 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY is the classic tale of one of the most infamous adventures on the high seas. The story is based on the fictional accounts written by Charles Nortdhoff and James Norman Hall. English conscripts sailing for Tahiti buckle under the chastisements of cruel Captain William Bligh, savagely portrayed by Charles Laughton. Blighs grotesque abuses of power, including a brutal flogging that results in the death of the sick old ships doctor, finally inspire a mutiny on the return voyage, conducted under the leadership of fair-minded officer Fletcher Christian, played by the dashing and heroic Clark Gable. Following the mutiny, Bligh and a few cronies are set onto a small dinghy after the successful muntiy, at which point the real adventure begins--Blighs 4,000-mile journey from Tahiti to the Dutch East Indies. A solid seagoing adventure epic with breathtaking location photography, MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY offers an unparalleled nautical authenticity--the ship photographed and the costumes worn were exact replicas of the 18th-century originals. Storyline: Midshipman Roger Byam joins Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian aboard the HMS Bounty for a voyage to Tahiti. Bligh proves to be a brutal tyrant and, after six pleasant months on Tahiti, Christian leads the crew to mutiny on the homeward voyage. Even though Byam takes no part in the mutiny, he must defend himself against charges that he supported Christian. Written by Eric Sorensen Plot Summary: This is the classic (and true) tale of the mutiny that took place on the HMS Bounty, led by the courageous and dashing Fletcher Christian. The sailors revolt because of the barbaric and merciless way they had been treated during the voyage by the wicked Captain Bligh. Film Facts: • Three of the films actors (Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone) were all nominated for Academy Award. • MUTNITY ON THE BOUNTY was the second picture directed by Frank Lloyd to win an Oscar for Best Picture; CAVALCADE was the first. • The budget was close to two million dollars (quite large for the time), much of which was spent shooting background footage in Tahiti and building a historically accurate replica of the HMS Bounty. • Gable had doubts about taking the role--he was concerned about his ability to manage an English accent and thought he would look silly wearing a pigtail. • MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY is number 86 on the American Film Institute's list of America's 100 Greatest Movies. Cast Notes: Charles Laughton (Capt. William Bligh), Clark Gable (Lt. Fletcher Christian), Franchot Tone (Midshipman Roger Byam), Herbert Mundin (Smith [ship's steward]), Eddie Quillan (Seaman Thomas Ellison), Dudley Digges (Dr. Bacchus [ship's surgeon]), Donald Crisp (Seaman Thomas Burkitt), Henry Stephenson (Sir Joseph Banks), Francis Lister (Capt. Nelson), Spring Byington (Mrs. Byam [Roger's mother]), Movita (Tehanni), Mamo Clark (Maimiti [as Mamo]), Byron Russell (Quintal), Percy Waram (Seaman Coleman), David Torrence (Lord Hood). User Comment: perfectbond • Despite the major problem of the all-American Clark Gable being cast as a British naval officer, obviously for box-office considerations, I immensely enjoyed this true film classic. Just as Sean Connery IS James Bond, so, too, Charles Laughton IS Captain Bligh. This version compares favorably with the later Anthony Hopkins-Mel Gibson effort, The Bounty. I don't want to discuss two films here so I'll just say that both films have their merits. The later version is said to be more historically accurate but the original seems to have a more a more mythological quality about it. Regardless, first-rate commercial filmmaking by any standard, 9/10. Summary: Terrific adventure IMDb Rating (08/20/04): 7.8/10 from 2,102 users
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