Mutiny on the Bounty

Starring: Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone,
Directed by: Frank Lloyd
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Adventure, Drama
1935

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: On board the Bounty, first mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) finally decides to rebel against the tyrannical Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton), creating a mutiny and taking over command of the ship.

Review:

Tim: The first step in watching this movie is to try and look past the many historical inaccuracies. Today, we have a much better idea of what went on during the mutiny on the bounty, and it bears little resemblance to the events in this "true story" movie. If you can do that, you will find that this is a very good movie. The film boasts an impressive cast, an epic feel to it, and some very exciting scenes. It was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, although it won only 1 (that one was a Best Picture win, so that helps with the loss of the other seven).

One of the most fascinating aspects of this movie doesn't even occur in the movie, but in the story behind the movie. There are some really interesting facts about the film. For example, the producers cast the homosexual Charles Laughton opposite the homophobic Clark Gable in hopes that they would not get along and bring that animosity on screen. Also, Gable and costart Franchot Tone were enemies before filming started because they both vied for the affections of Joan Crawford. During filming, though, they became close friends. I am not 100% sure either of these are true (I read about them, so I assume they are), but I find that fascinating.

This movie has the distinction of being the only film to have three actors all nominated for Best Actor- Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone. Not surprisingly, none of them won. Still, I believe this is a distinction that will never be duplicated (since the Best Supporting Actor category now exists). These three men all give remarkable performances, each deserving of their honors. Gable is so charismatic and strong, he has such a likeable screen presence. He was the perfect choice for the role. Laughton likewise does excellent work as the evil Captain Bligh. Laughton has a tendency to overact a bit, but he is believably diabolical in his mistreatment of his enemies (and even his friends). I enjoyed his performance as this terrible man. Tone is the weakest of the three main actors, but he still gives a good performance. I thought he was a good middleman between the other two stars.

While this is a very good movie, it is not quite great. The film drags in a few places, and at 132 minutes, feels a bit long. A few scenes on the islands lasted a bit too long. I also thought the movie glossed over Captain Bligh's absolutely stunning feat of navigation, making it to safety after the mutiny. I understand the reason for passing over it rather quickly, because he is the villain of the film, but there was an opportunity here to expound a bit on this amazing achievement, but the film squanders it.

Still, Mutiny on the Bounty is an enjoyable, exciting, adventurous movie that has stood the test of time, for decades and decades. The movie features three outstanding performances, and I would highly recommend every film lover see this Best Picture winner.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Gone With the Wind, The Caine Mutiny, China Seas, Saratoga