THE BOUNTY
UK, 1984, 127 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Daniel Day Lewis, Liam Neeson, Edward Fox, Bernard Hill, John Sessions, Philip Davis.
Directed by Roger Donaldson.
The Bounty is a spectacular re-creation of Captain Bligh's voyage and the mutiny on the Bounty. It comes in a long line of film versions of the famous episode in British naval history: Charles Chauvel's In The Wake of the Bounty (1933 , with Errol Flynn as Fletcher Christian); the Oscarwinning Mutiny on the Bounty (1935 with Charles Laughton and Clark Gable as Bligh and Christian); the spectacular 1962 version with Brando and Trevor Howard as Christian and Bligh. This film focuses more objectively on Bligh, representing him as a tyrant, but not inhumane. Anthony Hopkins gives a good performance as Bligh and is matched by Mel Gibson as Christian. There is a lesser-known supporting cast led by Daniel Day Lewis as Fryer.
The screenplay was written by Robert Bolt (writer of such plays and screenplays as A Man For All Seasons, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago). It was originally intended as a film for director David Lean. However, it was directed by Australian born, New Zealand-working director Roger Donaldson (Sleeping Dogs, Smash Palace, Marie).
The film is less dramatically exciting than some of its predecessors but is a competent presentation of the voyage, a dramatising of the conflict and the mutiny. The musical score is by Vangelis.
1. The popularity of the mutiny on the Bounty? The characters of Bligh and Christian? The various versions? Their various emphases? The version of the '80s?
2. The work of Robert Bolt, the research on the biographies of Bligh? The re-creation of the period? The reconstruction of the Bounty? The sea sequences? Tropical locations? An authentic atmosphere? The contribution of Vangelis's musical score?
3. The title and its focus on the voyage and the ship rather than on the personalities or the mutiny? The structure: Bligh and his arrival at the court martial, the explanation of the voyage, the reliance on Bligh's diaries? The flashbacks. the progress of the voyage? The continued returning to the court martial and the questions and Bligh's answers? His interpretation of the mutiny and the audience seeing it? The final intercutting between the destinies of Bligh and of Christian? The audience judging each man and the mutiny?
4. The court martial, the use of Laurence Olivier and Edward Fox as the judges? The solemnity of the occasion? Bligh on trial? The questions, the getting at Bligh, the searching for the truth? The credibility of the final vindication of Bligh?
5. Anthony Hopkins as Bligh: his appearance, manner and style? His class background, lack of connections, ambition in the Navy? His prospects? The greengrocery voyage? His wanting to circumnavigate the world? Seeing him at home. with his family and children, his friendship with Christian? Inviting him to the voyage? His making plain his friendship with Christian and Christian's change of attitude? The plan, the hiring of the crew? The beginning of the voyage, his autocratic manner, punishments? The contrast with Christian's attitude towards discipline? His severity with Fryer, With his officers, the table, disciplinary action? Going round Cape Horn, the intensity of the storms, the management of the crew, the effect on morale? The seeds of mutiny? Sufficiently strong to justify mutiny or not? The arrival at Tahiti, his prim manner, the hospitality and sexual customs? His relying on Christian to help him out? His attitude towards the men? The Tahitians, relationships, decisions?? His anger at Christian's behaviour (jealousy?)? His disciplining Christian? Leaving the islands, the continuance of the voyage, the plans, the build-up, the clashes, mutiny, the occasion of the mutiny? His asking for reasonable attitudes from Christian? The quietness of the mutiny, the clash with Christian? His being given the compass, going in the boat, asking the sailor to move out for himself? The significance of his voyage in the boat, handling people, supplies? the encounter with the savages and their coping? The arrival in the East Indies and the success of the voyage? His being vindicated? In the light of his subsequent history, especially in New South Wales? Audience expectations of the character of Bligh? Hopkins' interpretation?
6. The contrast with Mel Gibson as Fletcher Christian: presence, style, class background, connections? Friendly? The offer of the position and his accepting? The meal and his friendship with the family? Relationship with the crew, differing from Bligh on disciplinary measures? Going along with discipline and authority? His observing the situation, relationship with the officers, with the crew? Seeming to be on the crew's side? Coping with the voyage around Cape Horn? In Tahiti, the law of the islands, relationship with the women, the Chief's daughter, the effect on him emotionally? The tattoo and his shirt and Bligh's jealous discipline of him? Replacing Fryer? The continuance of the voyage, his being caught on both sides? His seeing Bligh as unreasonable? The occasion for his decision? His action, the defiance of Bligh, seeing himself in torment and in hell? His concern for Bligh, giving him the compass? His attack on the sailors who wanted physical violence for Bligh? His sailing away, the return to Tahiti, the Chief's hostile reaction, his daughter going with Christian? Sailing, searching for the islands? The possible further mutiny? The discovery of Pitcairn, the .,'S;7ation, the burning of the boat? Cutting himself off from the world, never. returning to England? Relationship with the rest of the crew? The postscript and the speculation about Christian's future? The audience expectations of Christian? Mel Gibson's interpretation?
7. The portrait of the crew: the officers, Fryer and his skill, his being humiliated, his being on the boat with Bligh? Crew, discipline, punishment? The hard work, the dangers with the voyage round the Horn? Deaths? Discontent? Action, motives? The consequences for the mutineers?
8. The picture of Tahiti, the South Sea paradise, the islanders, hospitality, the women, the men and the relaxation? The later return? Their having to move on? The future on Pitcairn Island?
9. The islands, the savages, the East Indies? The 18th. century explorers and their encounter with different cultures?
10. A picture of the 18th. century, the Navy, the achievements of the British Navy, the nature of the voyages, the motives, geography, botany, the support of the slave colonies? Bligh and his place in history?
