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Moby Dick

Moby Dick

The man – The whale – The vengeance – The mightiest adventure ever seen!

1956116 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Director
John Huston
Starring
Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, Leo Genn, James Robertson Justice

In 1841, young Ishmael signs up for service aboard the Pequod, a whaler sailing out of New Bedford. The ship is under the command of Captain Ahab, a strict disciplinarian who exhorts his men to find Moby Dick, the great white whale. Ahab lost his leg to that creature and is desperate for revenge. As the crew soon learns, he will stop at nothing to gain satisfaction.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Moby Dick?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Moby Dick streaming on Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Moby Dick?

Moby Dick earns 6 badges, led by Top 10% of films and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Moby Dick worth watching?

Moby Dick's Midcredits score is the 90th percentile of all films, from 42K ratings across 6 sources. 79% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

90th percentile

Better received than 90% of films

93rd percentile among Adventure90th percentile among 1950s
Acclaim (how much people like it)88th
Approval (how many liked it)89th

73 /100

88th percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Adventure91st percentile among 1950s

Critics 78 · Audience 73

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

79% liked it

89th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Adventure89th percentile among 1950s
79% rated it 7–1021% rated it 1–6

Critics 81% · Audience 73%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 3 noms overall

89th percentile

42K ratings across platforms

84th percentile among Adventure95th percentile among 1950s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26

Box office

Budget$4.5M
Worldwide gross$353

Returned 0.0× its budget — 1st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A faithful adaptation of Melville's novel that captures Ahab's obsessive hunt, but opinions diverge on whether the execution is gripping or sluggish.

Fans praised

  • Gregory Peck's commanding, obsessive Ahab
  • Ray Bradbury's faithful yet streamlined screenplay
  • Oswald Morris's muted, period-evoking cinematography

Detractors panned

  • Peck miscast as too young and wooden for Ahab
  • Slow pacing and overlong talky passages
  • Dated and unconvincing whale special effects

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive85

Oswald Morris's desaturated color evokes whaling prints

AtmosphereDivisive80

Gripping sense of dread and period authenticity

CharactersDivisive75

Ahab's monomania vividly drawn; Starbuck as voice of reason

DialogueDivisive75

Shakespearean prose from Melville's text

ActingDivisive70

Peck divisive; supporting cast praised unanimously

Plot and storyDivisive65

Faithful but criticized for thin, padded narrative

Effects and spectacleDivisive55

Whale effects impress some but widely called dated

PacingDivisive55

Slow build; praised for atmospheric tension, panned for longueurs

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 19 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 18 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Moby Dick like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film treats Ahab's obsession and the whale hunt with grave seriousness and a brooding, almost mythic weight.
The rideA persistent sense of doom and tension builds throughout, with the emotional weight peaking in the final catastrophic confrontation with the whale.
StructureThe story is told in a conventional linear narrative with a framing device of Ishmael recounting the voyage after being rescued.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering sense of the majesty and peril of the sea, combined with the tragic cost of obsessive revenge.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeCaptain Ahab's obsessive hunt for the white whale Moby Dick drives the narrative, framed as a revenge quest against a formidable creature.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% (this title) · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 3% of filmsRevenge · 4% of filmsFate · 1% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Cosmic stakes: Consequences reach beyond the world.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film is primarily about Ahab's all-consuming obsession with revenge against the white whale, which overrides reason, duty, and the lives of his crew, while also exploring the inescapable pull of fate.
StanceThe film presents Ahab's obsession as a destructive, monomaniacal force that consumes him and everyone around him, serving as a warning against letting vengeance override all else.

The world

19th centuryIn transitInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Philip Sainton
SettingA whaling ship, the Pequod, on a voyage across the world's oceans in 1841.
MusicThe score is a dramatic, sweeping orchestral piece that underscores the grandeur and doom of the voyage, with a famous, menacing motif for the white whale.

Content guide

Is Moby Dick okay for kids?

Not Rated

Moby Dick is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (43/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at mild (30/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (36/100). Overall it is heavier than 20% of unrated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UKU
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazile 12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands6
  • PortugalM/12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 16% of all filmsHeavier than 20% of unrated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 36%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an unrated film
heavier than 1%
Profanity
Mild
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 37%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 36%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 26%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 36% of unrated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Moby Dick have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Moby Dick?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Gregory Peck
as Captain Ahab
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Richard Basehart
as Ishmael
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Leo Genn
as Starbuck
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James Robertson Justice
as Capt. Boomer
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Harry Andrews
as Stubb
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bernard Miles
as The Manxman
Noel Purcell
as Ship's Carpenter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Edric Connor
as Daggoo
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Mervyn Johns
as Peleg
Joseph Tomelty
as Peter Coffin
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Moby Dick?

Movies like Moby Dick include The African Queen (1951), In the Heart of the Sea (2015) and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by John Huston, and several are survival thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

3 of these 12 share its world: at sea. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Moby Dick?

578 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.