HotToastyRag If you've never seen one of the three major film versions of the famous mutiny-and therefore have no knowledge of the plot-the opening credits of the 1935 film will give you a pretty fair warning of what is about to happen. I've seen all three versions, 1935, 1962, and 1984, and this version has quickly become my favorite. Charles Laughton, the famously strict Captain Bligh, leads a two-year voyage from England to Tahiti to procure breadfruit plants and bring them back. His second-in-command, Fletcher Christian, is played by an un-mustached Clark Gable. At first, Gable supports his captain and tries to get the crew to behave and obey their commanding officer to avoid his horrible punishments. But when Laughton repeatedly brutalizes his men for small or nonexistent infractions, Gable leads a mutiny and takes over the ship. I know Clark Gable was called "The King", but he really wasn't a good actor. Please, nobody throw anything at me, and hear me out. He was very handsome, made girls swoon by taking his shirt off in most of his movies, and had a powerfully confident presence onscreen. But his acting consisted of shouting or smirking, with exception to The Misfits. When you watch Mutiny on the Bounty, it's as if you're watching Rhett Butler on a boat. He's exactly the same. My criticisms of Clark Gable aside, the rest of the movie is very good! The character of Captain Bligh has to be so much more than just strict and unreasonable. He's obviously a mass of problems, otherwise he wouldn't act the way he does, and in Charles Laughton's interpretation, those problems are written on his brow. He broods, wants to be better than he is, and craves order and respect for deep reasons, and it's obvious without being melodramatic. But it's Franchot Tone who steals the show in his performance. He's the most likable character, and he delivers so much passion into his lines, whether he's interacting with Tahitians and creating a dictionary, falling in love, or finding a balance between loyalty to his captain and to his friend. I like him anyway, but I've never seen him pour so much of himself into a role as in this film. All three leads were nominated for Best Actor in 1936, since the Academy hadn't created the Supporting Actor category yet, and the vote split between them. The only nominee who wasn't in Mutiny on the Bounty took home the gold that year, but at least the film won Best Picture. The sea scenes were pretty remarkable for 1935, so keep that in mind when you watch it.If you can, keep an eye out for James Cagney, David Niven, and Dick Haymes, as one of the dozens of extras in the film. I never found them, but you can give it a shot. This is very much a man's movie, but I enjoyed it immensely. The characters and production values kept me riveted even past the end!

grantss 1787. HMS Bounty sets sail from England for Tahiti in the South Pacific. Her First Lieutenant is Fletcher Christian, an officer who cares about the welfare of his men. Her captain, Captain Bligh, on the other hand, drives his men mercilessly and punishes them for the most insignificant thing, to the point of manufacturing infractions. Bligh becomes universally hated by the crew and a confrontation with Christian appears inevitable...Decent telling of the (true) story of the Bounty. The sailing scenes are quite authentic and you get a good feel for what life at sea must have been like in the late-1700s. Good work by Charles Laughton as Captain Bligh - he captured the menace and maliciousness of Bligh very well. Clark Gable is fine as Christian, though at times maybe a bit too cavalier and cocky to be naval officer.Not great though. The story does feel a bit dry at times and is fairly conventionally told. I much preferred the 1984 version starring Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson. (I haven't yet seen the 1962 version starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard).Won the 1936 Best Picture Oscar.

mmallon4 If was to sum up Mutiny on the Bounty it would be 'immensely satisfying'. The actual build up to the mutiny itself is just so immense. Charles Laughton is an absolute beast as Captain William Bligh, a cruel sadist with no reverence for his crew, even more so due to his prejudice against convicts. I can't stress just how much I love this performance. Shivers go down my back at any of his many outbursts ("Chriiiiiistian!"). For me this is the ultimate love to hate character that when he finally gets his comeuppance after subjecting his crew to overworking, lashings and other mistreatments, it's one of the most satisfying movie moments ever. Just like the crew, you grow to hate this character with a passion. On a personal level I can see many of my old school teachers in Bligh. OK they weren't that sadist but his harsh nature gives me déjà vu of my school days. Bligh is shown however to have a human side though. He does have a friendship with the King of Thatti, the only person who can convince Bligh to be less harsh. Their interactions are the only time in the film Bligh is shown to have a softer side. There's just something about angry ship captains which make for such memorable characters (Captain Ahab, Captain Queeg, James Cagney in Mister Roberts).Of course there is also The King himself: Clark Gable as Fletcher Christian - A figure you would be glad to have as a captain, stern but fair and a man you would happily salute and shout "yes sir!" at. He's the humanitarian saving grace for a crew ravaged at the hand of Captain Bligh. Like Laughton, the hairs on my back rise at any of his outbursts throughout the film ("I call ship's company to bare witness, you killed him!"). Supposedly the two intensely disliked each other possibly due in part to Gable winning the Oscar for Best Actor the year before for It Happened One Night over Laughton's performance in The Barretts of Wimpole Street. This makes the seething hatred between the two characters feels more real making Mutiny on the Bounty a movie of two powerhouse performances. This was Gable's first role in a period film and he fits well into the historical period. Likewise I've never thought much or Franchot Tone as an actor but he's very good as Rodger Byam, an idealist seaman who has to make difficult decisions between his loyalty to the navy and tyranny of Captain Bligh.Then there are the scenes on the Island Tahati. These where filmed on location and are as romantic as it gets. Tahati seems like a world too good to be true; a tropical drug shop of feast, song and sleep. A seemingly care free society in which the inhabitants don't even know about the concept of money. It's such a release after the tyranny experienced on board The Bounty, well until we have to return to the ship that is - no wonder a mutiny takes place. Even with the production code in effect, the scenes on the island are still very exotic and it's defiantly implied Christian and native girl played by Mamo Clark had sex. Shirtless Clark Gable, beautiful exotic women, tropical island paradise, what more do you want? Although I do have to ask; were there really natives who had relations this good with the British Empire?The life size recreation of The Bounty pushes the boundaries of set design at the time. From a visual standpoint the movie excels in the realism department. Likewise the rousing musical score unleashes the imagination of your inner schoolboy. Oh and did I mention James Cagney is in this film; yep he's in there for a brief second. Just when I thought this movie couldn't get any better.In defence of the film for being historical inaccurate; this is a movie, a work of fiction, not a documentary (although I highly recommend 1984's The Bounty, which tells the story with Bligh being the hero and Christian as the villain). Besides how can we ever truly be sure what happened aboard that ship 200 years ago? Regardless of what really happened, I find the tale of The Bounty is a story of great fascination and one which really sparks the imagination. Mutiny on the Bounty is the seafaring movie all seafaring movies are measured against.

SnoopyStyle It's 1787. The HMS Bounty is departing from Portsmouth for Tahiti. Captain William Bligh (Charles Laughton) is a brutal tyrant but his lieutenant Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) is much more humane to the crew. The ship is small, the quarters are tight, the journey is long and the food is bad.Clark Gable is a great movie star. I wish he isn't quite so jovial and so clean cut. His smile undercuts some of the tension and the needed grittiness. He is a very modern movie hero which sticks out a bit. Laughton is terrific as the arrogant Bligh. He is the real star of the show. Filming on water always adds a certain amount of difficulties which one must account for. It's an old school Hollywood fare with some good work done.