Originally Posted by bob wald 
a black n with movie.people in a big wooden boat adrift. the crew/wealthy/poor/young/old people.about 12 people. the end of it i remember the captain or high ranking ship crew..swam away from the boat. to give the othersmore water/food. later another cruise ship finds them.
Bob:
The movie to which you are referring is named "Abandon Ship" (1957) starring Tyrone Power. Here is a plot summary from the IMDb movie database:
"After their luxury liner is sunk, a group of over twenty survivors take refuge in a life boat made for only nine. Included in the group are an old opera singer, a nuclear physicist, his wife and child, a General, a play-write and his dog, a college professor, a gambler and his mistress, the ship's nurse, and several members of the crew, including the Captain and executive officer. Soon, the captain dies from his injuries. The executive officer must take charge, and as a hurricane approaches, and their food and water run out, he must decide who to put over the side, and who stays and gets a chance at survival."
I remember in junior high school we played a game during class time called "Survivor" based on the movie. In the game, we all drew a card with a profession written on it. We each had to convince the others why we should live. Otherwise, we would be voted off the lifeboat one-by-one. Luckily, I drew a card to be a doctor. Guess you might say the TV program, Survivor, might have been somewhat based on this movie.
I haven't seen the movie in years but I was really struck by it when I saw it on TV back then -- especially, the ending was a surprise. Glad you mentioned it. I'll have to locate it at a video store. A great cruise movie!
- Rik
i remember watching 
