In Master and Commander, Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) is the commander of the British ship H.M.S. Surprise. When his ship is attacked and almost sunk by a superior French warship, Captain Aubrey is determined to hunt down his foe. As he chases the ship around Cape Horn, he encounters a fierce storm.

William Warley, the young captain of the mizzentop, attempts to trim the sails. The raging sea makes the job impossible. Holding on to the mast he calls for help. Captain Aubrey orders other men to assist him. Warley hugs the mast and continues his cries for help. Before anyone can reach him, the mast breaks and falls into the sea, taking Warley with it.

The ship's master, Mr. Allen calls out, "Man overboard! Hands to the taffrail."

Carpenter's Mate Nagle spots Warley and yells, "He's over there, sir!"

"Help!" Warley cries out.

Captain Aubrey says, "Swim for the wreckage, man! Swim, man!"

Nagle says, "Swim, Will!"

"Over here!" Warley calls out.

Captain Aubrey orders, "Mr. Allen, gratings and barrels. Anything that floats, overboard."

As the ship begins rolling over on its side, Bonden, the coxswain says, "She's broaching! We're losing her!"

An officer advises the captain, "Sir, the wreckage is acting as a sea anchor! We must cut it loose! It's going to sink us!"

Nagle says, "Sir, he's going to make it! He can do it!"

Other voices from the deck call out, "Swim for the wreckage, Will! You can do it, Will, swim! Come on, Will! Swim!

Captain Aubrey looks at Allen and nods slightly. Allen frowns and runs off, returning with a pouch of axes. They hack at the ropes until the mast is free of the ship. The ship floats away from Warley as the crew stands on deck looking back at him.

Warley's life is sacrificed so that the ship's crew may live.

Content: Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences, related images, and language

Elapsed Time: Measured from the opening credits, 00:49:23 to 00:53:20