John Paul Jones (1959) User Reviews (20)

Biography of one of the great men of the American Revolution , being produced by the great Samuel Bronston and spectacularly filmed in Spain

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 16 November 2013]

Biopic about a notorious sea commandant , a 18th-century naval hero who became the prestigious leader of the American navy against the British Empire . This is tribute to the Revolutionary War naval hero filmed in big budget , spectacular scenes and great production design , though was pretty wooden and failed at box office . The career of Revolutionary War naval hero , John Paul Jones (Robert Stack) from his youth in Scotland through his service to Catherine the Great of Russia (Bette Davis) . It deals with his beginnings of his naval career as a cabin boy to the captaincy of his own ship . This came to an end, however, when John killed a member of his crew, a mutineer with a sword in a dispute , but because he would not be tried in an Admiral's Court, he felt compelled to flee to Fredericksburg, Province of Virginia, leaving his fortune behind . He went to Fredericksburg to arrange the affairs of his brother, who had died there without leaving any other family ; and about this time, in addition to his original surname, he assumed the surname of Jones . Later on , he greatly aids George Washington (John Crawford) and the American cause . With Benjamin Franklin's (Charles Coburn) help, he secures a ship from Louis XVI (Jean Pierre Aumont) and Marie Antoinette (Susana Canales) which he calls the Bonhomme Richard and ultimately meets the vaunted British battleship of the line, the Searapis, in one of the great naval battles of all time.

It's a passable historical drama story where the protagonist , Robert Stack , is acceptable . Stack striving mightily to be shipshape as Jones . It is an epic and moving tale , as the starring fights enemies , taking on the risks of sea battles to survive in a world surrounded by powerful forces . The picture contains interesting drama , a love history , colorful spectacle , historical events and sea battles have some flare , being filmed in Denia , Alicante , Spain . This historic movie was realized with import help from Spanish government delivering logistics , props , soldiers and many other things . Being a Spanish/American co-production by Suevia Films-Cesareo Gonzalez along with Samuel Bronston Production in his first movie in Spain where he produced monumental flicks such as ¨El Cid¨ , ¨55 days in Pekin¨ , ¨King of Kings¨ , ¨Circus World¨ and ¨The fall of the Roman Empire¨ . Very good support cast such as Macdonald Carey as Patrick Henry , Jean-Pierre Aumont as King Louis XVI , David Farrar as John Wilkes , Bruce Cabot as Gunner , Thomas Gomez as Hopkins , Peter Cushing as Capt. Richard Pearson and final film of Charles Coburn ; including cameo appearances from Bette Davis as Catherina The Great, the Russian empress , Eric Pohlmann as George III replaced George Sanders , and film debut of Mia Farrow , director's daughter and Maureen O'Sullivan . Rousing musical score by master Max Steiner , this would be the last time Max Steiner would compose a film score for a film featuring Bette Davis , he had written several scores for movies starring Davis, and had been her favorite composer . The picture was professionally directed by veteran filmmaker John Farrow , though with no originality , being his final film . However , this sometimes tedious , empty and overlong epic sank without a trace .

The motion picture was correctly based on historic events , these are the following : John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was a Scottish sailor and the United States's first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolution. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to this day. As such he is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the United States Navy" . He later served in the Imperial Russian Navy. During his engagement with HMS Serapis, Jones uttered, according to the later recollection of his first lieutenant, the legendary reply to a taunt about surrender from the British captain: "I have not yet begun to fight!"

Sailing on the bounding main

[jjnxn-1 · 7/10 · 4 July 2014]

Not entirely accurate but at times rousing nautical adventure purporting to tell the story of the early American naval hero.

Stack is okay in the lead but some of his early career zest would have benefited the character. What we get instead is a rigid and mostly humorless stick figure in the lead. Some reverence for Jones is that man's due but a bit more animation in Stack's performance would have made him more accessible.

What helps deflect from his wooden performance is an incredibly colorful and sumptuous production with several maritime battles thrown in for good measure that's a treat to the eyes. Aside from that there are some very well cast performers in key roles. MacDonald Carey makes a fine Patrick Henry and Bette Davis, dolled up in a sky high wig, ermine and pearls, has a lot of fun in her tiny cameo as Catherine the Great. The real standout though is Charles Coburn as Benjamin Franklin. So right is he for the role, not just in appearance but getting the balance of the pattern of Franklin's personality right, a mix of seriousness and the twinkle in his eye and sense of fun that old Ben was renown for that it makes you regret that he never had a chance to more fully portray Franklin in a biography.

As a true document of John Paul Jones life it may miss the mark but it's still a decent entertainment.

Colorful story of the Naval hero during the American Revolution...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 22 August 2010]

JOHN PAUL JONES is certainly a colorful film to look at, but the script is rather stately and dull when it should be tense and exciting and a lot of this may be due to the casting of ROBERT STACK in the title role. He cuts a handsome figure in his period costumes and is certainly a man who can speak forcefully on occasion, but he tends to wear the same solemn expression throughout. His outbursts of anger are sometimes hard to comprehend but he does get things done and everyone seems to bend to his will no matter what the circumstances are--that's the kind of hero he's depicted as being.

It's a handsome looking film with a capable cast including CHARLES COBURN as Benjamin Franklin and MARISA PAVAN as Jones' love interest in a rather colorless role. But BETTE DAVIS has fun with her brief scenes and actually brings a lively flavor to the film once she appears as Catherine the Great and falls under the spell of the man with a commanding presence.

It may not be accurate as history, but it's spectacular to watch in some of the lushest Technicolor from the '50s with a nice score by Max Steiner that gives the film a lift when it needs it. Under John Farrow's direction, the film is a bit talky at times but comes to life during the battle scenes. Farrow shares credit for the script with contributions from Ben Hecht and others.

Biography, Colorful And Routine.

[rmax304823 · 4 August 2011]

Robert Stack, who plays John Paul Jones in this biographical pic, was by all accounts a nice guy, an avid skeet shooter who didn't take his career too seriously. It was a good idea not to. As an actor he was pretty wooden. His expressions throughout "John Paul Jones" is one of firm conviction. There are times, with Marisa Pavan, when he tries to smile, but one can almost hear an agonized creak as unused muscles are called into play. In close ups, he never blinks. It's the kind of role he would parody so hilariously in "Airplane!" The director is John Farrow, who also had a hand in polishing the screenplay. Farrow showed some subtlety in some of his work, such as "Leave Her To Heaven," a soap opera made of venom. Here -- the well seems to have run dry. The first American flag is raised on an American ship, triumphant music swells in the background, the crew stands at attention with its hats off, and a dog sits up in salute. A DOG? Yes, a dog, and this is not a Walt Disney movie.

Yet, I'm hard put to recommend that this movie be avoided. It does carry some hard truths. Jones was, after all, captain of a slave ship for a while and this, along with a few other characterological blemishes, is brought up. Moreover, the viewers, many of whom may be presumed never to have even HEARD of John Paul Jones, also get to meet Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, and a few other historical figures. One of them is George Washington. But Washington only appears in a brief scene at a studio-bound Valley Forge, and is only photographed in silhouette -- and from behind. We never see his face. This is a cinematic convention usually reserved for the Son of God.

I presume a certain amount of the material is fictional. Movies have to have romance as well as action. And most of the dialog is conjectural by its nature. Further we have to be really careful in dealing with the Revolutionary War. Since the end of the ill-conceived War of 1812, we and the Brits have been staunch allies in two horrifying world wars and several other enterprises. That means the "enemy" can't be demonized.

But all of that isn't very important when compared to Americans' ignorance of their own history. Everybody of high school age ought to see it. A survey on the Fourth of July in 2010 revealed that one in five Americans didn't know which country we'd achieved our independence from. (Wrong answers included France and China.) Yes, by all means, make sure your kids see this. Box their ears if they balk.

Not a bad movie

[faronyoung23 · 7/10 · 5 July 2018]

I enjoyed the movie despite its historical inaccuracies, and okay action but that is what I expect and enjoy in old Hollywood movies especially when they were made in color. This movie caught my eye when I saw that it was a Robert Stack movie. Always an imposing figure. And then the added benefit of seeing the lovely Marisa Paven in color! She was Italian, so I must say, Che Bella Donna! Molto bene per me a guadarla a lei. (That is if my Italian is any good?!?). So, while my wife found it boring and quickly gave up on it, I found its slow pace with vivid color a welcome.

history class movie

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 6 October 2020]

New recruits joining the U.S. Navy ship John Paul Jones are told of the ship's namesake. John Paul was a Scottish boy rebelling against the authorities from a young age. He (Robert Stack) becomes a merchant ship captain. After killing a man to put down a mutiny, he is forced to escape to Virginia and take on his new name, John Paul Jones. He would captain his ship in battles for the new United States of America.

This is a biopic of an American historical figure shot in Spain. I don't know much about the historical figure. Robert Stack seems intent on playing him with a stiff spine and without much nuance. I'm not going to comment on his lack of accent which would be unusable for an America audience. This covers a lot of time and probably falters due to it. There is lots of potential for great war action but the movie skips most of it probably due to financial constraints. It would serve the movie to concentrate on one moment in the war. It would be far more compelling and far more intense. There is one climatic naval battle but it is more swashbuckling than grim war reality. Also, John Paul Jones doesn't really have character growth. He is who he is from the start to the finish. At the end of the day, it's a history class movie but it's not that compelling.

Review of film

[Paladin-13 · 8/10 · 1 November 1998]

Essentially a biography in movie format, tells of the life of John Paul Jones, the man who put the U.S. Navy on the map during the American Revolution. It touches briefly on his early life, concentrating on his life in the colonies and what led him to go there after a career in the King's service. Movie also touches on the impact and standards that Jones imprinted on today's navy, and it is this element, among others, that makes this well worth watching. Stack (although taller than Jones's height of 5'4") is perfectly cast in the title role. Not to be overlooked either are Coburn's portrayal of Benjamin Franklin, Davis's of Catherine the Great, and Max Steiner's excellent musical score. Additional note: movie was produced by Samuel Bronston, who also produced and did a magnificent job on "El Cid." Whether one is looking for a movie about the Age Of Sail period or simply wants to learn about Jones, this is an excellent choice.

Overdone in the Sun

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 17 August 2010]

After becoming a Revolutionary War hero, Scottish seafaring Robert Stack (as John Paul Jones) wants to hook up with wispy Marisa Pavan (as Aimee de Tellison), upon obtaining the blessing of founding father pal Charles Coburn (as Benjamin Franklin). Although he helped win America's independence, Mr. Stack butts heads with the country's Congress, who send him to Russia, where he has a brief encounter with French-accented Empress Bette Davis (as Catherine the Great).

This overproduced and generally uncomfortable-looking "John Paul Jones" biography is loud, stiff, and boring. As if to compensate, the color is turned up so much it appears as if the sea and sky were dyed for the occasion, along with a few of the wigs. There is an impressive use of fire during a sea battle, and Mr. Stack does get to exclaim, "I have not yet begun to fight!" Ms. Davis adds little beside her name to the credits, but Mr. Coburn and a few others help keep it afloat.

**** John Paul Jones (6/19/59) John Farrow ~ Robert Stack, Marisa Pavan, Charles Coburn, Bette Davis

A Fine Fighting Commander

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 16 August 2010]

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.

Wow....you'd think that John Paul Jones needed meds if you watch this film!!

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 16 August 2010]

First off, the review by theowinthrop is masterful--and so I don't have to go into great deal about all the ways that the film is historically inaccurate. Second, this film is enough to convince me that my uncle is correct--Robert Stack wasn't much of an actor or at least the writers writing his part were idiots! After all, almost every five minutes, his John Paul Jones is getting angry and flying off the handle--screaming and carrying on like he'd missed more than a few doses of medication! As a result, although the film is interesting, it is almost comical as well. As I watched this with my in-laws, we began laughing at all the times he blew his top--and we were shocked if a period longer than 5 minutes passed without his mood swinging like some sort of maniac! So if the film had a lot in accuracies, had a Captain with a severe mood disorder and was also too episodic, what DID I like about it? Well, the color cinematography was lovely and at least the film did not end with the American Revolution but at least mentioned his service for the Russians as well as his death in France. A woefully inadequate film about a fascinating man--it sure would be great if they did a REALISTIC biography of this complex man.

A Fascinating, Flawed Hero, and a Stiff Error-filled Movie.

[theowinthrop · 10 May 2004]

Although the writing credits on this film mention a story by one of the writers called "Nor'wester", it seems the roots of this film go further back. A brilliant, unscrupulous hack named Augustus Buell wrote a series of so-called biographies at the turn-on-the-century of various American heroes. His biography of Andrew Jackson is like his biography of John Paul Jones - he "embellished" it. In the biography of Jackson Buell (unfortunately) invented the charming quote that Jackson's two greatest regrets were never hanging John C. Calhoun for treason, and never killing Henry Clay in a duel. Unfortunately Buell's lies have been quoted by better historians for decades. Marquis James' Pulitzer Prize Winning biography of Jackson used Buell a-plenty. His work on the life of Jones was so damaging to scholars that the great historian Samuel Eliot Morison wrote an in-depth appendix of the lies Buell wrote. An example: Buell said there was a love triangle in Virginia between Patrick Henry, John Paul Jones, and the woman they both loved (whom Henry married). This never happened. It is in the film JOHN PAUL JONES.

Not everything is in the film. Buell had a fictitious quote from Napoleon I that he would have used Jones (who lived his last years in Paris)to head his navy against Nelson at Trafalgar. Napoleon never said that - and probably did not even know who Jones was. A lot of Buell was removed - but a lot remains in it.

The film also suffers from the star. Robert Stack was an admirable Elliot Ness on television, and had a goofy streak he revealed in AIRPLANE, CADDYSHACK II, 1941, and other late films. But he could seem stiff and overblown - and he does so in this film. He does seem properly heroic, but he rarely shows the darker side of Jones' character. He was a disciplinarian, and harsh tempered. He probably was responsible for killing two crewmen, one who tried to strike the flag of the Bon Homme Richard during the battle with the Serapis, and one just before the war, when Jones was Captain John Paul of the British merchant marine. In the earlier instance Jones knocked down a mutinous (or seemingly mutinous) seaman, and the other crewmen were ready to bring charges against him with the British authorities. This led to Jones fleeing to the 13 colonies, and changing his name.

Another thing cleaned up (or at least changed) is the career of Jones as a Russian Rear Admiral under Empress Catherine the Great (Bette Davis). The film suggests that the Empress hired Jones, in part, due to his attractive appearance (after all, the Empress had all those affairs). Actually she hired him needing able sea commanders to fight the Turks in the Black Sea. And the experiment did not work because of jealousy by Russian commanders (possibly assisted by Catherine's chief minister Potemkin - whom the famous battleship in the Eisenstein movie is named after). Also, Jones left under a scandal - he may have picked up an underage girl, and was arrested (but released when he agreed to leave Russia). It was then that he moved to Paris (where he died in 1792). Oh, Benjamin Franklin died in 1790 in Philadelphia - he had stopped being Minister to France in 1784 (when he was replaced by Thomas Jefferson). He could not be present when Jones is dying in 1792 in Paris (as he is in the film). Well - it is a movie.

Some of the history is correct. Jones was (with John Barry and Joshua Barney) the only American Revolutionary naval heroes to win battles against the British. Jones (with Franklin's help) did remarkable work with three ships: the Richard (named for Franklin's "Poor Richard"), the Alliance, and the Ranger. He did sizeable damage to British commerce, and (best of all) actually raided the British Isles (his old home area in Scotland). The battle scenes dealing with the climactic duel between the "Richard" and the "Serapis" is well done. It even reminds us to the bizaare behavior of Captain Landais, a French madmen who was in command of the "Richard"'s companion ship, who actually fired on the "Richard" during the battle.

Also, on a minor note - in one moment of the film Stack is angry about the delays from Congress in giving him a ship, confronting the head of the Naval Committee. This is Mr. Hewes of North Carolina. It oddly enough fits in as a sequel to a minor figure in the musical 1776: Mr. Joseph Hewes of North Carolina is the leader of that state's congressional body, who frequently waits for the mentally stronger Edmund Rutledge of South Carolina to vote first. He also criticizes the Declaration of Independence for failing to include anything about "deep sea fishing rights" See, even there Mr. Hewes was concentrating on sea matters.

So the film does have some moments worth watching. But it is too stiff and too long.

If you want to know more about Jones, read the biography of Jones by Morison, or the more recent biography that has been published. At least you will get the full and true story.

flawed but still good

[segelb00t · 8/10 · 3 February 2005]

the other reviewer hit the nail right on the head, this movie is full of historical inaccuracies, the house of burgess is in Williamsburg, Virginie, and John Paul Jone's brother lived and is buried in historic downtown fredericksburg, a good two hour drive from Williamsburg. the Virginie love triangle is rather silly. despite the flaws, i've liked this movie ever since i was a little boy and saw it on TNT during one of the fourth of July marathons... maybe i like my heroes a little stiff, but i thought Robert stack did an alright job. although, it would be nice to see the movie remade with a little more historical accuracy, and maybe have Mel Gibson or Russel crowe or a Scottish actor play jpj... he'd sound a little more accurate, i can watch this movie over and over again.

Turgid Swashbuckler

[kitablett-05623 · 1/10 · 19 December 2017]

And so ended Robert Stack's movie career. This turgid thing has to be one of the most boring movies I've ever had the misfortune to watch. John Farrow, the director of this awful movie, should have been ashamed of himself. The actors all look either bored or at a loss as how portray their parts, especially Robert Stack ,whom has never been more wooden in his whole career. The photography, despite the beautiful locations, is totally static and there seemed to be little editing or close-ups in the whole film. The audience of the day must have longed for the heyday of Errol Flynn in movies like "Captain Blood" and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" when they watched this turkey. An actual action scene does take place about 95 minutes into the movie, but it's much too little , too late. It's sort of like a bad school history lesson, which I remember so well. Charles Coburn is a welcome participant as is Bette Davis at the end , although the scene she appears in, with the "bring on the dancing girls, if all else fails" routine, is unintentionally funny. Even the usual brilliant Technicolor has a brown cast to it which makes the colour in the film seem annoying for the most part. If you want to spend over two hours being bored, do watch this film.

Jones: Larger than Life

[deanofrpps · 10/10 · 31 July 2007]

In The Revolution only one man attacked British merchant shipping so fierce that the Llyod's Company begged King George to let America go. That same man attacked a British installation in the West Indies and conducted the only foreign incursion on British soil in a millennium. Such a character must have captured taken Hollywood by storm.

Billed as the "true" story of John Paul Jones, John Paul Jones offers for Hollywood an accurate summary of the dynamic naval hero's life.

Though larger than life, Jones born John Paul stood 5'6" tall, hardly NBA material today but in his time perhaps average. Size was hardly the only obstacle Jones had to overcome. Not favored by birth into a poor Scottish Clan during occupation by Red Coats. John Paul at age 14 goes to sea as ship's boy.

Rising to wealth in the West Indies, John Paul (Robert Stack) kills a mutinous crewman. The British magistrate offers friendly advise: flee to America rather than face an Admiralty Court. In Virginia, Jones finds America seething with resentment toward the Redcoats and veering into revolution.

When Revolution explodes, Jones accepts a commission. His mission to raid a British fortification in the West Indies brings needed gunpowder to the American cause. In his next command, Jones takes 18 British vessels. Despite all the prizes, the Continental Congress lands Jones at the bottom of their list of naval commanders.

Robert Stack's stately appearance and mellifluous voice carry the air of command, even if they do not capture a Scottish burr. Stack plays Jones as the committed hero, unshakable in battle, despite a justifiably anger at the ingratitude Congress would show almost all its talented land and sea commanders.

Yet despite the rage General George Washington (Jack Crawford) persuades Jones to return to sea to break the British blockade. Jones promises to steal the derelict Ranger docked at Portsmouth, refit it, raise a crew, and set to sea.

On the briny, the French greet The Ranger (according to the movie) with the first salute given to the flag of the United States. History usually gives the honour of the first salute to US colors to the Dutch at St. Eustis.

Rushing to Doctor Franklin (Charles Coburn), Jones has a plan to invade the British Isles with a tiny ship. While distracting the entire British Navy with incursions and raids, Jones will force insurance rates to skyrocket. Although the mission was successful, a disgruntled crewman's charges lead to the relief of Jones. Ranger is withdrawn to America. High and Dry in France with only the comfort of his beloved aimee, Aimee Jones regrets his inability to build an American Navy above politics and privateering.

Although the King of France cannot provide a ship for Jones, the Queen privately invests in the Bon Homme Richard named after Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac." Asea under the American flag, meets the HMS Serapis in an attack so fierce that the two ships are grappled together and firing point blank. Refusing to surrender, Jones declares the famous words, "I have not yet begun to fight." The British surrender just in time for the Americans to transfer to the captured vessel before the good ship Bonhomme flounders.

First in war and first asea, Jones finishes last in love. Despite honors and acclaim Jone's girl Aimee is of the blood Royal who cannot marry a commoner. Peace brings a let down. The young republic cannot afford a naval fleet with competent seamen. The Real life Jones warned accurately of future trouble with the Barbary coast.The new Republic would pay dearly ($2000 per seaman captured by barbary pirates) for ignoring Jone's prophesy.

Jones departed for Russia to accept a commission as rear admiral in the Czarist Imperial Navy from Catherine the Great (Bette Davis). In the movie, Jones is on assignment from the US government to study the building of a real navy; in reality Jones was out of work and needed a job. While the Empress is less interested in war than playthings, Jones prefers the sea and his command.

The real life Jones found the Czarina's navy in worse shape than the American Navy with conscripted serfs unable at seamanship. Jone's reports resulted in trumped up charges. Luckily Jones was permitted to leave for France.

The movie version is kinder to the Russians. Despite constant interference and poor ships, Jones has won great battles in the Black Sea for the czarina. However, Jones has fallen critically ill.

On return from Russia, Jones is attended by Franklin and Aimee. In real life Jones died alone. Franklin had departed for America long before.

Jones probably would have enjoyed the uniqueness of his burial: the first unnoticed almost without ceremony in the foreign cemetery in Paris seething with its own revolution. The remains would probably have crumbled into dust except that an American consular official thought that America might wake up sometime in the future and recall its hero home. The body was placed in a leadened coffin.

In 1906 the US emerging as a superpower located the grave now under a Paris street and dis-interned Jones for reburial in the chapel at Annapolis, Md. All the pomp lacking in 1792 was found over 100 years later.

Disappointing except for the excellent music by Max Steiner

[pacificgroove-315-494931 · 5/10 · 10 July 2019]

Best aspect of this mediocre film is Max Steiner's musical score, especially the strirring main theme. Otherwise the movie is disappointing, not terrible, but far from what it might have been.

I've not researched John Paul Jones' actual life, but it's obvious a lot of what is portrayed is contrived fiction.

Some parts of the film seem overlong, such as the battle scenes, which are often confusing. Who is on which side?, since the uniforms of Brits and Americans are similar, and the editing adds to the confusion. Other parts of the film seem pared down from what may have been shot, such as the cursory "love" story between Jones and the French protege of Ben Franklin. Or Bruce Cabot's cifer of a character; he's very quickly introduced as a bad*ss, then briefly glimpsed as one of the good guy fighters in a handful of scenes; what did they cut out?

As others have noted, Stack's one dimensional acting is a pretty big minus, but he is believable as a driven man of action.

I love the comment by one IMDB reviewer about George Washington only being shown from the back (while we hear his godlike words of wisdom), a treatment Hollywood usually reserved for "the son of God" !

Interesting directing

[pethelpers · 8/10 · 19 August 2010]

I was delighted to see this film as I am a voracious consumer of anything about the American Revolution. Aside from any possible historical flaws mentioned by others I found some of the directing touches quite interesting. Most novel was the way George Washington was portrayed when Jones went to visit him at Valley Forge. He was filmed only from the back as would be seen by some observer (e.g. news reporter ) in the room. The effect was quite powerful. It saved us worrying about things like if the actor playing Washington looked enough like him etc. and simply gave us a ghostly impression of the Washington we read about in the history books - namely, a giant of a man both physically and morally and probably the greatest man in history. It occurred to me that Director John Farrow was portraying not the man but rather alluding to the LEGEND on screen. If that was the aim he certainly succeeded.

The 'living presence' of the legend was enhanced by the fact that the image spoke in that arcane English of the time.

The net result was that a huge cinematic impression was provided of a very great man. Nice directing twist innovation !

John Paul Jones movie extras

[purchsvcs · 27 November 2006]

Just a question; where was JPJ filmed? (I'm looking for ALL locations)and does the movie archive keep a list of unnamed and uncredited extras who appeared (in the backdrop) of the film? My folks have had a replica of the Declaration of Independence in our living room that they say was a souvenir given to people (i.e. my uncle) who were hired by the producers as extras. He said that he was a signer of the document. He and my aunt also kept a copy in their house. It's been awhile since I've seen the movie, but I will look more closely next time to see if I recognize him. My uncle wasn't an actor, but a military man (retired, I think, by that time). He had to have been in the right place at the right time to be chosen as an extra. I'd love to have more info. Jeff

The Extreme Dangers of Nepotism written into that . . .

[oscaralbert · 8/10 · 11 July 2018]

. . . moldy, Racist "Suicide Pact" from the 1700s (aka, the initial U.S. Constitution)--under which America still suffered through the early years of the 21st Century--is the core focus of this timely Warning from the Past on the part of the always eponymous Warner Bros. During JOHN PAUL JONES, the title character is thwarted at every turn by fat cat family flunkies thriving in the proprietary seas of their own incompetence. Rich People Greed again and again stymies JOHN PAUL JONES' heroic efforts to build an American Meritocracy based upon Democratic Values. These Evil Trilaterals' insistence upon selfish in-breeding among their own kind even throws up roadblocks in JOHN PAUL JONES' love life, first with "Dorothea Danders;" then with "Aimee Bourbon." Warner's clairvoyant prognosticators obviously are extrapolating JOHN PAUL JONES' sorry state of affairs (and sad affairs of state) to a day in (their) Far Future (i.e., our Present) in which an Oval Office Occupant will appoint First Daughter "Buy Her Stuff" to oversee his industrial-scale child kidnap and trafficking mob, while assigning his sons to initiate a private line to the Russian KGB as his son-in-law continues to launder a stolen TRILLION for the Demon Czar and his Oligarch Henchmen (this being forecast by an equally prophetic "Catherine the Great" in pithy comments too graphic to be subtitled for JOHN PAUL JONES' original 1959 audience, or close-captioned for we Modern People of Today).

Not Begun Too Trite

[redryan64 · 8/10 · 4 January 2015]

BEING THE LAST theatrically released film that was done starring Mr. Robert Stack prior to his appearing as Prohibition Agent, Elliot Ness, its stature and viewer-ship doubtless was enhanced with the name of Stack being now a household word. As we recall, the series was already on ABC when JOHN PAUL JONES(Samuel Bronston Prod./Suevia Films/Warner Bros., 1959)hit the shows.*

AS AN HISTORICAL Biopic, it was somewhat more lively than many others; which often opted for a more Docudrama approach. Early scene of a young John Paul pitching some cackle fruit (that's eggs, Schultz) at some Redcoats. This happened in young Jones' native Scotland. This was most likely a mood setter and a dramatic tool.

OTHERWISE THE MOVIE moves along tracing the life of who has been called "the Father of the United States Navy" as it progresses from humble beginnings to his famous quote of "I have not yet begun to fight!"

BY STORY'S END we see Admiral Jones auditioning for Russia's Czarina Catherine the Great; being played in a sort of Cameo Role by the Actress of Actresses, Betty Davis.

SEEING THIS WAS a big deal for us when we were in Junior High. It was a story that had to be told and could well be told again. The Historical biopic may not be the best source of learning about one's nation; but it is at least a step in the right direction; especially today, when the teaching of History and its companion piece, Geography, seems to have become a thing of the past.

NOTE * The Untouchables premiered as a two part story on the hour long DESILU PLAYHOUSE on CBS the year before its emergence as a weekly series on ABC. The initial story concerned the bagging of Capone and his subsequent trip to the Federal Pen.

This is a terrible movie

[MovieIQTest · 16 March 2024]

The screenplay was such a poorly written and crafted one that only skimmed the surface of a historical person that served the early beginning of America. This movie about John Paul Jone only superfluously told us how he was fooled and manipulated by the American bureaucrats even the nation just claimed it's independent from the British Empire, no more a colony but a new nation. The movie was full of big words, blah, blah this or that, every man is born free and equal, but what John faced was constant rejections by those politicians. He kept lost his commissions as a captain, without ship to command. Then he was sent away as a mercenary to fight for France, even for the Russia. The fighting scenes on the high sea were often messy and confusing. You couldn't even distinguish who was the enemies. But the most annoying thing about this movie is the loud, almost deafening soundtrack, the horrible music that almost accompanied and synchronized with every scene. There's nothing about the person of John Paul Jones, but a pathetic pawn, a servant, an errand man, often betrayed or cheated by those so-called Founding Fathers, except B. Franklin.

This is a horribly scripted and directed movie. A total waste and an insult not just to John Paul Jones but also the cool dude of Robert Stack.