Les Révoltés du Bounty

As far as I can recall, 1962's Mutiny on the Bounty was one of the many matinee-films shown for many years during Christmas that I used to watch lazily as a kid while doing other things at the same time. I do not think I ever watched the whole thing from beginning to end. Consequently, I never found it too fascinating.

When I many years later decided to buy it on VHS and watch it concentratedly, I fell in love with it immediately. I have always been a fan of large-scale films like Ben Hur, Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia and Mutiny is definitely a "large-scale" film. Not only boasting a wide variety of colourful locations, from breathtaking, sun-drenched sea vistas to exotic beachscapes on Tahiti, it also includes some great actors, such as Marlon Brando, Richard Harris and Trevor Howard as the despicable captain Bligh. Contributing to the "large-scale" feel is Bronislau Kaper's lush and magic music score, featuring haunting chorus statements of the main theme, interestingly entitled "Follow me". The music was so lovely that I had to try out the theme on the piano once I finished watching the film.

I suppose most readers of this post are already familiar with the basic plotline, so I will not have to go through that.

I find that the film contains quite a lot of nice dialogue that sticks in your memory. But it is above all the growing conflict aboard the ship that is the major interesting theme of the film. Just to see how the conflict between Bligh and Christian builds step by step, from more or less nothing to mutiny. Even though it is unpleasant, it is a delight to follow. In any case, it had me glued to the screen.

I cannot say whether the events are portrayed authentically as they happened historically or not, but to me that is of minor interest. The film comes out magnificent all the same and appear to me to be quite realistic.

Another thing about the film that appealed to me is that it is so beautiful. Not only are the locations beautiful, but a lot of the actors, their contemporary clothing, not to mention the Tahitian beauties, are simply eye-catching. The Bounty, the ship itself, is also quite something else. A lot of the film's beauty, I believe, also has to do with good photography thoughout. The film lends itself incredibly well to widescreen-viewing.

I would heartily recommend this film to any fan of cinema. It is a film filled to the brim with colour and spectacle with marvelous actors and a catching and disturbing story of power abuse and the British Empire in its heyday. The only disturbing thing at the moment of writing, is that it still has not been released on DVD. But when it is, I sincerely hope it comes in a deservedly magnificent picture- and sound-transfer including a mountain of extras. I simply cannot wait.

Spectacular and lavish second retelling with extraordinary performances and wonderful outdoors . This high-budgeted rendition contains the mightiest excitement that ever swept across the sea or the screen . The Bounty leaves Portsmouth in 1787 . It is commanded by captain Bligh , he was chosen for the mission to Tahiti because he was considered one of the most skilled navigators in the world , having been personally selected by Captain James Cook as Master , title now would be Navigator , on his third voyage around the world . Its objective : to sail to Tahiti and load bread-fruit . The Bounty's original reason for going to Tahiti was to transport breadfruit seedlings to Jamaica where they would be cultivated to provide inexpensive food for the slaves working on English plantations . Captain Bligh (Trevor Howard, he was initially reluctant to play , because he felt he was far too old for the part, the real life Lieutenant William Bligh was 33 when the Bounty set sail) will do anything to get there as fast as possible , utilizing any means to keep up a rigid discipline . When they arrive at Tahiti , it is like a paradise for the crew (Richard Harris , Richard Haydn , Hugh Griffith , Percy Herbert , Gordon Jackson , among others) and officers , something totally different than the living hell aboard the boat . On the way back to England, 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian (Marlon Brando) becomes the chief of a rebellion .

This is the second adaptation of the vintage story of mutiny during the turbulent voyage based on one of history's greatest true life sea adventure . It's the colorful classic version very well played and with marvelous scenarios . Interesting screenplay tough there are some gaps and flaws , as many writers did uncredited rewrites on the script, including Eric Ambler, William L. Driscoll, Borden Chase, John Gay and Ben Hecht . Big budget adaptation as the film cost an estimated $19 million in 1962 which was a huge expenditure at the time . The ship cost $750,000 to reconstruct ; for almost four decades, the ship used in this film, has been a popular tourist attraction in St. Petersburg, Florida. Visitors get to tour the ship itself and learn more about both the historical H.M.S. Bounty and MGM's two screen versions of the Nordhoff and Hall book . She was reused in ¨Caribbean pirates¨ and was also used in ¨Treasure island ¨ and sank during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

This account of the mutiny led by Fletcher Christian against captain Bligh is highlighted thanks to glamorous cinematography by Robert Surtees , as the last Ultra Panavision film to be shown in the extremely wide screen. Emotive as well as haunting musical score by Bronislau Kaper . Extremely memorable acting by Marlon Brando who brings his own powerful individualism to contrasting role of Trevor Howard with opposing attitude whose inevitable clash receives greatest importance . Interesting portrayal of Fletcher Christian's Marlon Brando and Bligh's Trevor Howard who bears little relation to Mel Gibson-Anthony Hopkins version . Furthermore , a sensual and romantic relationship between Marlon Brando and Tarita, the Tahitian beauty actress who played Maimiti, they met during filming and later married. Secondary cast is frankly excellent , such as Percy Herbert as Seaman Matthew , Duncan Lamont as John Williams , Gordon Jackson as Seaman Edward ,Noel Purcell a Seaman William , Eddie Byrne as John , Frank Silvera as Minarii and Hugh Griffith was fired during filming when his alcoholism became unmanageable , that is why his character disappears for large portions of the film . Compelling direction by Lewis Milestone who captures the feel of sea and harshness of the times . After the firing of Carol Reed, Marlon Brando began to usurp the power of replacement director Lewis Milestone , a well-respected veteran with two directing Oscars to his credit , in fact , it was last movie directed by Lewis Milestone ; he only did two TV episodes after this . Other renditions based on these historical events are the followings : Old and black and white take on titled 'Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)' by Frank LLoyd with Clark Gable , Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone and revisionist storytelling titled ¨Bounty¨ by Roger Donalson with Mel Gibson , Anthony Hopkins , Bernard Fox and Liam Neeson .

The real deeds are the following : In 1787, Captain Bligh was chose to command HMS Bounty on a voyage to Tahiti, where he was to collect breadfruit trees with the object of introducing them to the Caribbean . Ironically, the breadfruit seedlings which Bligh brought to Jamaica as an inexpensive food for the slaves working on English plantations were an utter failure , as the slaves took one bite, and refused to eat any more . Captain Bligh is determined to reach Tahiti and return with a hold full of breadfruit trees. When the ship sailed after a six-month stay on the island, Bligh's men mutinied , casting him and a handful of loyal crew members adrift with scant provisions and no chart. Bligh's incredible seamanship brought them safely to Timor after a voyage of 4000 miles. Fletcher Christian and the other mutineers sailed on to the island of Pitcairn. The mutineers' fate remained in mystery for 18 years until their island was discovered by an American whaling ship , they found one man , John Adams, with nine women and 23 children. What happened Fletcher Christian remains uncertain, some say he was murdered on Pitcairn island, but then there were reports that he returned safely to England . However the descendants live on Pitcairn island to this day.

I first heard of this movie in the spring of 1996. It surprised me to learn that there was a remake to the 1935 Mutiny on the Bounty which I had recently watched for the 10th time. I hardly figured that the likes of a slurring Marlon Brando as Fletcher Christian and a cast of personally unfamiliar characters("who was Trevor Howard",I asked myself) could top the swashbuckling Clark Gable as Christian and the ripping story that the cast of the 1935 gem pulled off. How wrong I was to doubt the 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty. I loved it! I do not think that it is better than the 1935 Mutiny on the Bounty, but it stands as a different take. While the older Mutiny told a by the numbers high-seas adventure with sword fights and glitzy hollywood melodrama, the 1962 version turns out to as less of an action movie and more of a drama. It chooses to downplay the story more to better concentrate on the surprisly complex characters. How complex? Take the tormented Mr. Fryer, Captain Bligh's 3rd in command. He sees the wrongful treatment that his captain is giving the crew, but he does not want to go against the navy. On the other hand, there is McCoy, the old 30 year veteran--someone who seemly would have experienced cruelty similar to Bligh's--who mutinied along with the younger members. Then there is Brown, who ever the gentleman, tries to be loyal to Bligh,but, in the end, he must obey his gentle ways and go against the captain's harsh methods. Although Mills plays a key role in the film, his character does not hold much mystery; the captain overreacts too much, and he does not think it right. He does something about it. All of these different characters and more, play off one another beautifully. When the mutiny does happen, watching them work together(or against each other) is truly beautiful. The production values stir the soul. The gigantic bounty, the breathtaking location footage of Tahiti, the vast panaramic shots of the Atlantic Ocean, and the loud/proud moody score accented with Tahitian percussion. The dialogue is quick, clever and too the point.

All of these elements help to elevate the core story in Mutiny on the Bounty: Bligh and Christian. As Bligh, Trevor Howard changes the character immortalized by Charles Laughten in the 1935 version. Instead of inhuman, demonic tyrant, Howard portrays Bligh simply as an excruciatingly stern captain focused(a little overzealously) on doing the best job that he can. If his mean do not pursue his goals with the same fervor. He gets impatient then frustrated then angry and then violent all in quick succession. He makes for a very realistically workaholic without a life, and he wants everyone else to be a workaholic, too. I thought Clark Gable's Fletcher Christian could not be topped...until I saw Marlon Brando undergo a sheer transformation playing the role. After seeing Brando in ON THE WATERFRONT and the equally American THE GODFATHER, I could not imagine him playing 18th Century British officer...but he did. Brando perfects the haughty, posturing walk. He perfects the clipped, accented speech. He perfects the foppish, effeminate walk of a "true" English gentlemen of high-born connections. Brando does it so remarkably well that one cannot imagine such sissified character leading a mutiny against a tyrannical man like Bligh. Brando's transformation of Christian from sissy to mutiny leader baffles. Unlike Gable, he doesn't gloss over the decision to be a mutineer. Gable made it look easy and as the "right thing to do". Realistically, is it the right thing to do? To throw away your career that you worked hard for? To throw away your life? All for the sake of a feeling a moral belief? It may sound hard, but when faced with a such a delimma, it can be agonizing...which is exactly what Brando captures to a tee, right down to the last frame.

Mutiny on the Boutny 1962 truly needs to be seen. Please don't listen to critics. This movie is fantastic.

This is my favorite version of Mutiny of the Bounty, and I think it takes a very unfair pounding on the basis of comparisons to the original. The production is superb, the story is paced a lot better, and it details Captain Bligh's cruelty more thoroughly. I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of the film, Brando's concept as a foppish Mr. Christian is a bit hard to believe, although he played it extremely well. Trevor Howard's Bligh is one of the most underrated performances in the world. For him to take a role heavily identified with another actor, play it his own way, and pull it off is extremely difficult. I give him enormous credit for this superb performance. I think the biggest criticism of this film is that it's not the original, but still extremely well done under the circumstances and very entertaining. ***

While the initial critical reception given MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY was not as favorable as that given the original 1935 film, seen nowadays it is a very impressive telling of the Bounty story with some fine performances and a stirring musical score by Bronislau Kaper that fully captures the mood with some haunting and truly striking themes that give the film added dimension. The pictorial splendor of the technicolor photography at sea and in Tahiti is never less than eyefilling. A thrilling high point is the storm at sea with Kaper's music rising to powerful intensity.

Furthermore, there are two fascinating performances by Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard. Howard is not quite as showy in the role as the scenery-chewing Laughton but his characterization is a bit more complex. Brando does an excellent job as Christian, posturing in the manner of a gentleman and speaking with an upper crust British accent that is entirely credible. Indeed, when he reaches the mutinous moment in a rage of uncontrolled anger, he is at the top of his acting form. Even so, some of his most effective moments are quietly underplayed. His performance deserved an Oscar nomination--but with so much bad publicity surrounding the film and the hardships and strains involved in the making, Hollywood apparently gave him the cold shoulder. Years later, they did the same to Russell Crowe for his bad boy behavior.

Technically, of course, the film is far superior to the B&W 1935 Gable-Laughton film. Gorgeous sunsets are backdrops to the ship at sea and the island scenes in Tahiti are gorgeous to behold.

A missing element from the earlier film is the absence of the character played by Franchot Tone. Indeed, Tone was nominated for a Best Actor award, along with Gable. There are numerous other differences but this take on the story is a good one, every bit as valid as the 1935 film.

With all of the bad publicity surrounding the film relegated to the past, we can look at this film with a fresh viewpoint today and enjoy it for the entertaining blockbuster that it is. Highly recommended.