To put it simply, Frank Lloyd's "Mutiny on the Bounty" has the word 'classic' stamped in every inch of celluloid. In 1935, it was the kind of escapist entertainment no viewer would refuse, no critic would dare to minimize, it set the tones of swash buckling adventures, by MGM and other studios… but a few of them to raise above. You would indeed expect a film from 1935 to have aged a little, it aged even by the standards of 1962 when Lewis Milestone directed the remake, but the two films haven't aged the same and there are many aspects where 1935 Best Picture winner is actually superior.But before unveiling the strength and flaws of the first movie made about one of the most famous mutinies in history (if not the most), let's just examine what makes the story so cinematically appealing. Beyond the usual archetypes of the costume dramas and adventurous overseas journeys, with their share of brutish seamen, romantic heroes and insular paradises whose female natives welcome visitors with garland of flowers and tempting hips, there's –on the field of storytelling- a clear and captivating antagonism. There are basically two images instantly associated with the Bounty: Tahiti and its Christopher-Columbus like mission involving a mysterious breadfruit and the rivalry between Captain Bligh and… "Mister Christian!" (shouted with Laughton's fiery voice).One who had a mild interest in the story knows that it's not black-and-white, Bligh was an authoritarian, by the book, ruler who never accepted his orders to be discussed, and Christian was an idealistic young officer who didn't approve Bligh's overuse of flogging as means of punishment. But who in 1935 asked for complexity and cared to discuss the flogging (a myth according to history), those were the glorious days where the casting had to includes a comic relief played by Herbert Mundin, and a wise drunkard played by Dudlee Dinges, from their very introduction, you know there won't be much room for subtlety. There will have to be reasons to justify these big and angry close-ups on the sailors, to see Christian boiling from inside and making the mutiny not just inevitable, but believable… and acceptable.The 1935 film then takes an angle that couldn't have been less ambiguous: Bligh is the villain (he was the nineteenth entry in the American Film Institute's Top 50) and Christian is the romantic hero. Charles Laughton is obviously having fun adding an extra-sinister dimension to his Bligh, with these bushy eyebrows and sneaky look, he can only appear accidentally sympathetic while Gable, more dashing and handsome than ever, gets too perfect for our cynical modern taste. This is one of the paradoxes of the movie, it insists so much on making Bligh evil that it actually does a disservice to everyone else, heroes included.It all comes down to Bligh being a sadistic monster, flogging a dead man or keelhauling one to his death and showing not a bit or sympathy toward any of his subordinates. Meanwhile, Christian and Bryam (Franchet Tone) are the noble carriers of the flag of justice, they're young (actually, Bligh wasn't that old), they're handsome, and since they're right from the start, they don't provide the same kind of genuine excitement when they're on screen. Worse, they inherited from the most cringe-worthy romantic interludes ever, with girls who've been probably cast for their ability to maintain a dazed enamored smile for more than five minutes… not to mention the Chief whose phony accent doesn't fool anyone.The Tahitian parts makes the mutiny believable, after having lived five months in paradise (the Hays Code prevents any mention of… fooling around) the men have to undergo an even more angry and severe Bligh. But the writers again try too hard, Bligh, instead of maintaining his men in good spirit, cut their ration of water (because the plants needed more), he accuses Christian of stealing and many other provocation. The mutiny could just had been a case of sailors who wanted to get back to their island because the taste of idleness was just too good to endure Bligh more months. Bligh had to be made a bad guy in a way that felt too forced for believability, but then, just when I thought the film was slipping, something happened… a little detail was explored, one that even the 1962 version overlooked.When you look at the real story of the Bounty, there's this magnificent subplot about Bligh leading 18 men on an overcrowded ship (seven meters long) to the island of Timor (3600 miles away), an exploit even by today's standards. That episode says a lot about Bligh's determination, leadership and sailing abilities. Laughton is given his one redeeming moment, as the man who beats the sea itself. It is a credit to the writers to have allowed this to be shown. And when the story cuts to Fletcher and Bryam and their mundane little Tahitian life, the excitement is gone again, and Gable never seems to be in danger anyway, we're somewhat glad for him, but retrospectively, we never pinpoint a moment where his life was in any danger. At least, Blight had that moment.So, when the film makes a villain out of him again in the final trial, I was perplex, sure it looked like a good ending, with all the message about how to manage people, but anyone who'd read the story of the Bounty know whatever happened to the mutineers after that, made Bligh's point. It doesn't make Bligh right of course but it did call for other more subtle portrayals. 1935 was only the start, and quite a good one, with all the deliberate flaws and accidental bits of genius.On a side note, it's also the film that convinced the Academy to add the Best Supporting Actor category; the one Franchet Tone's nomination belonged to. There can't be a movie with three leading actors, although technically, they were.

I admit to not being that familiar with many of Clark Gable's movies except of course "Gone With The Wind". It was weird how I didn't even recognize him at first. That's actually probably a good thing seeing as how an actor should be used to different kinds of performances. With Oscar Month on TCM, they had to feature this. This is based on a true story which I had in fact heard of. I think the only bad thing about this movie is that it is a little too long. Of course, when telling a story based on true events you really do need all the time you can get. I was kind of turned off by the idea of a whole movie taking place on a ship.That's why I was rather pleasantly surprised to see that it also took place on an island. I really do love the atmosphere this creates. Everything comes off as so authentic and you really just get a great sense of fun with these parts. I was kind of surprised at how violent this movie got. This actually showed some pretty graphic depiction of blood, a rarity back then. I still love how we focus on everyone's individual stories. As a history buff, it's always nice to learn more about significant historical events and I don't recall this from history class. Clark Gable was against being in a movie without romance although some of the crew men has some cute little relationships with the natives. ***1/2

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.

Mutiny on the bounty is one of the finest films I have ever seen, and a rare beast of a film at that. It succeeds in everything a film should, with an interesting story, idyllic and realistic acting, and a wonderful feeling. The leading performances of Charles Laughton, Clarke Gable and Franchot Tone are the ones of legend. The fact that the 3 of them canceled each other both in the film and in the Oscar for Best Actor is a common fact. Laughton's scenes as the ruthless Captain Bligh succeed not only in making me believe he was a British Naval Officer of the late 18th century, but also made me loather him. Rarely do we see actors throwing themselves into their roles like this. Gable's Fletcher Christian is perhaps some of the more daring characters I have seen on the screen, with Gable wisely not trying his hand at a British accent and shaving that iconic mustache. Gable's performance is among his career's best, and he seemed to fit naturally within the plot and his talented co-stars. The scenes when he finally loses his temper and lets go of his bottled emotions are awe-striking. Franchot Tone, in one of his first film roles, steals the show with his earnest, wise and passionate turn as Roger Byam. His speech in the final moments of the film is the greatest monologue I have heard in a film, especially due to his criticism of brutality at the seas, and that of Captain Bligh. If the Academy even saw that scene, they should have given the thing to him. One of the best movies Ever.