Mutiny on the Bounty
This edition has the movie spanning two discs, but will be shipped together and treated as only one title on your ZipList.
1787. HMS Bounty sets out on a journey that will take it through perilous seas to a tropical paradise... and into history as one of the most ill-fated vessels ever to sail for King and country.
Lewis Milestone (All Quiet On The Western Front) directed this color-drenched spectacular, nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. Filmed before in 1935 and again in 1984's The Bounty, the gripping story centers on two men. Marlon Brando plays first officer Fletcher Christian as a dandy transformed into a man of action. Trevor Howard is Capt. Bligh, uncompromising in his command or his cruelty. "Fear is [my] best weapon," Bligh proclaims. But it's also the most costly, driving men to desperation and mutiny. Richard Harris, Hugh Griffith and Richard Haydn also star in this epic adventure.
Member Reviews
Epic Masterpiece - newdaysof
MGM always had the ability to turn great stories into epic film masterpieces. For Mutiny on the Bounty, they built a near-exact replica of the original Bounty - and what a beautiful ship it is. They also spared no expense hiring the best actors, best crew, and filmed most of the movie on location with a cast of thousands.
Like any good epic film, the story unfolds slowly allowing the characters and conflicts to build before they are confronted with a series of crises. The first crisis being the unbelievable cruelty of Captain Bligh brilliantly played by Trevor Howard. It really shows how the captain of a British sea-going vessel was absolute master and his crew were virtual slaves that could be punished or killed for the mildest of infractions, with little recourse all in the name of empire building.
Marlon Brando, in one of the best roles of his career, plays the first mate who ultimately turns against his captain and commandeers the ship. A young Richard Harris plays a crew member who gets the brunt of Captain Bligh's wrath and cruelty and helps Brando's character take over the ship.
The film is a masterpiece from beginning to end, from the beautifully detailed ship, to the epic storms they face trying to round Cape Horn, to the exquisite beauty and serenity of Tahiti, to the beautiful way in which the Tahitian people are portrayed, the music, the dancing, the turquoise water, the lush green mountains and magnificent sunsets, all leading up to the poetic and chilling ending.
The film deals with many themes: good and evil in men's hearts, the high cost of the British empire, the hardships of sea-going life, the romance of far-away lands, the sacrifice one must make to do the right thing, even if it means losing your country and your life.
Filmed in 1962, the quality is superb and equals or surpasses any film made since. It is definitely on my list of 100 Best Films.A Bountiful Film - MovieProf
Marlon Brando was on top of the world in 1962 when he chose to star in this big-budget adaptation of the infamous mutiny-at-sea story. And although this version didn't fare well with audience goers when it premiered, it has held up well over time.
The story is not new: Flethcer Christian is appointed as Lieutenant of the H.M.S. Bounty, captained by William Bligh, on its voyage to Tahiti to pick up bread fruit to use as food for slaves in Britain's plantations in Jamaica. Before long, Bligh begins to demonstrate unusual behaviour, eventually degenerating into seeming insanity, and eventually Fletcher does the unthinkable: he throws the captain and several loyal sailors into a lifeboat and commandeers the ship for himself.
What I like about this version is how Christian regrets his decision. On the one hand, he mutinees against Bligh in order to save the crew from a seemingly insane captain; on the other hand, he realises that his career--and life--are now over, as he and the other mutineers will be hunted for the rest of their lives.
Filmed location in Tahiti, and featuring stellar performances by Tevor Howard and Richard Harris, "Mutiny" is much better than many think. The lifesize Bounty made for the film adds to its authenticity.Boring adaptation - KimAndJon
Having recently re-read the classic novel by Nordhoff and Hall, my wife and I were really disappointed by this movie. Not only does it differ from the novel in many significant ways (Roger Byam, the main character in the novel is not mentioned once) but it also drags on way too long.
To start with, there's over 6 minutes of a prelude at the beginning, which is nothing more than a screen that says "Prelude" and some bad music. It was an unfortunate sign of things to come.
The movie spent too much time on the events leading up to the mutiny... There are too many scenes of Bligh or Christian staring off into space, or of the Bounty rocking in the stormy waters with overly dramatic music playing in the background. The time on Tahiti is glossed over and you don't really get a sense that any of the Tahitian culture wore off on the crew.
Another sore spot for us was the character of Christian. He is totally different in the movie than in the novel. In the movie, Brando plays him as arrogant and detached. It is extremely hard to sympathize with him.
All things considered, I think this film fails both as an adaptation of a much loved story and as an entertaining movie.
Member Reviews
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Epic Masterpiece - newdaysof
MGM always had the ability to turn great stories into epic film masterpieces. For Mutiny on the Bounty, they built a near-exact replica of the original Bounty - and what a beautiful ship it is. They also spared no expense hiring the best actors, best crew, ...A Bountiful Film - MovieProf
Marlon Brando was on top of the world in 1962 when he chose to star in this big-budget adaptation of the infamous mutiny-at-sea story. And although this version didn't fare well with audience goers when it premiered, it has held up well over time.
The ...Boring adaptation - KimAndJon
Having recently re-read the classic novel by Nordhoff and Hall, my wife and I were really disappointed by this movie. Not only does it differ from the novel in many significant ways (Roger Byam, the main character in the novel is not mentioned once) but it ...