Down to the Sea in Ships is a 1949 American seafaring drama film directed by Henry Hathaway, starring Richard Widmark and Lionel Barrymore.

The supporting cast includes Dean Stockwell, Cecil Kellaway, Gene Lockhart, and John McIntire.

[3] Elderly whaling ship Captain Bering Joy (Lionel Barrymore) walks on crutches and is at the end of his career, based in New Bedford.

Captain Joy takes his grandson Jed (Dean Stockwell) to the large but empty family house and gives him some education in preparation for a test.

Jed sits for the one hour written exam to determine whether he can be allowed to continue his education at sea or will be compelled to stay ashore and attend formal schoolroom classes.

Captain Joy subsequently congratulates Mr. Lunceford for making the correct decision (in freeing the harpooner) and acting quickly.

Encountering a thick fog in the Antarctic Ocean, the ship sideswipes an iceberg as the crew are echo sounding with both voice and a foghorn in an attempt to avoid a collision.

At the captain's bedside Jed (apologetically) withdraws his request to be put ashore, just before his grandfather dies of exposure exacerbated by old age.

At the conclusion of the movie Mr. Lunceford tells Jed that they will have a hard time trying to match Captain Joy's record in future whaling expeditions.

M. P.” praised the film, describing the action with relish and concluding: “Down to the Sea in Ships is a good adventure for man and boy, for it makes some points about character building which can do none of us any harm.”[4] On December 31, 1948, Variety staff observed that the “first half is becalmed“ in thorough character development, but “In the last hour, picture really shakes out its sails and goes wing-and-winging before the wind.

The taking of a whale and the rendering of blubber to oil, the dangers of fog and the menace of a wreck on an iceberg is sturdy excitement that serves as a fitting climax to the story of an old whaler captain, his young grandson and of a young first mate.”[5] Leonard Maltin gives the film three out of four stars, calling it a “good atmospheric yarn”.