Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude

Overview

It was one of humankind's most epic quests - a technical problem so complex that it challenged the best minds of its time, a problem so important that the nation that solved it would rule the economy of the world. The problem was navigation by sea—how to know where you were when you sailed beyond the sight of land - establishing your longitude. While the gentry of the 18th Century looked to the stars for the answer, an English clockmaker, John Harrison, toiled for decades to solve the problem. His elegant solution made him an unlikely hero and remains the basis for the most modern forms of navigation in the world today. This film will be both a celebration of Harrison's invention and an adventure story. An expedition on a period sailing vessel as it sails the open sea will demonstrate the life and death importance of finding your longitude at sea.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

October 6, 1998

Original language

English

Spoken languages

English

Countries

Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America

Production

SVT Drama,WGBH,BBC Horizon,David Axelrod Productions,GBH

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss,Patrick Malahide

Director

Peter Jones

Writer

Dava Sobel,David Axlerod

Producer

Paula S. Apsell,David Axlerod

Cinematography

Brian McDairmant

Music

Dan Jones

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

Homepage

Official site

IMDb

View on IMDb