Mutiny on the Bounty (Two-Disc Special Edition) (1962) | DVD Review

When MGM embarked on a costly (second only to Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra at the time) remake of the beloved, Oscar winning 1935 version that starred Clarke Gable and Charles Laughton, the critics and audiences balked.

But time always proves to be the best critic, and time has made Lewis Milestone’s Mutiny on the Bounty a classic in its own right.

MotB is a retelling of the most famous mutiny in history. (Actually it’s probably the only one that most people have any knowledge of.) The HMS Bounty, captained by Lieutenant William Bligh, was sent on a voyage to Tahiti to gather breadfruit plants that were to be brought back to the West Indies where they would be grown and used as an inexpensive food source for British slaves. After spending months taking full advantage of the utopian lifestyle of the Tahitians and their women, the sailors become unable to continue to bear Bligh’s drive to carry out the mission with maniacal efficiency and the vicious treatment of his crew. They devise a plot to exploit second in command Fletcher Christians’ (Brando) distain and reproach for the captains actions, forcing him to finally give in to his feelings and launch the infamous mutiny. Once they have taken control of the ship and rid themselves of their cruel dictator they set sail for a return to the paradise they left behind. But with Bligh’s parting words promising revenge, the mutineers have made the entire world their prison. Forever on the run, never truly free.

Although historical accuracy is set aside to make way for dramatization, one doesn’t watch this film for a history lesson. MotB is all about adventure with a capital A. A sensation that is sorely missing from more recent sea fairing films like Master and Commander and White Squall. From the moment the film starts you feel the anticipation building for what’s to come.

Lewis Milestone’s pacing and direction develop the tension beautifully and Robert Surtees’ photography makes brilliant use of every shade of blue imaginable, but it’s the performances of Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard that are most memorable showing that the mission and the mutiny are merely the setting for what is really a story of two men.

Brando’s transformation of Fletcher Christian from foppish dandy to reluctant revolutionary is pitch perfect. Christian wants so desperately to just get on with what need be done and get his tour of duty over with. He has no interest in being a hero or standing up to injustice. But as the saying goes, “Some men strive for greatness; some have greatness thrust upon them”. Christian not only sacrifices his freedom he sacrifices who he is. Before the mutiny, Christian’s zest for life is palatable. He dresses not only immaculately, but flamboyantly. He lends his spare time to trivial pastimes such as reading or drawing or playing chess. After usurping the captain he loses all traces of the man he once was. His clothes dirty and his chambers a mess he finds no solace in the notion that he “did the right thing”. Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Christian Fletcher is a wonderful example of the cost of true heroism and a precursor to other film anti-heroes.

Trevor Howard’s Captain Bligh never gives way to a single moment of weakness. He conducts his men with a cold heartedness that would make Darth Vader blush. He gives orders of toil and orders of punishment with the same indifference. Contrary to Christian, there is no evolution to Bligh’s character. And that is what makes it all work. One man stands by his convictions another must find a way to live up to his.

Note: Brando isn’t really know for his comedic talents, but his timing and delivery in the scene where an unwilling Captain Bligh must tell him to go and make love to Chief Hitihiti’s daughter in order to secure the mission is just priceless.

Trivia:

• An exact replica of the original HMS Bounty was built by hand in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for the film and was then sailed to Tahiti for the shoot.
• The legendary cinematographer, Conrad Hall, was a camera assistant on the film, which was based on the book written by his father James Norman Hall.
• Brando fell in love with Tahiti while shooting there and married Tarita who played his love interest in the film.
• Carol Reed (The Third Man) was the original director on the film, but quit due to the difficulties of working with Brando.

Originally shot in 70MM Ultra Panavision, the re-mastered quality of the picture is gorgeous and with the film being spread across two DVDs which allows for a higher bit rate for a sharper image this film needs to be watched on the largest screen you can find.

You’ll thank yourself for it.

The special features leave a lot to be desired.

There are 4 featurettes about the history of the ship that was used for the filming. The vintage newsreels are neat, but with so much to work with on this DVD, from the true history of the HMS Bounty to the problems with production brought on by Brando’s ever diminishing sanity. They could have made this disk something special.

Of note is the restored Prologue and Epilogue, which were cut from the film after its premier and never seen again until now. However, it doesn’t really add anything to the film.

Movie rating – 5

Disc Rating – 2