Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Review #209
MGM, 1935
Mov No. 1531
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG
Directed by: Frank Lloyd
Staring: Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone
Oscars: 1 win (Picture), 8 nominations (Lead Actor (Laughton, Gable & Tone), Director, Screenplay, Score, Film Editing)
AFI 100 years, 100 ___ tributes: Hero's & Villains (#19; Villain Capt Bligh); Movies (#86)
Runtime: 2h 12min
Best quote: "Can you understand this, Mr. Byam? Discipline is the thing. A seaman's a seaman. A captain's a captain. And a midshipman, Sir Joseph or no Sir Joseph, is the lowest form of animal life in the British Navy." - Captain William Bligh:

A classic high-seas adventure, Mutiny on the Bounty starts off slowly but picks up speed until it abruptly ends.

The last film to win only best picture, Mutiny also has the distinction of being the only film with three lead actors nominated (although Franchot Tone probably would have been nominated in a supporting category, if there was one. That category would come next year, 1936.)

Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton) is the captain of the Bounty, a royal navy ship sailing to Tahiti to transplant trees from England. Along the way, the first mate, Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable), becomes disenchanted with Bligh's leadership, viewing the horrible way Bligh treats his men time after time, day after day.

Christian snaps, and with the help of several other men, captures Bligh and sets him adrift in the Pacific Ocean with 18 other men.

Christian and his men land on an island to live out their lives, criminals now. Only one man has any hope; Midshipman Roger Byam (Franchot Tone), loyal to Bligh, is forced to stay on the Bounty.

What will happen to Christian? will he meet Bligh again? Will the mutineers be caught?

Although it is a classic film, Bounty's main feature is it's great acting. Laughton plays a wicked Captain Bligh, evil in every way and just as menacing. Clark Gable's Fletcher Christian, on the other hand, is the perfect foil to Bligh. Together, they have good Chemistry, separate, they both make for a good movie.

Although the film could have used more action, it still works well and delivers us a good, decent high seas adventure. This film did not deserve to win best picture; it did, however, deserve to win for its cinematography, for which it wasn't nominated. This is what happens when 11 other films are nominated for best picture.

IF you want to see a better high seas pirate adventure, check out Captain Blood, also nominated this year.

Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
Alice Adams; The Broadway Melody of 1936; Captain Blood; The Informer; The Lives of a Bengal Lancer; A Midsummer Night's Dream; Les Misérables; Naughty Marietta; The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield, the Younger; Ruggles of Red Gap; Top Hat

Is the movie worth your time to watch?

FINAL RATING

16-01-07