Prophet without Honor

This is a MGM mini-biography of US Naval officer Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), who was the first person to “map” the seas by identifying the currents and mapping them. He is considered the father of modern navigation and ocean science. Interesting spin how this 1939 short documentary film (that was nominated for an Academy Award in 1940 for Best Live Action Short Film, One-Reel) dealt with Maury’s activities during the Civil War. Today the SPLC would be organizing protests at theaters for this cinematic treatment. The actor who played Maury was uncredited in the film. He was Tom Neal (1914-1972), who later appeared in the quintessential film noir, Detour.

The Best of Charles Burris