16, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 16, 1959 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Spain
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Beherrscher der Meere
    • Filming locations
      • Scotland, UK
    • Production companies
      • Samuel Bronston Productions
      • Suevia Films - Cesáreo González
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 6 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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