the long voyage home be a compilation film of four one act play by eugene oneill who some will argue be america great dramatist . the man who do the stitching together of oneill work about the crew of the s. s. glencairn be dudley nichols and preside over it all be the direction of john ford . mr. ford be usually someone who really put an individual stamp on one of his movie . but the usual ford trademark be noticeably absent from the long voyage home . probably in mood and style the film of ford this come close to be the informer . in fact j. m. kerrigan be play almost the same part in this a he do in the informer . one thing ford always do be use the right kind of music to set the tone for a film . those 19th century ballad like i dream of jeannie that work so well in something like stagecoach be substitute for harbor light . that song express so well the longing of a whole bunch of rootless men to find some kind of stability in their life . eugene oneill spend many year at sea and the character of these men on the s. s. glencairn be draw from his own youthful experience . most of our planet be cover by water and no country own it . it just call the high sea and the seaman on it be an international fraternity and like the s. s. glencairn crew . i have always felt that oneill be try to say that if there any salvation to be have in this old world and it to be find on the salt water . it the only place where all kind of people really work for a common goal and stay alive and make the trip . the original play have a world war i background and but it have be update for world war ii . especially in the part when the crew become convince that ian hunter be some kind of spy . certainly the second world war in 1940 give the audience some real interest . ian hunter may have give his career performance in this a smitty . turn out he far from what everyone suspect . hard to believe that john wayne would be in a film by one of our great dramatist . but the duke hold his own in the ensemble . it the only time he ever attempt some kind of accent and he pull it off . but i be sure he think once be enough . wayne a olsen be the innocent of the group and maybe the only time he ever be that on the screen . the rest of the crew make every effort to see he do in fact get home to sweden . it turn out to cost one of them his life ultimately . if youre any kind of depressed and the long voyage home or any eugene oneill be not good for your mental health . he one pessimistic fellow that oneill . but his insight into our character and soul be always penetrate a they be in the long voyage home .