White Squall ( White Squall ) is an American film from Ridley Scott released in 1996 . The film is adapted from the book The Last Voyage of the Albatross of Charles Gieg Jr. andFelix Sutton . Based on real facts, this book tells the tragedy of the Albatross sailboat : in 1961 , this ship sank abruptly off Florida , taking with it 6 of the 19 crew members. According to survivors’ testimonies, they were caught in an incredible storm, while the weather was excellent and calm. This weather phenomenon is called a white grain.