This is a powerful piece from John Ford, and a masterpiece of cinematography from Gregg Toland. Though it drags at times, the characters on the ship make the wait worthwhile. While Wayne IS a central figure in the story, it is his shipmates that carry the film. Wayne is merely the focal point of their dilemma. While there are a few misfires (such as the patriotic image of the British flag after an Englishman's heroic death), it is all-in-all a fabulous picture, a rugged tale of friendship, durability, disappointment and resignation.