CAPT ALFREDO G BALLERA PN(M)

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Movie Review No 3
The Master and Commander

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a 2003 American film in
the Napoleonic Wars. The film's plot and characters are adapted from three novels in
author Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey–Maturin series, which includes 20 completed novels
of Jack Aubrey's naval career. In 1805, aboard the H.M.S. Surprise, the brash Captain
Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his trusted friend, the ship's scholarly surgeon,
Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), are ordered to hunt down and capture a powerful
French vessel off the South American coast.

The film centers on the spirits of two men, Capt. Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon
Stephen Maturin. They are known as friends and opposites -- Aubrey, the realist, the
man of action; Maturin, more intellectual and pensive. Each shares some of the other's
qualities, and their lifelong debate represents two sides of human nature. There's a
moment in "Master and Commander" when Maturin's hopes of collecting rare biological
specimens are dashed by Aubrey's determination to chase a French warship, and the
tension between them at that moment defines their differences.

This movie depicts the complexities and responsibilities of leadership and

command, as well as dynamics of small groups in a very compelling way. This paper
will attempt to provide insights on the salient points of the film. Particularly, this paper
will discuss the different leadership styles that Capt Aubrey depicted in the film.

The Master and Commander is a story about how to use intelligence with
strategy and creativity to beat a competitor that seems bigger, faster or stronger than
you (HMS Surprise versus the Acheron). As the British crew pursued its opponent, the
master and commander – and his leadership team – assessed their strengths and
vulnerabilities, searching for a calculated strategy that would allow them to defeat the
French captain and take his ship as a prize. As it turns out, strategic flexibility was one
of the leadership team’s greatest strengths. By marrying things they knew with things
they were constantly learning about the changing environment, such as the new
technology used in the French ship, the British naval officers were able to create an
emergent strategy.

Capt. Aubrey demonstrates throughout the story conviction, not only to his own
values but demonstrates an unwavering duty to the rights and traditions of others.  His
crew don’t always agree with his orders but they know that each instruction comes from
a principled core.

Aubrey is faced with a series of ethical choices throughout the movie, but none
more so than when a crew member falls into the sea during a storm, the situation is
further complicated when we find that the ship is also hauling damaged rigging. The
tension rises when it becomes apparent that this rigging is not only providing a
temporary lifeline for the man but is also putting the whole ship under threat of sinking in
the already overpowering storm.  Without hesitation Captain Aubrey orders the attached
ropes to be cut leaving the man to perish whilst the ship regains it stability, saving the
vessel and the remaining crew.

Strong and confident leadership will allow subordinates to operate independently

within a framework, giving them an autonomy and self-governance. However, when a
leader requires action and direction from their team it must happen immediately, the
response should be timely and relevant. There are a number of occasions when
Surprise’s Crew are faced with extenuating circumstances, which seems to demand that
Aubrey cow tows to the popular and somewhat reactionary view of his crew, however
through strategic thinking he cuts through the chaos to make a decision based on the
best outcome on all levels.  This is not always popular but his command is clear and
confident and therefore carried out in full.
 Aubrey demonstrates strong leadership abilities during several surprise attack on
his vessel from Acheron.  During one attack The French Gunship destroys Surprise’s
rudder leaving her very vulnerable, Aubrey immediately launches lifeboats and uses
them to move the ship into heavy fog nearby, where they can carry out repairs unseen.
On another occasion Aubrey commands a change of course, which initially looks highly
dangerous, however this then causes the HMS Surprise to achieve an attack advantage
on the French Gunship, which is quickly exploited by the Captain.  Later on, in the story
Aubrey conducts his master stroke and orders Surprise to be disguised as a whaling
vessel in order to bait the enemy.  Aubrey gambles that The French will come close
enough to board her in order to plunder the ship, this will allow the British cannons the
only opportunity to cut though the strengthened hull of the Acheron.  The plan is
executed perfectly and the British overcome the French crew and seize the ship.  All of
these strategies were initially opposed by the crew but deep-down Captain Aubrey
believed that a solution was possible; this gave him the tenacity to find it, which then
provided him with the courage, conviction and persuasion to successfully achieve his
vision.  Somewhere deep inside, the (a) leader believes that a solution exists and sets
out to find it.

In the end Captain Aubrey discerns that their victory may not have been
complete. Although Aubrey has captured the Acheron and put its sailors in chains
bound for England, he realizes that the Acheron’s captain had not been killed, but had
cleverly disguised himself as a doctor. Hence, Capt Aubrey’s personal mission to defeat
the captain of Acheron still did not materialized.

REFERENCES

Master and Commander: lessons in CI, strategy, leadership, and execution. Sandra V.
Lee-Soy

Reflex Leadership Theory