Open ClassicCINEMA
Back to the collection

OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 1116

Down to the Sea in Ships

192285 minUnited States
RomanceDrama

Synopsis

A New Bedford shipowner insists that his daughter marry within the Quaker whaling community. Her love for a returning childhood friend conflicts with that demand, while an impostor seeks control of the family's ships. The captain's adventurous granddaughter adds another challenge to the roles he expects everyone to accept.

Watch the film ↓
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: not identified.
This copy runs
93:49
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: not identified. No subtitle track in this language.

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · Elmer Clifton · Public domain

Cast

DirectorsElmer Clifton

Behind the scenes

Elmer Clifton combines romantic melodrama with footage of working whalers and Massachusetts locations. The film also makes a villain's concealed Chinese identity part of its threat, reflecting a racial stereotype within the adventure.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 15, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

Audience rating

Loading ratings…

Keep exploring

Collection