Friday, July 4, 2008

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Review

Hype:  I actually don't know much about the movie Mutiny on the Bounty.  I do know that it is considered a classic.  I also know that it won Best Picture at the 1935 Academy Awards.  Since this film is considered a classic, it is one in which I feel I need to watch.  I have no expectations for it, so let's see how it is.

Initial Review:  The Mutiny on the Bounty stars Clark Gable, Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone.  Charles Laughton plays Captain William Bligh who is in charge of the ship the Bounty.  Bligh doesn't treat the crew of the Bounty well at all.  He often flogs (whips) his crew just to prove his power.  Clark Gable plays Fletcher Christian who takes offense to the way Bligh treats the crew.  Franchot Tone stars as Byam who becomes close friends with Christian.

Christian becomes so fed up with the way Bligh treats the crew that he decides he needs to get Bligh off the ship.  Christian and a few of the deck hands get together and drive Bligh and his followers off the ship and force them to survive on a small boat.  Byam doesn't fully agree with Christians actions but stays on the ship.  Christian takes the Bounty back to Tahiti, where he and Byam both met the loves of their lives.  Christian ends up taking his wife and child back aboard the Bounty to avoid another British ship that is headed for Tahiti.  Byam decides to stay on shore and risk going back to Britain.  Bligh actually ends up being on that ship and takes Byam captive and places him on trial for mutiny.

Overall I thought Mutiny on the Bounty was a great film.  I haven't seen a film with Clark Gable before and I was really impressed.  I can see why so many people enjoy his films.  It was really easy to dislike Charles Laughton character, Captain Bligh.  Just by looking at him you could tell he was an evil man who only cared about himself and let the power go to his head.  You really get to know the characters.  You learn to hate Bligh and like Christian and Byam.  The special effects for this film are incredible considering it was made in the thirties.  The storm scenes on the ships deck looked a lot more believable than those shown in films today, like in the Pirate of the Caribbean movies.  You could really see the actors pain and struggles as they fight against the rain.  This film is definitely worth the Academy Award for Best Picture.  The Mutiny on the Bounty is truly a great film and one that everyone should see.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

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