The Lightship

1986

The Lightship

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

Tomatometer
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TOMATOMETER

Total Count: N/A

53%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 80

The Lightship Photos

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Movie Info

Jerzy Skolimowski directed this allegorical drama taking place in 1955 aboard an anchored U.S. Coast Guard ship that serves as a lighthouse, preventing vessels from crashing into the rocks on the Virginia shore line. The lightship commander, Captain Miller (Klaus Maria Brandauer), is a German-born American who is haunted by a terrible experience from World War II. As a commander of a destroyer, he chose to chase after a German U-boat rather than pick up victims from the sea. Miller lives on the lightship with his troubled teenage son Alex (Michael Lyndon) and a tiny crew. When Miller spots a wrecked speedboat, he rescues the victims and brings them aboard the lightship. Unfortunately for Miller, the survivors are an unsavory lot -- a distasteful homosexual psychopath named Caspary (Robert Duvall) and his two low-life brothers, Gene (William Forsythe) and Eddie (Arliss Howard). Once aboard the lighthouse, the trio try to compel Miller to take them to their destination, but Miller resists, refusing to abandon the Virginia coast.

Rating:

PG-13 (adult situations/language, violence)
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery & Suspense
Directed By:

Jerzy Skolimowski
Written By:

William Mai, David Taylor
In Theaters:

Sep 26, 1986 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Jun 14, 2005
Runtime:

87 minutes
Studio:

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Cast

Robert Duvall
as Calvin Caspary

Klaus Maria Brandauer
as Captain Miller

Tom Bower
as Coop

Robert Costanzo
as Stump

Badja Djola
as Nate

William Forsythe
as Gene

Arliss Howard
as Eddie

Michael Lyndon
as Alex

Timothy Phillips
as Thorne

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Critic Reviews for The Lightship

All Critics (4)

It's noted for the inventive performance of Robert Duvall.

Apr 4, 2010 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Much of the narrative is airy at best -- deadly dull at worst.

Jun 20, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…

Scott Weinberg
DVDTalk.com

View All Critic Reviews (4)

Audience Reviews for The Lightship

Apr 14, 2014

When I found this movie on VHS I was SO happy!!! I LOVE when I find movies I've never heard of before so I couldn't wait to get home & watch it.After watching it I see why I've never heard of it before.Robert Duvall & his 2 goons reminded me of the characters in The Ladykillers Even though Robert Duvalls Caspary was a psychotic nutjob, there are times where you can't help but almost laugh at him.His character is just way over the top.The movie is OK watching it once but after watching it once, I don't think it's something you'll ever watch again.The good thing about The Lightship is I never knew what a lightship was till I watched The Lightship

Brody M Super Reviewer