Christopher Columbus (1949 film)
- Fredric March: Christopher Columbus
- Florence Eldridge: Isabella I.
- Francis Lister: King Ferdinand II
- Francis L. Sullivan: Francisco de Bobadilla
- James Robertson Justice: Martín Alonso Pinzón
- Ronald Adam: Hernando de Talavera
- Abraham Sofaer: Luis de Santangel
- Derek Bond: Diego de Arana
- Kathleen Ryan: Beatriz
- Nora Swinburne: Joanna de Torres
- Linden Travers: Beatriz de Peraza
- Dennis Vance: Francisco Pinzon
- Richard Aherne: Vicente Pinzon
- Felix Aylmer: Father Perez
- Edward Rigby: Pedro
- Niall MacGinnis: Juan de la Cosa
- Ralph Truman: Captain
- Guy Le Feuvre: Admiral
- Lyn Evans: Lope
- David Cole: Columbus' son
- Hugh Pryse: Almoner
- Stuart Lindsell: Prior
- William Monroe Cypert: Antonio Camino
- Thelma Grigg
Christopher Columbus is a British film directed by David MacDonald from 1949 with Fredric March in the title role. It describes the discovery of America by the explorer Christopher Columbus.
Action
Christopher Columbus dreamed of westward to explore a sea route to India, which is shorter than his contemporaries known land to the east. With the help of former confessor of the Spanish Queen Isabella I, he succeeds at the Spanish court with a request to audition for assistance.
The king responded negatively, but his wife Isabella allows him that he can demonstrate his ideas of a commission. While Columbus is waiting for the Commission's decision, he must wrangle with intrigue at the court: Commissioner Bobadilla sets his cousin Beatriz de Peraza close to woo Columbus, so that discharges of his plans; when Columbus Beatriz saves her overtures of the king, who had been 10 years before his eye on her, Beatrice is sent away to the Canary Islands. When Columbus is already about to leave the Spanish court to Isabella's former confessor uses for him, so that Columbus 's voyage of discovery still to start.
During the voyage of Columbus uses some illusions to placate unrest and fears within his team; so he gives in logbooks the distance shorter to to be able to explain why it had still no land in sight; the then unknown local declination of the compass he explained by the fact that Polaris had changed its position. Also, a mutiny of the crew can Columbus because he is warned in time, be reflected. Columbus offers the crew to sail another three days and reverse in failure. On the night before the deadline after all, is the hoped-for land in sight.
Columbus explains the newly discovered land for a possession of the Spanish crown and calls it "San Salvador". The reception by the natives are friendly; the country offers warm climate and many fruits. But even here, Columbus has to do with problems: Martin Pinzon secretly travels from to harvest in Spain was the first to fame; one of Columbus' ships, the Santa Maria runs aground. As to the remaining ship, which is not sufficient Niña, the place for the journey home of all team members, Columbus leaves some men back as a colony that will convert the natives to Christianity.
On the return voyage to Spain Columbus takes a few natives and parrots; the objection during a gala dinner that the discovery of the new country was a matter of luck, Columbus responded with the egg of Columbus, to indicate that everything is easy if you know the solution for now.
During the following years in which the land newly discovered is researched and the wealth of Spain is growing, reach the Spanish royal court news that Columbus led war and the natives have exploited. Columbus is incarcerated; at the behest of Ferdinand and Isabella he has to stay in Spain. Embittered replies Columbus, you 'll still speak of him when " these are long dead and forgotten ."
Reviews
" Since the film can consist neither biography nor as a historical drama, remains a monumental painting that maintains its color and joy looking magnificent sea adventure. "