evanston_dad MGM dusted off the same property that brought it the best picture Oscar in 1935 and gave it the 1960s epic roadshow treatment. The result is a lumbering film that, for all its seafaring adventure, has not an ounce of narrative momentum to keep it moving forward.Trevor Howard seems to enjoy his role as Captain Bligh, the sadistic commander whose mistreatment of his crew drives them to mutiny. Marlon Brando plays Fletcher Christian, leader of the revolt, as a swishy dandy. All of the actors are overwhelmed by the film's physical size; this was the decade of film spectacle, and "Mutiny on the Bounty" works overtime to give its audience that. Unfortunately, director Lewis Milestone can't figure out what to do with it all, so he decides to cram every ridiculously widescreen shot with a lot of stuff without ever managing to create any visual interest. A saggy middle section set on Tahiti goes on forever and grinds the film to a halt. It never manages to get started again, and by the time the mutiny itself actually happens somewhere around the 2:30 mark, I was hoping I could be left behind with Captain Bligh so that I wouldn't have to endure another 30 minutes of finding out what happened to the Bounty, which I had long ago stopped caring about."Mutiny on the Bounty" received seven Oscar nominations in 1962, but lost all of them, five to "Lawrence of Arabia." Its nominations included Best Picture, Best Color Art Direction, Best Color Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song (only heard during the entr'acte), and Best Special Effects, for some meager sea storm scenes and another toward the end when the Bounty goes up in flames.Grade: C

murray_johnc In my view, the one good thing that came out of this mess was the revival of traditional shipbuilding skills in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for the reconstruction of an enlarged version of the original 1787 Royal Navy sailing ship HMS Bounty. I seriously doubt if anyone could recruit shipbuilders with the requisite skills today. Tragically the ship sank off the coast of North Carolina during Hurricane Sandy on 29 October 2012. Since MGM went to such trouble and expense to reproduce the ship accurately I wonder if similar pains were taken over other aspects of historical accuracy. The (mis)casting of Marlon Brando as Fletcher Christian certainly enhanced Brando's reputation as box office poison. The casting of Trevor Howard as Captain William Bligh is interesting. Depicting a 50-year-old man receiving his first command of a ship would strongly suggest he did not have the right stuff. In point of fact, William Bligh was only 33 when appointed Commanding lieutenant of HMS Bounty in 1787. Bligh was later promoted to commodore and Governor of New South Wales, hardly the career path of an incompetent martinet.

Wuchak The three versions of The Bounty story are 1.) The 1935 black & white version with Clark Gable; 2.) The 1962 Marlon Brando version; and 3.) The 1984 one with Mel Gibson simply titled "The Bounty." THE STORY (***SPOILER***): The mutiny story is TRUE. William Bligh was sent on a mission in 1787 to pick up breadfruit plants from Tahiti and bring them back to England. He intended to circumnavigate the globe, but unfortunately failed to make it around Cape Horn, South America, and had to take the long way around Africa. It thus took them 10 months to reach Tahiti, where they were forced to stay another five months due to the breadfruit's "dormant" period. The natives were friendly and the women beautiful. With the exception of Bligh, the crew fell under the spell of the Polynesian paradise. Christian even married the king's daughter, Maimiti. But after five months they needed to complete their mission and return to England. Three and a half weeks later Fletcher took over the ship with 18 other muntineers. Christian set Bligh and 18 loyalists adrift in the ship's launch. He then returned to Tahiti where he dropped off 16 men, but picked up 6 Tahitian men and 11 women. Christian then set forth with 8 other mutineers and the Tahitians to elude the Royal Navy, ultimately settling on Pitcairn Island, which was well off the beaten path and misplaced on Royal charts, a fine hiding place (***END SPOILER***).Mel Gibson's version is the most accurate, but Brando's is the most epic, as well as the most compelling despite its 3-hour length. The 1935 black & white version is disappointing. It's a fine film for its day, but it'll likely seem dated and fabricated to modern viewers. Nitpickers grumble about historical inaccuracies, but the entire gist of the story is accurate: Fletcher was born to an aristocratic family who were losing their wealth (why do you think he takes the mission?); two cheeses did come up missing and Bligh was the culprit who unjustly blamed others; they did fail to sail around Cape Horn after only going 85 miles in a month; they did spend five months on Tahiti and Fletcher did fall for Maimiti; after the mutiny Fletcher and his crew did end up stranded on Pitcairn where they set The Bounty ablaze; and Christian did die on the island, although in real life he lived for another three and a half years before being killed by one of the Tahitian men in a conflict that broke out.However, Christian was only 23 years old when the mission started, whereas Brando was about 37; Bligh knew Fletcher and actually sailed with him twice before, whereas the film shows Bligh meeting Christian for the first time; the mutiny itself took place at night not in the daytime over a ladle of water; and, lastly, Fletcher didn't die due to wounds received from his burning ship.WHAT WORKS: Brando as Christian is captivating, and Trevor Howard as Bligh. The viewer observes their relationship get worse over the course of the story culminating in the mutiny. Although Bligh is depicted as an authoritarian, one gets the picture that he did what he did mostly to fulfill his mission. Fletcher points out that the Admiralty would likely consider Bligh's actions justifiable.Bligh obviously had some character flaws and became known in the fleet as "that Bounty bast@#d." In fact, he later suffered ANOTHER mutiny in New South Wales, Australia! Although a brilliant seaman, he was by all accounts an unlikable bastage. His arrogant, abusive nature destroyed loyalty and drove people from him. Still, I respect the fact that the film doesn't depict him as a villain dripping with evil, like the 1935 version.Not long after the mutiny Bligh and his loyalists sit in the launch trying to figure out what to do. Bligh decides to sail to Timor, which was 3600 miles away, rather than strand themselves on some uncivilized island. Bligh's mad decision is driven by his desire for revenge. When some of the loyalists object he picks up a sword and states, "It would be a mistake to assume that I am no longer in command here." Bligh succeeded in taking the launch to Timor despite having no charts or a compass! It took them 47 days to sail 3618 miles with few provisions on an overcrowded craft. Although they all survived, five died in the ensuing weeks. The film unfortunately doesn't depict this incredible journey. Gibson's version does, however.This 1962 version also depicts Christian's depression after the mutiny. He locks himself up in his cabin while the rest of the crew celebrates on the mainland. He knows he can never go home again. This is a great scene. Maimiti visits him in his cabin but can't shake him out of his depression; she says: "You either eat life or life eats you!" Another positive aspect is that the picture reveals what life promised the mutineers on Pitcairn; neither the '35 or '84 versions do this.WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Parts of the initial 10-minute dock sequence are stagy and dated. The other problem, as already noted, is that Bligh's brilliant trip to Timor in the launch is not depicted. FINAL ANALYSIS: Despite the few inaccuracies, Brando's version is the most engaging version of the famous mutiny and is one of my all-time favorite films. It never fails to capture my full attention when I view it. This is a sign of a great film (yes, despite the fact that it inexplicably bombed when it was released). Gibson's 1984 "The Bounty" is a worthy rendition as well; it's historically accurate but not as compelling. I recommend watching both films back to back.GRADE: A+

ma-cortes 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.