Mutiny on the Bounty 1935

     This film is based on a 1932 novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norton Hall.  In 1789, a team of naval officers from the HMS Bounty go into a local bar to round up sailors to complete their crew.  The men don’t want to go but they don’t have a choice.  One man definitely doesn’t want to go and his wife tries to convince the men not to take him.  They have a baby son and the ship will be gone for a long time plus he may not come back.  None of the crew knows what a tyrant Captain William Bligh will be on this voyage.

     I’ve seen this film before but it was still good and interesting.  In almost every scene, you want to have Captain Bligh flogged, stretched on the yardarms, keelhauled or thrown below deck.  He has no values, honesty and he cares nothing about human life.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

132 min, Adventure directed by Frank Lloyd with Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone, Herbert Mundin, Eddie Quillan, Dudley Digges, Donald Crisp, Henry Stephenson, Francis Lister, Spring Byinton.

Note:  Imdb 7.8 out of 10, 94% critic 83% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 139 reviews.

Special Note:  This novel and film are based on the true story of the mutiny against Lieutenant William Bligh.  He served as Commanding Lieutenant of the Bounty.  Fletcher Christian set him adrift with other members of the crew and he sailed 3,618 nautical miles to Timor.  Everyone on the boat was almost dead from hunger and thirst.  This was not his first leadership position but since the Bounty was an armed vessel, he could command the crew under British articles of war.  I read that Captain Bligh was not as bad as portrayed and the real reason for the mutiny may have been the men wanting to remain in Tahiti.