In Too Deep

 Shattered Glass. A Million Little Pieces. The Talented Mr. Ripley. Catch Me If You Can. These are revelations of Milli Vanillis who have sought fame or fortune by doctoring the records. But none paid for their indignities like Donald Crowhurst after sailing his trimaran, Teignmouth Electron, in England's 1968-'69 Golden Globe Race. True, the race itself was a foolish idea, encouraging amateurs to circumnavigate the globe nonstop alone in a vessel of their construction, with only a radio lifeline to expectant fans and anxious loved ones. But heroes are the darlings of commerce, and Captain Don had inventions to sell and mouths to feed. Faced with equipment problems early on in the race, he started weaving a lie that dangled him in second place as the brutal race of nine contestants narrowed to three. By day 367 it strangled him. When his empty boat was found drifting off the finish line, the truth could drift no more: logs of a faked voyage and a ghostly admission of guilt. Rarely has a story of deceit and failure touched the lives of so many Britons, people of the sea and the sail. The critically praised 2006 documentary Deep Water runs Friday through Sunday as part of the Museum of Modern Art's Magnolia at the Modern series in Fort Worth. Call 817-738-9215 or visit visit themodern.org/magnolia.html.
Nov. 23-25, 2007