Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's naval, not navels..., January 30, 2000
Charles Laughton gives the standout performance in this classic retelling of the Bounty mutiny. Gable appears properly confounded and gives a believable and sympathetic rendering of Fletcher Christian. The movie holds up remarkably well despite some awkward editing and gaps in the story line. Still, at 133 minutes it is a relatively long film but it never drags. In spite of allegations made in other reviews there are no "white girls in blackface" or "boats in a bathtub" scenes. True, navels are concealed but the two female leads are obviously and revealingly topless in several scenes. As for "toy boats in a bathtub" there is only one sequence that obviously utilizes a model and it isn't all that obvious. Laughton is the luminary here and his Bligh stays with you. In fact it has stayed with the culture for sixty-five years. His performance is without fault and repeated watchings bear this out. A couple of sequences bear a closer look: The mutiny montage is startlingly effective and intense. It is a realistic portrayal of sudden violence; short, confusing, and graphic. The Sunday morning prayers on deck sequence is poetic and approaches the sublime. The ship's sails gleam translucent in the sun, the Union Jack floats majestically in the breeze, sunlight reflects brightly on faces as the Captain invokes God's blessings on the voyage. The extreme contrast of light and dark in the black and white print and the metaphorical contrast of good against Bligh, the epitome of evil, is subtle yet effective. It is a beautiful few moments. In every way but gloss this film is superior to the 1962 version. The 1984 "Bounty" with Mel Gibson is a fine film but it fades in the memory. This version lingers in the subconsious.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of MGM's very best., September 15, 2000
This film has never escaped my top ten favorites list. The only film in history to have 3 leading men nominated for best actor. While Gable is perfect as Fletcher Christian and Franchot Tone gives a superb performance as a midshipman, it's Charles Laughton's Captain Bligh that sets this film apart. You'll want to mutiny too. The ensemble cast is also memorable (unlike later films), each playing off Bligh's totally disgusting presence. Stolen cheeses, rancid rations and repeated lashings drive a crew collected by press-gangs to solicit 1st mate Christian to end their misery. And he does, casting Bligh adrift and taking the Bounty to Tahiti where half-naked island girls and a perfect tranquil life compare to Bligh like heaven to hell. I shed a tear every viewing during Tone's 'lift their hearts' speech at the end. This is a must see classic in every sense. Highest recommendation (for all but the youngest children)
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"...I am your captain, your judge, and your jury.", May 2, 2005
Charles Laughton is unforgettable as the ruthless Captain Bligh, who is ordered in late 1787 to take the Bounty, a British naval ship, to the island of Tahiti in the South Seas to gather breadfruit trees that'll be transplanted to the West Indies and served as food for the slaves. But the mission is doomed from the start because of Captain Bligh's intolerable cruelty to his crew and fellow officers, including Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable).
As the Bounty makes its way to Tahiti, crewmen are mercilessly wipped for minor offenses and several die because of the sinister Bligh. When the Bounty finally reaches the beautiful island the crew are allowed to have some brief relaxation and many fall in love with the pretty native girls. Christian falls in love with a beautiful native girl but is forced to leave her behind when the Bounty, now packed with breadfruit trees, starts its return journey to England. Bligh's cruel treatment of his crew drives Fletcher Christian over the edge, and he decides to lead a mutiny against Bligh.
Bligh and his loyal officers and crewmen are cast adrift in a small boat, and Christian heads back to Tahiti where he reunites with his native girlfriend. He and his now "liberated" crew are happy, but not for long. Bligh defies the wrath of nature itself and somehow makes it back to England, where he is exonerated by his superiors for the loss of the Bounty. Eager to seek vengeance on Christian and his mutineers, Bligh is given a new ship and begins his pursuit of the Bounty. Knowing that Bligh will never stop looking for his lost ship, Christian decides to burn the ship after landing the crew (as well as his girlfriend and the crewmembers' girlfriends from Tahiti) at the deserted Pitcairn Island. And there they will remain for the rest of their lives, "prisoners" of the island, rather than hanged by the British.
This 1935 classic has aged well and has been nicely restored for its dvd release. The special features include theatrical trailers for both the 1935 and 1962 versions, brief footage of the director recieving the oscar for best picture of 1935, and an incredible but brief documentary (made at about the same time as the film I guess) about Pitcairn Island which has real footage of the descendants of Fletcher Christian and his mutineers.
I honestly don't know which of the film versions (this one, the 1962 version, and 1984's "The Bounty") I like best, but I think that there are strengths and weaknesses with each one. For example, Clark Gable as a British officer is as convincing as Richard Burton playing a German officer (which he did, for heaven's sake!), but he still did well in the role. Franchot Tone, in a supporting role, had some of the corniest dialogue of the whole film. The real scene-stealer was of course Charles Laughton, who always made such a great screen villian. If youn enjoy watching classic sea adventures, I highly recommend this one.
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