Trivia

Russell Crowe learned to play violin for the film and referred to it as the hardest thing he'd ever done for a film.

This film was intended to be the first entry in a franchise. However, due to low box-office numbers, no sequels were ever made, despite critical acclaim and multiple Oscar nominations.

The movie combines two novels - "Master and Commander" and "The Far Side of the World". Both deal with chasing down a privateer and the movie combines the long chase of the latter with the furious climactic battle of the former.

Although the book is set in 1812, the film is set 7 years earlier. This afforded the writers the chance to make the enemy of the peace not the United States but France; England at the time having declared war against Napoléon Bonaparte.

To research for his role, Paul Bettany went to the Royal College of Surgeons in London to learn how to use 18th century surgical instruments.