The Old Man and the Sea (1958) Directed by John Sturges (86 minutes)

This film is based on the 1952 novella, Old Man and the Sea, written by the American author Ernest Hemingway. Written between December 1950 and February 1951, it was the last major fictional work Hemingway published during his lifetime. Exploring themes of human dignity and perseverance, the novella tells the story of Santiago, an aging fisherman, and his long struggle to catch a giant marlin. Translated into nine languages, the Old Man and the Sea remained on the New York Times bestseller list for six months. In 1953, it received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and it was the only work explicitly mentioned when Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.

Starring Spencer Tracy, this film is a faithful adaptation of Hemingway’s novella in story and spirit, and went on to receive three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Music Score, winning in the latter category.