Moby Dick (1998) s01e01 Episode Script

1
Call me Ishmael. Some years ago,
never mind how long precisely,
having little or no money
in my purse
And nothing particular
to interest me on shore,
I thought I would sail about
a little
And see the watery part
of the world.
[ Men whooping,
singing ] ♪[ Singing continues ]
♪[ Singing ]
♪[ Singing,
louder ] [ Laughing ] [ Men arguing ]
[ Continue arguing ]
[ Drunken man muttering ]
[ Whoops, laughs ]
Going to sea,
are ya ? Aye, that I am.
Ship's mate,
I suppose.
[ Chuckles ]
No.
A passenger, then ?
Not very likely.
A passenger needs a wallet.
That's just a slice
of leather
When there's nothing in it. A
commodore then or a cook ?
No, no,
a simple sailor
Jumping from spar to spar
like a grasshopper
in a may Meadow.
Very much like a slave,
you might say.
But who isn't a slave, huh ?
Tell me that.
Well, I suppose you're going
whaling then. [ Ishmael ] Aye.
Would you be having a room
then for a simple sailor,
Mr.-- ?
Mr. Coffin, is it ?
Oh, aye,
if you've no objection
To sharing a blanket with a simple
harpooner. A harpooner ? Well
I'd rather put up with half
any decent man's blanket
Than wander further
on so bitter a night.
Could that be him, sir ?
The harpooner.
[ Chuckling ]
No, that's Mr. Perth and
the rest of the grampus crew.
Oh.
Just landed. Liquor's
already gone to their heads.
Uh, Mr. Perth ?
Off looking to board
another ship, are you ?
[ Chuckles ] It'll be fun. [
Chuckling ] [ Chuckles ]
[ Drunken man ]
on a donkey ♪
donkey riding
donkey riding ♪
[ Women laughing ]
[ Women giggling ]
Oh, don't step on him
♪[ Singing continues ]
What about you,
dear ?
♪[ Continues singing ]
♪[ Singing, laughing
continue ]
That Mr. Stubb
ain't seen a skirt
in nearly two years.
[ Chuckling ]
Step lively, lad.
I haven't got all night.
This whale oil's getting a bit
low. I best refill it tomorrow.
[ Thunder rumbling ]
[ Sighs ]
It seems a trifle small
for two grown men.
Well, if you're gonna go
whaling, better get used
to that sort of thing.
Why, look at that bed. It's
the largest one in the house.
Sal and me slept
in that bed the night
we were spliced.
Plenty of room. Mind you,
I'm not complaining, Mr. Coffin.
It's just that I'd like
to know the sort of man
I'd be sharing it with.
[ Thunder continues ]
Oh, well,
it's almost Sunday.
That harpooner likely
anchored someplace else
for the night.
You make yourself
comfortable.
Mr.-- what's your name ? [ Rain
pouring ] They call me Ishmael.
Ishmael. Sleep
well. [ Door closes ]
[ Wind howling,
thunderclap ] [ Horses snort ]
[ Rain, thunder continue ]
[ Knocking ] [ Thumping ]
[ Wood leg thumping ]
[ Knocking ]
[ Thunderclap ]
[ Thunder rumbling,
wind howling ] [ Meows ]
[ Thunder continues ]
[ Door hinges creak ]
[ Man speaking polynesian,
softly ] [ Polynesian, softly ]
[ Polynesian continues ] [ Polynesian,
softly ]
[ Polynesian, louder ]
Who the devil is ye ?
Speak ! If ye don't speak,
I kill thee !
No, no ! Mr. Coffin !
Speak, I tell ye !
Or, damn me, I kill ye !
[ Yells ]
[ Coffin opens door ]
Here, Queequeg.
You stop that !
Why didn't you
tell me this,
this harpooner I'd be
sharing a bed with
Is a bleeding cannibal,
for god's sake ?
[ Yells ]
Listen to me, Queequeg.
You sabby me, I sabby you. No
? [ Yells ] This man sleep here
In this bed with you. No.
You sabby ? Me sabby plenty.
[ Sighs ] Get in. Uh-- get
in. Get in. [ Coffin chuckling ]
[ Yells ]
[ Shudders ]
[ Queequeg yells,
laughs ]
[ Growls ]
[ Puffing ] [
Puffing continues ]
[ Polynesian ]
Thank you.
[ Coughing ] [ Laughing
] [ Chuckles ] [ Yells ]
No. Well,
all right. [ Clears throat ]
[ Coughs ]
[ Laughing ]
[ Dog whines ]
What have we
got here now ?
[ Mumbling ]
Old thunder there knows.
[ Gulls squawking ]
[ Snoring ] Queequeg.
[ Continues snoring ]
Queequeg, wake up,
you big savage oaf.
In the name of goodness,
wake up.
[ Men chattering outside ]
Must be dreaming
of his savage wife,
whatever savage place
he escaped from.
Uh, good morning to ye,
big king of the typhoon snore.
[ Polynesian ] [ Falls
on floor ] [ Laughing ]
[ Men laughing,
chattering ] [ Man ] Whoa ! Look out, boys.
Come on,
let me at it.
[ Man ]
Down here.
[ Laughing ] [ All laughing
] [ Continue laughing ]
[ Polynesian ]
[ Groans ]
What are you laughing at,
you chowder-headed bumpkins ? [ Men ] Ooh.
[ Man ] That's mine.
[ Puts meat on plate,
sets down fork ]
[ Softly ]
Eat, young man.
No one here's in any more
privileged position
than any other.
You've not gone
to sea yet
Where a lowly sailor's
got to wait on the second mate,
like this booby here to help
himself Before he can have any food.
Or this greasy baboon
over here.
- [ Imitates baboon, laughs ]
- [ All laughing ]
- [ Woman ] So eat, laddie.
- Yes, indeed, ma'am.
[ Yells ]
[ Woman gasps ]
Heathen creature.
Queequeg,
put that thing away.
These good nantucket
christians will take you
for the devil himself.
What do ye say ? For god's sake,
it's a man's head.
A very dead real man too.
Nantucketers don't carry
their dead around
in bags.
They Bury them.
Don't you know that ?
Aye,
nantucketers buy them, too,
I tell ye, for many gold coins.
Me yojo tell ye what ship
Queequeg and thee ship out on.
Yojo and thee.
Sabby ?
You're saying
your yojo wants me
to choose a ship ?
Is that what you mean ?
Aye.
So will you be shipping out
with me then ?
- Is that what you're
trying to tell me ?
- Aye, Ishmael.
Queequeg,
wait. Stop. Avast there, mate.
Listen, my friend, this is
simply out of the question.
What the devil's
the matter with you ?
Ye not want ship out
with Queequeg.
No. No, I mean, yes,
of course I do. It's just that
You would be better suited
to pick out a whaler
That's best fitted to
carry both of us. Not I.
I shall certainly not take your
money. Queequeg, listen. Listen.
I fear I must make a confession.
I used to be a schoolteacher.
Do you know what that is ? Aye.
Missionary. No, not exactly. It's--
what I'm trying to say is
[ Whispering ]
I've never jumped a spar
in my life.
- Ishmael no sailor ?
- Aye. [ Sighs ] Me no sailor.
It's just that I have
this burning desire
to go to sea.
Me yojo sabby.
Ishmael pick ship.
Ishmael pick ship.
Over there. Next.
She's an old ship. Preparing
for a long voyage, I gather.
Aye. She be long-seasoned
ship. Look at the whale teeth.
Something a bit
melancholy about her,
if you ask me.
Well, I suppose yojo's
made his choice for us.
Beg pardon, sir.
Might this be
the captain ?
Supposing it be.
What do ye want with him ?
Well, I was thinking
of shipping.
You're no nantucketer.
What do ye know about whaling ?
Nothing, sir.
But I want to see
what whaling is.
I want to see the
world. [ Chuckling ]
Can't you see the world
from where ye stand,
young man ?
You want to see
what whaling is,
do ye ?
Are ye man enough to pitch
a harpoon down a live whale's
throat and jump after it ?
Well, I am, sir,
if it should be absolutely
indispensable that I do so.
Well, I'll tell ye this much.
There's death in this business,
and it can bundle a man quite
quickly into eternity.
Does that frighten ye ?
- No, sir, it does not. - I see.
Then have ye clapped eyes yet
on captain Ahab ?
Captain Ahab ? Who is
captain Ahab ? Who is Ahab ?
Who is this, peleg ?
He says he's our man, bildad.
He wants to ship.
Oh, do you now ?
I do. Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
He looks sort of soft
in the chest, peleg.
[ Chuckles ]
Captain Ahab is the captain
of this ship, young fellow.
I thought I was speaking
to the captain.
You're speaking
to captain bildad.
I am captain peleg.
We are the owners
of this fine specimen,
and it is our job to see to it
that she is fitted out
with all her needs,
including, sir,
a crew of goodly experience.
[ Clears throat ]
Where is this captain Ahab ?
What do you want with him ?
I would--
I would like to see him.
He won't always see me,
so I rather doubt he'll see you.
Ahab's been to colleges as well
as amongst the cannibals.
[ Chuckles ] Been used to
deeper wonders Than the waves.
This is my friend,
Queequeg. He wants to ship out too.
Quohog doesn't look like
much of a Christian to me.
Well, he's killed more whales
than you can count.
Captain
Ye see him small dark spot
on mastwood there ?
Ye see him ? Well,
suppose he one whale eye ? [ Yells ]
[ Grunts ] That whale
be dead ! [ Yells ]
Q-Q-Quick, quick, peleg. Look here,
we'll give you a ninetieth percent.
That's a higher cut
of the ship's whale oil cargo
Than we've ever given
to any harpooner.
So, what say ye ?
What be about me mate ?
All right,
we'll sign him on too.
But you earn only a fifth
of what he gets.
Come on, lads.
Get to work on those bellows.
It ain't hot enough.
[ Softly ]
Shipmates.
- Shipmates come hither.
- What do you want, old man ?
Have ye shipped
in that ship then ?
Have ye ?
The pequod ?
Why, yes, we have.
We just signed
the articles.
The articles, eh ?
And nothing in there
about your souls ?
No ! Perhaps you
haven't got any. No matter.
I know plenty of men
haven't got a soul.
[ Chuckles, sighs ] Good luck to
'em. Better off for it, some of them.
Soul's sort of a Fifth
wheel on a wagon,
don't you think ?
What are you
jabbering about ?
Oh, but he's got enough
to make up for the rest of us !
Plenty more than enough
he has !
[ Blacksmith ]
Stoke it, stoke it.
Move along, Queequeg.
This fellow's broken loose
from his moorings.
I'm telling you
about old thunder !
Haven't seen old thunder yet,
have you ? Who's old thunder ?
Captain ahab. Haven't seen him yet,
have you ?
[ Scoffs ] No, I didn't think so.
Did they tell you about him ?
I know all I need to know. All about it,
eh ? You sure now ?
Is all you need to know ever enough,
I ask you ?
So you've, you've shipped then,
have you ? Names down on paper ?
Well, what's to be will be.
Then again,
perhaps it won't. Anyhow, it's all fixed.
All been arranged.
Has been for a long time.
What ?
What's been fixed ?
-What are you blathering about ?
-The prophecy, Matey.
The prophecy of the pequod
! All aboard her will perish.
Save one man. All but one.
Didn't know that, did you, mateys ?
Did you ? Did you ? Let's go,
Queequeg.
Leave this fool to his
ravings. All but one !
All but one !
Don't take it to heart.
He's just some crazy old loon.
[ Old man ] All but one ! [
Softly ] All but one. All but one.
Ishmael, what be a soul ? A soul ? Well,
that's a difficult question.
You believe in god ? Like a big
chief above all men ? Like yojo.
I reckon so,
but bigger than that,
like a captain
of the stars.
[ Bell tolling ]
I can't explain it to you,
but I can show you.
♪[ Congregation singing ]
♪[ Singing continues ] ♪[ Congregation,
organ ] oh, hear us ♪
when we cry to thee for
those in peril on the sea ♪♪
♪[ organ continues ] ♪[
Whispering ] That must be father mapple.
He used
to be a harpooner.
Good morning, shipmates.
[ Congregation ]
Good morning, father.
God hath prepared a great fish
to swallow up Jonah.
Book of Jonah. First chapter,
last verse. God called upon Jonah
To cry out
against wickedness.
But instead,
Jonah fled from his command. Why ?
Why did Jonah
willfully disobey god ?
Because he thought
it was too hard.
Too hard ?
Why, all the things that god
would have us do are hard.
Hence he commands more often
than he tries to persuade. He knows
That if we obey god,
we disobey ourselves. That is hard.
Hard because we cannot flee from
his command As Jonah tried to do.
Hard because god is everywhere.
There is no hope of escaping him.
Now,
imagine poor Jonah Skulking
Prowling about the ships
at jappa Like a vile burglar.
He bargains a passage,
hurrying to cross the seas.
He thinks that a ship made by
men Will carry him to countries
Where god does not
reign. [ Chuckling softly ]
Now the time of tide has come.
The ship casts off her lines,
sets away Across the great,
wide ocean. But the sea rebels.
It will not bear its wicked burden.
A dreadful storm comes on.
The wind shrieks and howls.
Wave upon wave leaps
Into the ship,
roaring fore and aft,
fore and aft until the ship
is like to break.
Terror upon terror runs
through the souls of the men.
They Mark a stranger.
Suspicious of the god-fugitive
from the moment he came aboard,
they now blame him For the
great tempest that is upon them.
And now-- now behold Jonah,
seized upon like an anchor
And cast forth into the
sea. And god awaits him.
Comes upon him
in a mighty whale.
Clamps all his ivory teeth about
him And swallows him whole
Into the belly of hell,
and dives 10,000 fathoms down
To living gulfs of doom.
And there,
far beyond the reach
Of any earthly sound,
Jonah cries out his repentance. Not
by begging for deliverance. No, no.
But by praising god
For his just punishment.
And the lord speaks to the great fish,
and from the shuddering cold
And blackness of the deep,
the whale lifts his great head
And comes breaching
up Toward the warm sun
And all the delights
of earth and air
And vomits Jonah Upon
the dry land. And ever after,
Jonah preached the truth In
the face of falsehood. Woe to him
Whose good name Is
more to him Than goodness.
But, oh, shipmates,
shipmates Delight. A far, far inward
And upward delight
is to him who,
against the proud captains
and commodores of this earth,
stands forth his
own Inexorable self.
Let us pray. Heavenly father,
may we strive to be thine
More than to be The
world's or our own. Here we die.
We leave eternity to thee.
[ Crew ] All heave ! Heave !
All heave ! Heave ! All heave !
Hoist secure ! Heave
! All heave ! Heave !
All heave ! Heave ! All heave
! Heave ! All heave ! Heave !
Heave ! Heave ! Heave ! Pull ! Pull,
ye monkeys, heave ! Heave !
Or I'll give you
a good sea toss !
[ Groans ]
Pull !
Pull, ye landlubber !
Flukes and flames,
are ye that green
in the gills ?
Not that green, sir.
Then pull !
[ Men chanting ] Heave !
What are you looking at,
you dumb, painted savage ?
He's looking
at a dumber one
I'd say.
[ Continue chanting ]
[ Laughs ]
Ho, masthead !
[ Men shouting ]
Ho ! We'll be sighting
for whale
From sunup to sundown ! So if you see 'em,
split your lungs !
Do you hear ?
Aye, aye, sir !
[ Men chanting ] Heave
! [ Continue chanting ]
Back the main yard,
there. Up helm. Hearts alive, boys !
Back the main yard,
there ! Up helm ! [ Shouting, indistinct ]
[ Shouting continues ]
Set the gallant sails !
[ Sailor ]
Aye, aye, sir !
[ Officer ] Stand by !
Ishmael ! [ Grunts ] [ Men
laughing ] [ Laughter continues ]
[ Laughing ]
One hand for the ship,
Mr. Ishmael,
and one hand for yourself. Aye, aye, sir.
I don't think it proper
to make jest of another man's
peril.
Ah, but you'd be wrong.
Laughter is the final
consequence of everything;
the only comfort a man has and
the wisest. The easiest, you mean.
The only comfort, shipmate,
and the wisest,
let me tell you.
Wise stubb,
that's what
they call me,
'cause whatever happens,
I go to it laughing. [ Laughing ]
Just don't ever
let fighting flask
catch you laughing at him.
[ Loudly ]
So, what are we gonna do
with this pup ?
Your own mother
would make a better sailor.
Tried my best, sir.
Then try this !
Swab the deck !
Since that's all
you're good for.
Excuse me,
sir. Will captain make an appearance, sir ?
This fair weather should
bring him forth, Mr. Stubb.
[ Man shouting,
indistinct ] [ Shouting continues ]
Shantyman,
give us a good song
to speed us on !
Shake a leg, pip.
capetown girls
don't have no combs ♪
[ Crew ]
heave away
haul away ♪
comb their hair
with a codfish's bones ♪
and we're bound away
for Australia ♪
oh, heave her up, my bonny,
bonny boys heave away, haul away ♪
♪[ shantyman continues ] Bound
away for Australia [ Men arguing ]
Get your hands
off me !
♪[ Singing continues ]
What are the holes for, sir ?
Captain's orders.
Mind your own business.
[ Arguing continues ]
Ishmael.
[ Arguing, singing continue ]
[ Queequeg ]
Ship with no captain.
Yojo no sabby this. Will we
see a whale soon, I wonder ?
We will, and you'll
soon not forget it.
Ye haven't lived, young monkey,
till you've greased a whale.
[ Crew ]
heave away
haul away ♪
We'll be enjoying
our sea voyage then,
would we, Mr. Pup ?
On your knees !
♪[ Singing continues ]
Make a sailor of you yet,
or, by god, I'll have you
skinned to the yardarm !
[ Crew ]
bound away
for Australia ♪
[ Flask ]
capetown girls
don't have no combs ♪
heave away, haul away ♪
[ Shantyman ]
comb their hair
with a codfish's bones ♪
[ Crew ]
and we're bound away
for Australia ♪
[ Shantyman ]
oh, heave her up,
my bonny, bonny boys ♪
heave away
haul away ♪♪
Blast. Chowder for breakfast,
chowder for supper.
This swill ain't fit for a dog.
Mind your tongue,
swabbie,
or I'll cut it off
and add it to the pot.
[ Both laughing ]
Add that, cook. Maybe it'll improve
the flavor. [ Laughing loudly ]
[ Continue laughing ] Give
it. [ Laughing continues ]
What are you looking at ? [
Spits ] Next. Say, carpenter, yeah.
Where do you
keep your rum
these days ?
I'm itching for a taste.
What rum ?
It's against ship's orders.
Ye know that.
[ Laughing ]
Look at them two lovebirds.
[ Kissing ]
Careful of your hand, mate.
Your slave there might be
Mistaking it for supper. Queequeg
no slave. Queequeg son of chief.
Pardon me, your majesty. Hail to thee,
prince of savages.
[ All laughing ] [ Growls ]
You pagans
should teach us christians
the art of kindness.
No matter.
Queequeg and ye friends.
At ease,
ye sons of bachelors.
We ain't the captain,
after all.
[ Men chuckle ]
What captain ? He don't exist.
Hmm. You're in a sad pickle, lad.
What do you say
we open some grog,
ease his growing pains ?
Nay, not without permission of
the captain. The hell with permission.
Move aside !
Now see here,
that's my medicine !
Some potent medicine, I'll bet.
No medicine for you,
Mr. Flask.
What say we christen our new pup,
gentlemen ? [ Men ] Aye, Mr. Stubb.
Come here, boy.
[ Screams ]
[ Men laughing ]
Drink. Drink now,
it'll ease the pain.
Come on.
[ Men laughing ]
[ Stubb ]
And another. Come on.
We may have a dry spell
for a long time to come.
Aye. Aye, that's the manly way. [
Laughing ] Easy, easy. Well done.
This ain't for you. Give me
the mug. Go to it, young pup.
You'll drink to your first
whale kill. Aye. Drink. Drink.
[ Men chanting ] Drink ! Drink !
[ Chanting, louder ] [ Laughing ]
[ Chanting continues ] [ Men chanting,
Ishmael grunting ] Shh.
Shh.
Cut your seizings.
[ Chanting stops ]
[ Slow, loud,
rhythmic thumping ] [ Thumping continues ]
He lost that leg to a whale,
so I hear. Devoured it was.
Chewed up by the most
monstrous fish that
ever chipped a boat.
Aye. Terrifying creature, they say.
And fearful angry. [ Men laughing ]
Well,
no whale is ever happy
to be hunted, eh ?
[ Men laughing, louder ]
And I wouldn't want a man
in my boat who ain't
afeared of them.
And I wouldn't want one that was. Why,
I've lowered for sperm whale
From a leaking ship off
cape horn. [ Laughing ]
What about captain Ahab ? Ahab ?
He's hunted more whale
than all of us put together.
[ Reverently ]
Yeah.
[ Men ]
Aye.
Killed 15 of them
between a sunrise
and a sunset.
What about the whale that took
his leg ? Did he kill that one too ?
I don't know about that.
But what I do know, pup,
is that a fair-size sperm whale Can ram,
shiver and sink a ship
In a matter
of seconds.
[ Men agreeing ]
Even a man-of-war.
And they thirst
for human blood.
[ Men chuckling ]
Sharks are so afeared
of them
That they dash themselves into
rocks Just to flee a whale's wake.
Crish, crash.
Bang, whang.
I've heard all that chat now.
Makes me jiggle all over.
[ Laughing ]
[ Men laughing ]
Ye little nipper.
Get out.
[ Laughing, louder ] You-- [ slow,
rhythmic thumping ]
[ Thumping continues ]
[ Bell ringing ] [ Ringing ]
Call the watch, Mr. Stubb.
First watch ! All hands on deck.
First lookout. [ Pounding on bunk ]
[ Pounding continues ] Ishmael. Ishmael,
first watch. Ishmael.
[ Sailor ]
Come on, it's first watch.
Shake a leg. Hit the deck.
Now, hold still,
you mongrel. You'll end up with a flat ear.
Now, I've never missed. [ Screams,
groaning ] Here. [ Gasping ]
[ Stubb ] All hands on deck ! Come on,
ye solemn rogues.
Cease your preening.
You're on morning lookout,
sailor. Get aloft. Beg your pardon, sir.
Queequeg go aloft. Nay.
Every man must take his turn.
This young mother's boy must
earn his salt. Hop to it. Aye, sir.
Legs, man ! Legs !
Jump to it !
Well done, pup ! [ All
cheering ] [ Cheering continues ]
[ Stubb ] Good boy ! Good going,
lad !
Heave to.
You are a cruel taskmaster,
Mr. Stubb.
Aye, but we'll make a seaman
of him yet, sir.
[ Sailor shouting,
indistinct ] Keep your weather eye open !
And look sharp !
[ Sailors shouting ]
Mr. Stubb.
Who are them funny-looking
boys ? I don't know.
Don't like the look
of them.
Pip, get below.
- Mr. Starbuck.
- Sir ?
Call everybody aft, Mr. Starbuck.
All hands aft ! All hands aft !
You heard Mr. Stubb !
Get ye aft !
All hands aft !
[ Sailor ] All hands aft !
[ Ahab ]
Mr. Starbuck.
Everybody, you hear ?
Call down the mastheads.
Call down your mastheads.
Mastheads ! Below !
Mastheads, get thee below !
Move it, ye landlubbers !
[ Sailor ] All hands aft ! Sharper
now ! [ Stubb ] Look at him, flask.
There's something
like a chick inside him,
pecking at his shell,
fighting to get out.
All the men
are assembled, sir.
What do ye do
when ye see a whale, men ?
You sing out for him, sir !
[ Crew ]
Sing out for him, sir.
Good.
What next ?
Lower the boats
and after him, sir !
[ Crew ] Aye.
What tune do you pull to
in your whaleboats
as ye go after him ?
Dead whale or a sunk boat,
sir. [ Flask ] Aye, sir !
Look at this.
You see this ?
This is an ounce
of Spanish gold.
A 16-dollar piece,
Mr. Stubb. Look here. Do you see it ?
Look men.
Do you see it ?
[ Crew ]
Aye. Aye.
Do you see that ?
See that, men ?
Hand me your top awl, Mr. Carpenter.
Sir. One good strong iron nail.
Whosoever of ye raises
me The white-headed whale--
[ flask ]
White ?
Aye, Mr. Flask,
the white-headed,
with a wrinkled brow
and a crooked jaw.
Whosoever of ye raises
me That snow-white whale
With holes punctured in his starboard
fluke-- I say, whosoever of ye
Raises me that accursed whale,
he shall have this gold ounce.
[ All ] Aye. Must be the whale
folks call Moby dick, hey, captain ?
Moby dick.
Do ye know the white whale ?
Aye.
Aye. That whale
has an odd spout too;
mighty large and bushy
with white wool.
[ Queequeg ]
That be the one, captain.
Queequeg sabby him.
Him got many spear irons in him hide,
captain. All twiskity like, uh--
like twisted metal,
like corkscrews.
Aye, the harpoons do
lie all twisted in him
like so many corkscrews.
Aye, daggoo, his spout is big,
like a whole shock of wheat,
thick as a pile of nantucket wool. Aye,
tashtego, by death and devils,
that white whale is Moby dick. 'Tis
Moby dick you've seen ! Moby dick.
[ Starbuck ]
Captain ahab.
Was it not Moby dick
that took off thy leg ?
Aye, Mr. Starbuck. Aye,
my hearties all,
'twas Moby dick
that dismasted me.
Moby dick that reaped away my
limb Like a mower a blade of grass.
Moby dick brought me to this
Dead stump I stand on now,
made a poor peggin' lubber
of me forever and a day !
[ Inhales ] Moby dick. And I
will chase that white whale
Around good hope and around the horn,
around the Norway maelstrom
And perdition's flames
before I give him up !
This is what you've shipped
for men ! [ Crew shouts ] Aye !
Chase that white whale
on both sides of land
and over all the oceans
Till he spouts black blood
and rolls fin out ! [ Crew cheers ]
What say ye, men ?
Will you splice hands on it ?
- I think ye do look brave.
- Aye, sir !
Aye, aye !
A sharp eye
for the white whale !
Sharp steel for Moby dick
! [ Crew ] Aye ! Aye, sir.
God bless ye, men. God bless ye.
Steward, go draw
a great measure of grog.
A great measure !
[ Crew cheers ]
[ Ahab ]
Why the long face,
Mr. Starbuck ?
Do you not want
to chase the white whale ?
Are you not game
for Moby dick ?
Oh, I am game, sir.
I am game for his crooked jaw.
I am game for the jaws of death
if that's part of the business
we came for.
Captain,
I'm here to hunt whales,
not my commander's vengeance.
How many barrels of oil
will your vengeance yield,
I ask you ?
Oh, I see. Is money to be the
measure of everything we do ?
Then let me tell you,
my vengeance will fetch
a great premium here !
[ Grunts ]
What do you wish of me,
captain ? Help me strike a fin.
Not an impossible nor
wondrous task for you,
the best Lance
of all nantucket.
Surely you,
of all this crew,
will not hold back.
Speak, man.
Well,
your silence speaks for you. The measure.
The measure,
men ! The measure ! [ Crew cheering ]
[ Ahab ] Drink and pass. Short drafts,
long swallows, my hearts.
[ Continue cheering
] [ Crew chattering ]
'Tis hot as Satan's hoof. Round with it,
boys. Round.
Well, since
it's almost drained, here.
[ Softly ] Have a drink for the men,
sir. [ Ahab ] Give me another.
[ Ahab ] Here's a hollow thus
Brimming life, is gulped and gone.
Hear me, my braves.
[ Sailor ]
Yeah.
Let me revive A noble custom
Of my fishermen fathers before me.
- Blacksmith, the irons.
- Aye, captain. [ Ahab ] Mates, attend me.
Plank me here.
You harpooners, stand there,
your irons in your hands.
[ Ahab ] Mariners all. Now,
mates
Cross your lances
full in front of me.
Do you feel the full force
shock of it ?
Mine own electric thing. Ye mates,
I do appoint ye cupbearers
To my three pagan kinsmen here.
Now, turn them over,
count them. Show me the goblet end.
Here, steward. Hold
them while I fill. [ Pouring ]
[ Crew murmurs ]
Now Three to three, ye stand.
Commend the murderers' chalices.
Touch them.
Ah, Mr. Starbuck Ye become
partners in an indissoluble league.
Now, drink, ye mates.
Drink, ye harpooners,
ye that stand at the bow
of the whale boat.
Drink and swear:
Death to Moby dick.
[ Men ]
Death to Moby dick !
Drink and swear !
May god hunt us all If we do
not hunt Moby dick to his death !
Mr. Starbuck,
the deed is done. Death to Moby dick !
[ Harpooners ] Death to
Moby dick ! ♪[ Men singing ]
♪[ Continue singing ]
[ Polynesian ] [ Continues
polynesian ] [ Laughing ]
♪[ Men singing
] [ Polynesian ]
Stop your savage yelling ! [ Groans
] ♪[ Men singing, chattering ]
♪[ Singing, chattering
continue ]
♪[ Singing,
chattering continue ] [ Chuckles ]
♪[ Singing, chattering
continue ]
[ Speaking foreign language ]
Old pipe Hard it goes when your
pleasure is gone. [ Sighs deeply ]
Time was when the moonlight
soothed me. [ Sighs ] No more.
This lovely light
lights not me.
All loveliness
is anguish to me now.
Damned most suddenly and malignantly.
Damned in the midst of paradise.
[ Sighs ] What business
have I with pleasure ?
Any pleasure ?
[ Pipe splashes ]
[ Footsteps departing ]
[ High-pitched sounds ]
What's that ? [ High-pitched
sounds continue ] Is it mermaids, lad ?
No. Whales,
sir. They're singing to each other. Hmm.
[ Whales continue singing ]
Go to bed now, pip. [ Whales
continue singing ] [ Bell ringing ]
Permission to enter ? Aye. Captain,
you sent for me, sir ?
Mr. Starbuck We are
inexorably bound together
For the duration
of this voyage.
We are men of intelligence,
shipping with savages.
We need not be strangers.
I do not wish that,
captain. I am tied to thee. Good. Good !
Here. Here, here ! See ! The
migratory route of the sperm whale.
No ship ever sailed its course
by any chart
With one tithe
of such marvelous precision.
From the azores
to St. Helena,
around the cape and onto java
and the sea of Japan.
Time and tide flow wide, sir.
Moby dick has the round
watery world to swim in.
[ Ahab sighs ]
I know his latitudes.
I know his sightings.
I know the driftings
of his food.
From the Seychelles ground
to volcano bay.
[ Starbuck ]
Here lies nantucket
Where our wives and children
will be waiting.
They'll carry
the wee babes up the hill
To catch first glimpse
of these sails.
Your wife and son
will be among them,
captain.
We must not disappoint them.
I am no crusader after peril, sir.
My course is set to return
safely home With a full hold.
'Tis the object
of our endeavor.
Sir Till this be done
My boy's face is to me
as the palm of this hand:
A lipless,
unfeatured blank.
All objects, man,
are but as pasteboard masks
Behind which some unknown
but still reasoning thing
Puts forth the moldings
of its features.
If man will strike,
strike through the mask !
How else can the prisoner
escape except by thrusting
through the wall ?
The white whale is this wall,
sir ? This mask ? [ Ahab ] He tasks me.
He heaps me.
I see in him outrageous strength
with inscrutable malice !
It was a dumb brute
who took off your leg, captain.
He smote thee
from blindest instinct.
Ah. Be the white whale agent
or be the white whale principal,
I will wreak
my hate upon him !
'Tis madness
to be thus enraged.
To seek vengeance
on a dumb thing
is blasphemous.
What I've done, I've willed.
And what I've willed, I will do.
This act was realized
for you and me
A billion years
before this ocean rolled.
Talk not to me
of blasphemy, man.
I'd strike the sun
if it insulted me.
I am the prophet and the
fulfiller. Who's over me ?
Hmm. You're pale.
Oh, you think me mad ? [
Sighs ] Forgive me, captain.
Forgive me. I'm not mad. I'm madness
maddened. You are my captain,
but I am not much for fighting
a fish that too much persists
in fighting me, sir.
I am here
on this critical ocean
to kill whales for my living,
not to be killed by
them for theirs. Sir.
[ Daggoo ] There she blows
! There ! There she blows !
Where away ?
[ Daggoo ]
On the starboard beam, sir !
Half a rifle shot off !
Steward, my glass.
By thunder, Starbuck,
there's a whole school of them !
There go flukes !
Ready to lower boats,
sir. Aye. Lower away.
Lower away ! [ Crew shouting ]
Master. [ Starbuck ordering crew ]
That hold is empty !
[ Crew chattering ]
Here you are.
Dough boy, get down here !
Move it !
Dough boy, get in that damn boat
! Give me some slack ! Come on !
Stop ! Would you look
at those devils !
Get after them, boys !
Get after them !
Those pretty fellows ! Let's give
them rascals a run for their money !
Yes ! Yes !
[ Starbuck ]
There she blows, lads.
Right at us.
Now, men ! Pull !
Spring to her, lads !
There's a fortune
of oil out there.
That's your duty. That's what
you come for. Duty and profit, lads !
Hand in hand !
[ Stubb ] Here goes for a cool
dive At death and destruction !
[ Starbuck ]
Spring to her, lads !
Now, Queequeg, stand up and give
it to him. [ Ishmael gasps, laughs ]
A little bit more ! To sea
more ! [ Fedallah shouting ]
[ Shouting ]
[ Flask ]
Did the captain send him along
to make fools of us, sir ?
Never you mind them, flask. What
difference who they are, Mr. Flask ?
The more, the merrier,
I reckon !
[ Shouting ] [ Shouting
continues ] [ Shouting, hooting ]
Come on, now, lads. Long and strong,
my beauties. Wood on skin !
[ Stubb laughing ]
[ All screaming ]
[ Shouts ]
[ Gasping, screaming ]
[ Ishmael gasps, coughing ] Ishmael.
[ Queequeg chuckling ] Ishmael.
[ Panting,
gasping ] [ Sailor laughing ]
Ishmael ! Give me your hand,
mate ! Here you go !
[ Stubb ]
Ease the oar.
You seen Mr. Flask,
sir ? Nay. Take me up, lads. Take me up.
[ Stubb shouting ] Flask !
Flask ! [ Whistling ] Flask !
You impious old snot !
Where are you ? Stubb !
There he are ! [ Laughs ]
We done find him there, sir.
[ Sailors laughing ]
[ Shouting ]
- [ Continues laughing ]
- [ Flask ] Stubb !
- Stubb !
- You better fish him out.
- Before or after the sharks ?
- The sharks wouldn't eat him.
They'd take one bite
and spit him out.
All right,
let's go for him, gentlemen.
Batten off these foreigners.
[ Sailors laughing ]
Why is everyone so damn merry ?
We almost drowned. That is whaling.
Happen all the time,
all the time. [ Laughing ]
[ Sailor ]
So, pup, you got
your first whale, huh ?
No more than a nice swim.
Damn foreign monkey !
Taking our rightful
whale like that.
What manner of creature
is he anyway ?
Aye.
A creature
from our dreams.
What do you mean ?
Like a ghost
or something ?
Aye. Or a devil perhaps. Man's
a devil all right. [ Chuckles ]
The reason
you can't see his tail is
he tucks it out of sight.
[ Laughs ] What do you suppose
he talks to the captain about
In that damn, slithery tongue of
his ? Striking up a bargain, I'd say.
That's it, Starbuck. Hey, hey.
Ahab is hard
after that white whale,
isn't he ?
Well, you think that devil's
just trying to come 'round him,
get him to swap away his
silver watch or-- or his soul.
Soul ?
Aye, his soul.
[ Man ]
I say, come here.
I need help.
[ Sailor ]
More barrels ?
Aye.
Give me a hand. [ Men chattering
] [ Ishmael ] Ah, heaven help us.
The vultures of the sea.
What do ye say, Ishmael ?
Queequeg no sabby this.
I mean that
[ Water splashes ]
There's no savagery
of beasts that's not
outdone by that of man.
[ Flask ] Stubb. [
Indistinct ] [ Foreign ]
Look at them devils,
Mr. Stubb.
Idling away while the
rest of us slave. [ Foreign ]
A good man would
stove their boat
and send them to Davy Jones.
Scrub ! [ Muttering ]
Captain. Sir I must request that
you put your foreign boys to work.
Them sitting idle
is affecting the morale
of the crew.
Did you not hear me,
captain ?
They're not here
as shipkeepers, Mr. Starbuck,
or for any other business.
They are here for one purpose:
To find and slay
the white whale.
Ho ! Ho ! Sails starboard ! [
Sailors ] Over there ! Over there !
On the right there
! [ Ahab ] British.
Prepare to welcome visitors,
Mr. Starbuck.
[ Chuckling ] She's
swinging 'round ! [ Laughing ]
[ Crew laughing,
chattering excitedly ]
[ Jangling tambourine
] [ Crews chattering ]
[ Woman shouts foreign language
] Ah ! That's it ! Give me a kiss !
Come on, come on ! [ Chattering,
indistinct ]
Yeah ! One for my
buddy here ! ♪♪
♪[ continues ]
[ Continue shouting,
chattering ]
[ Laughing ]
Permission to lower boats, sir.
The men deserve a short gam.
Permission denied. But, captain,
it's expected. ♪[ Continues ]
[ Man ]
Cradle coming over !
Nice and steady, fellows.
Bring it in safe. [ Sailor ]
Steady ! [ Sailors chattering ]
Welcome aboard, sir.
Welcome aboard,
captain.
I'm captain ahab.
Welcome aboard
the pequod, captain.
Thank you, sir.
We're a full ship,
homeward bound.
I'm an empty ship, outward bound.
Then we'll make it good luck, sir.
Some of my boys even won wives
in the Fiji isles,
as you can see.
Aye, aye, captain. Tell me,
have you seen A white whale ?
[ Chuckles ] The white whale,
you mean. Moby dick some calls him. Aye.
See this ?
[ Chuckles ]
You an arm that cannot hold,
and I a leg that cannot run.
The white whale ?
The white whale.
So it was Moby dick
took off thy arm.
And that leg.
[ Chuckling ] So it was a
great bouncing whale, was he ?
Old as Genesis, with a great,
milky white head on him ?
Aye, and harpoons stuck
all over his hump !
And a boiling rage !
Mine, sir ! My harpoons. [
Laughs ] Tell me. Spin me the yarn.
How was it ?
The surgeon
did his damnedest,
but he had to cut it off
when it went black.
Thank the stars
I had me wife aboard.
She give me great comfort.
Aye, aye, sir,
but the white whale ? Well, to the point.
After he stole me boats,
we didn't see him for some time.
So you crossed
his wake again ?
Oh, aye. Twice.
- But you could not fasten ?
- Why would I want to ?
Isn't one limb enough ?
Hmm.
That white monster
doesn't bite, he swallows.
I have a wife on board
and a profitable homecoming.
Why should I take the risk ?
[ Chuckles ] No, thank you,
sir. No more white whales for me.
He's best left alone,
isn't he ?
Aye, but he'll be hunted
nonetheless !
What's best left alone, captain,
is not always what least invites.
When did you last see him ?
Upon my soul, sir,
I think your blood's
at boiling point.
- Which way was he headed ?
- Good god. East, I think.
East. East, east.
Mr. Starbuck,
prepare to set sail.
We've wasted enough time.
Good day to you, captain !
What's wrong with him ?
He lost his senses ?
My apologies, captain boomer.
No offense, I'm sure, sir.
'Tis the pain in his stump.
The man's mad ! Away, lads. I'll not
spend another moment on this ship.
Mr. Starbuck,
prepare to set sail !
Do you hear me ?
Don't be a fool, captain !
Don't pursue Moby dick !
Beware ! He's a demon !
Beware the blasphemous end !
Up ! Up !
Captain's cradle
coming over !
Curses throttle thee. Starbuck,
damn ye ! Set sail at once !
Nay, captain ! An hour, I beseech thee,
sir ! At once, Starbuck !
Think the old man has lost
a little of his wits.
Blast his eyes.
He has no heart.
Ah, better a moody good captain
than a merry bad one.
[ Stubb chuckles ]
Swab off, boys !
Swab off !
Captain. Now, now,
Mr. Starbuck. You leave me be. [ Sighs ]
Perth, do this. Perth do that.
Why doesn't dough boy
get off his butt ?
- [ Spits ] - Get off his
butt and-- [ shouts ] You--
[ Perth, dough boy
straining, groaning ]
- [ Gasps ]
- [ Perth, dough boy groaning ]
Trouble there, second mate ? [
Groaning ] Nothing of concern, sir !
Get below, Mr. Perth ! [ Perth
] He started it ! [ Stubb ] Quiet !
Captain, we probably won't see
another ship for months.
It was unwise to deny the men
even this bit of recreation.
This is a whaling ship.
This is not a society ball.
Perth !
Perth !
[ Bottle clanks ]
Get thee aloft to the lookout.
But it ain't my watch, sir.
I cannot strike thee,
Perth, but by my word
I'll see thee punished.
Now get thee aloft ! You
needn't speak so harshly.
Go !
[ Stubb shouts order ] Damn
St. jago monkey. [ Spits ]
May god sink the lot of you.
I got my eye on him, sir.
Good.
[ Men shouting ]
Secure the line !
Line secured !
[ Men shouting orders,
responding ]
[ Groaning,
shouts warning ] [ Screaming ]
♪[ Accordion ] ♪♪
[ Sighs ]
"They go down to the sea
in ships that do business
in great waters."
"Do you see the works
of the lord and his wonder
in the deep ?"
Lord of all the seas,
we here commend
this mariner's spirit
into thy hands.
So be it. [ Sighs ]
We're born in throes.
'Tis fit that we should live
in pains and die in pangs
And end
in an unmarked grave.
To what end might that be,
captain ?
To the blasphemer's end,
like the English captain said ?
Life holds us, sir.
We do not hold it.
No, I dare not
question ye, ahab.
My miserable office
is but to obey thee.
I blame myself for this good
sailor's death. Careless sailor !
Nay, sir, 'tis an omen ! An
ill prophecy ! "Prophecy" ?
"Prophecy" ? I'll give ye a prophecy,
shipmates: Death to Moby dick.
And the fulfillment
of that prophecy shall be
What ye have all sworn
to share with me !
Death to my dismemberer,
to Moby dick !
[ Panting ]
The gods knocked me down
But I am up again !
And now they take
to their heels and they run,
hiding from me !
Come out ! Come down from
behind your cotton clouds !
Come and strike me ! I have no
long gun to reach ye, only these !
See if ye can swerve me !
Swerve me ?
Ye cannot swerve me,
else ye swerve yourself. Swerve me ? Never.
The path to my purpose
is laid with iron rails
On which my very soul
is grooved to run.
Naught shall stop me,
Mr. Starbuck. [ Ishmael ] There she blows !
She blows to starboard
! The white whale !
He's raised him. He's raised
the devil himself. [ Gasps ]
[ Shouts ]