MGM's "Mutiny on the Bounty" from 1935 was a nearly perfect film (even with Clark Gable's very American accent). Despite being a black & white movie, it was vastly superior to any of the remakes--which makes you wonder why they would think of remaking the film in the first place. Because of this, the 1962 "Mutiny on the Bounty" was destined to be a failure regardless of the quality of the film. Now, had there been no 1935 version, I am pretty sure the '62 film would have been much more successful. That's because this later version is STILL darn good entertainment--despite one serious problem. I'll talk about that problem a bit later in the review.

The story of the Bounty is based on a true incident--and actual mutiny on a ship by the same name and with people of the same name as in the film. There really was a Captain Bligh and the First Officer, Fletcher Christian. However, despite many of the facts influencing the plot, one thing that's been left up to filmmakers to interpret is Bligh himself. In the 1935 version, Bligh is an evil and contemptible man and Christian a good man who has no choice but to rebel. In the 1962 version, it's more neutral--with Christian being much of the problem with his insubordination and Bligh being tough but understandable for his toughness. In the Mel Gibson version "The Bounty", Bligh is pretty reasonable and Christian is a complete nut-case!

There is a lot to like about the 1962 version. The color is vivid and gorgeous. The acting is, for the most part, very good. The music and locale are terrific. The only thing I didn't like was the bizarre interpretation of Fletcher Christian by Marlon Brando. His accent was strange and his performance amazingly disconnected from what is happening around him--and a bit foppish at times. It's inexplicable to say the least and I can understand why audiences of the day disliked this performance and Brando's reputation began to sag. But, with so much in the film to like, you can easily look past this and enjoy the film. It is gorgeous and enjoyable.

This movie apparently broke even at the box office--making it a failure but not a serious one. Much talk at the time was how Brando contributed to the costs of the film, but I wonder if the film ended up costing so much because the director had to shoot and re-shoot scenes again and again so as to avoid showing breasts! Almost all the ladies in the film were topless but hair and flowers were used to strategically hide the boobage. "The Bounty", because of changing mores and standards, didn't have to worry about this and just showed the women topless. Oddly, this version is by far the least famous and least financially successful--boobs and all!

One thing that is neglected in these films is what actually happened with the mutineers in the long run. In recent years, the story has been pieced together after investigating Pitcairn Island where many of them eventually settled. Apparently, some of the men appeared to have killed each other and chaos ruled the early years on the island. This would lend credence to the notion that Christian was THE problem and Bligh a competent captain who was unjustly deposed by his crew. Unlike the 1935 version, this 1962 version at least addressed SOME of the problems on the island shortly after their arrival and gives a very different view of why the Bounty was eventually burned.

As much as I liked this version, I absolutely love the 1935 film. It was exciting and wonderful, with a brilliant Charles Laughton. Overall, this 1962 film is inferior but it definitely worth watching. Visually and technically, I couldn't fault it, the film does look exotic and gorgeous, and the score was very impressive. Lewis Milestone also does a creditable directing job, and the script is fairly polished. In terms of performances, despite the accent, Marlon Brando is quite handsome and dashing as Fletcher Christian, while Trevor Howard acquits himself well as the sadistic Captain Bligh and Richard Harris, Tarita and Richard Haydn give able support. However, there are some problems. Firstly, the pacing has a tendency to become pedestrian. Secondly, Brando's death scene went on for too long, it did feel very drawn out. Thirdly, the Tahiti interlude didn't work for me, I for one found it clumsily done. Overall though, it is a decent film if lacking the excitement the 1935 film had. 7/10 Bethany Cox

27 years after the acclaimed 1935 Best Picture of the year Mutiny on the Bounty came out MGM decided for a remake that would be shot on location in the South Seas and on the wide screen in color. It was a grand plan but the film nearly bankrupted the studio. But as they usually did, MGM just re-released Gone With The Wind to put in the black again.

One thing I will say this version of Mutiny on the Bounty looks magnificent. Color Cinematography was one of seven Academy Award nominations this film received and this is the one it should have won with. Unfortunately the film was up against Lawrence of Arabia and that was the film that beat it out in almost every category including Best Picture.

But that this film got made at all was a miracle. Sir Carol Reed started out as the director and in a contest of wills with Marlon Brando was replaced by Lewis Milestone in what turned out to be his last film. Brando didn't get along with either of his co-stars Richard Harris or Trevor Howard although he later appeared with Howard in the highly underrated Morituri. Hugh Griffith was drinking so bad that he got fired and his character written around.

Brando's interpretation of Fletcher Christian as a Regency fop was criticized, but in actuality it may have been closer to the truth than Clark Gable's rugged Christian from 1935. There is so little we do know about the man. Even his end on Pitcairn Island which none of the three American produced efforts have told the real tale of. In fact I think the ending here is a rather dumb one and cheats the film.

Howard is a rugged Captain Bligh, a worthy seaman with a touch of sadism in his makeup. But you have to also remember that the crew of a Royal Navy ship of the line was not made of volunteers for king and country. The press gangs were most efficient in drafting their crews from the streets and grog shops of London, Dover, Liverpool, Bristol or Southampton. That fact was best brought out in the 1935 version. All Howard knew was that he had a mission to get those breadfruit plants to the West Indies by a certain time period. The plants had to be alive even if the men weren't. Why time was so important though is something I can't fathom. Great Britain was not at war, didn't Bligh think to put in for supplies maybe in Chile going east or even in some British possession maybe India sailing back west? And fresh water for the men and the accursed breadfruits.

Even though it came up short Oscar time and the cost overruns nearly bankrupted MGM the 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty is still an impressive achievement for a cast that hated each other. Something like the New York Yankees with Billy Martin-George Steinbrenner-Reggie Jackson and the rest of that cast and crew.