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Excellent!

I love this movie. I saw it when it came out in early 1984, and again just recently. This was a more realistic telling of the tale of Captain Bligh and the mutineers than the book or the Clark Gable film. Bligh was not cruel or harsh. He was the captain of a British ship during the 1800's, and had to show a level of discipline, especially after his crew met several half-naked lovely young native ladies. It is good to see a young Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins, as well as Daniel Day-Lewis and Liam Neeson before they became stars. This movie would be a good early-80's movie trivia question. "What early 80's movie starred 4 actors, all of whom later won Oscars and 2 of which got their big breaks on this film?" The music was 80's synthesizer-laden, but it fit the tone. The shots of the ship at dusk, or at sunrise were beautiful. Well-done, and fun to watch.

Exotic and dramatic remake of the old seafaring fable

I'm not an expert like some of the other reviewers, having no knowledge of British naval history and not having seen either the original 1935 Clark Gable / Charles Loughton or the 1962 Marlon Brando / Trevor Howard versions of Mutiny on the Bounty. However, I enjoyed this exotic adaptation with its stellar cast.This is the old classic sea fable in which the Bounty's first mate Fletcher Christian leads a mutiny against Captain Bligh because of his cruel behavior and unwise, possibly suicidal decision to sail the ship again around Cape Horn. The film chronicles the events leading up to the rebellion, the actual mutiny, and the subsequent fate of both sides, as Christian seeks to avoid British naval repercussions and Bligh attempts to ensure the survival of his remaining loyal men to East Timor in their little lifeboat.The movie has a star studded cast, including Lawrence Olivier as Admiral Hood, though I don't recall much of his role here...it's been awhile. Also, Liam Neesan (before his more famous years) plays one of the seamen. However, the two main opposing protagonist / antagonist stars, Fletcher Christian and Captain Bligh, are portrayed to perfection and their conflict makes this movie. Mel Gibson is a sincere and passionate Fletcher Christian, but Anthony Hopkins is especially brilliant at turning Captain Bligh into a real three dimensional character. Though certainly flawed and sometimes ruthless, he comes across not as an irrational monster but essentially a capable and fair captain, who has been placed in a difficult situation, makes poor (at times cruel) choices to be sure, but lacks the support he should have been able to count on from his friend, Fletcher Christian. Christian, as others have also noted, seems more concerned with his new Tahitian love than his naval duties. While I have some sympathy for his situation, he comes across as rather irresponsible, no officer or genuine leader here, as he more or less encourages his men, who want to continue frolicking in paradise and taking their pleasures with the island women rather than return to their duties aboard ship.Lots of adventure and action of course, and also beautiful cinematography featuring exotic tropical paradise scenes. Naturally, much is made, as I seem to recall, of the scantily clad Tahitian women! In any case, The Bounty is a gripping adaptation of this old classic, really quite a dual character study of captain and first mate, and a tale which provides genuine ambiguity as to exactly which one of them is in the right.

THE BEST BOUNTY EVER

I believe this is the best rendition of "Mutiny on the Bounty" ever made. Superior perhaps even to the original Charles Laughton/Clark Gable version, and certainly much better than Marlon Brando's posturing over acting.Everything about it is first rate. Anthony Hopkins as Captain Bligh, a much maligned figure, is given kinder treatment here. Mel Gibson's Fletcher Christian is all too human.The photography is superb, as are the depictions of the natives both good and bad. Christian's girl is shown as attractive but not dream like and not too Hollywood alluring.See this film by all means.

Seduction of paradise

This movie ranks as one of the most well-done historical movies - ever. Mel Gibson is terrific as Fletcher Christian, and Anthony Hopkins (as Captain Bligh) conducts himself precisely as I would imagine a 19th century British Navy captain going about his business. The movie also stars a young Daniel Day Lewis and Liam Neeson - before either was a really big-name star. None other than Sir Laurence Olivier portrays the admiral who sits in judgment of captain Bligh.

I saw a documentary on the HMS BOUNTY that was shown on the History channel. This movie is pretty darned accurate in its depiction of what actually happened. There was not a whole lot that was Hollywoodized in it, which is rare for an historical movie these days.

The trek of some 2,000 miles over the ocean in an open boat that Bligh & his men had to undertake remains to this day one of the most brilliant feats in maritime history. Without charts or navigation instruments, Bligh got the boat to safe harbor using nothing more than the stars for direction. Some may believe that this part of the film was fabricated - it was not. The journey really WAS that perilous.

I do have one note for parents: the PG Rating is a bit mis-leading. There are gorgeous Tahiti women who frolick around topless once they reach the island. Needless to say, I don't object to this, but parents may want to take caution. I realize the makers of the film believed it to be nudity in a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC sort of way, but these women are gorgeous!

If you're a fan of navy history and want to find out what really happened aboard the HMS BOUNTY, this movie belongs in your DVD collection. It ranks among my favorite navy movies of all time.

The best history of the mutiny so far

I'm only giving this film 8 stars, because as good as it is "the Bounty" still leaves some undeserved blots on the reputation of a great and courageous man. A bit more truth and this film would get a TEN from me.There have been many film treatments of this amazing story, but only "The Bounty" gets it even halfway right. The 1935 Lawton/Gable "Mutiny on the Bounty" is 49% balderdash and 51% falsehood. The Trevor Howard/Marlon Bando stinker is even less factual. "The Bounty", however is pretty good history in many places, especially Bligh's court-martial and the actual mutiny sequence, which is almost word-for-word what Bligh recorded in his own writings on the matter. The ship itself is correctly represented, right down to the figurehead – a woman in a blue riding habit, which makes no sense until one realizes that HMAV Bounty was originally a merchant ship called the Bethia.The movie does take liberties with history. Some characters are composites and some important figures are absent entirely. In the plot Bligh seeks out Christian to be his second officer. In reality Christian was a friend of Bligh's wife's family, and it was he who sought a posting on Bounty; Bligh didn't solicit his participation. In fact Bligh jiggered the ship's roster to make room for Christian.But the worst departure from fact is the business about Cape Horn and circumnavigation. The movie wants us to believe that Bligh chose the route for his own glory. Not true. Bligh complained to the Admiralty about the chosen course before they set sail from England, thinking it too dangerous for such a small vessel. But he was overruled. The return trip was never intended to go by way of Cape Horn. The cargo was breadfruit seedlings, a tropical plant that can't endure the kind of temperatures encountered in the Drake Passage or the Straits of Magellan. Bligh was forbidden to return via this route. Even if he wanted to such a course of action would have ruined his career. Also the mutiny occurred near Tofua, about 1300 miles west of Tahiti, the wrong direction to sail if you're bound for Cape Horn.Bligh was a man and a professional. Christian was a silly, overwrought upper class schoolboy who committed a vile crime over puppy love of a Polynesian girl. He got away with attempted mass murder, and 200 years later people still praise him. Bligh was a true hero who hasn't got justice yet.

Well done account of mutiny aboard a british navy ship ...

Well done account of mutiny aboard a british navy ship of the late 1700's. We're not quite sure whether Christian or Bleigh is the enemy in this remake which makes for it's appeal. Gibson and Hopkins give good performances as well in these roles.

"An Acting Class"

The movie was alright with the exception of the romance between Christian and an Island native girl which I thought was kinda dull and trivial. However, one cannot ignore the magnitude of the actors that are in this film: Anthony Hopkins, Mel Gibson, Liam Neeson, Daniel Day-Lewis, and the great Laurence Olivier. My favorite scene is the actual mutiny of the ship. What an amazing showcase of powerful and intimidating performances! Not just by Hopkins and Gibson, but also by two actors who were just being recognized Daniel Day-Lewis and Liam Neeson. I'm an actress and this is one of my favorite films to watch and observe the acting and the techniques used in this movie.

A quality re-make of a classic story.

Gibson gives a quality and un-hearlded preformance an the Officer on the HMS BOUNTY. He gives an understated performance of the role, but demonstrates clearly the inner termoil of the choice in the mutiny: his life and his crew balanced against his duty and honor. The scenery and natives of South Pacific are worth the viewing alone.

The Truest Version

I always liked the Marlon Brando (as Fletcher Christian) and Trevor Howard (as William Bligh) version until I did my own bit of research and found that it was pure Hollywood fiction. About the only thing Hollywood got right was that the story took place in Tahiti and that breadfruit was involved.

This more obscure version of the story gets it right! History seems to show that William Bligh was an extremely capable and competent naval officer who was given a very difficult job, with no other commissioned officers for help (Mr. Christian was Masters Mate and Acting Lieutenant) and no Royal Marine guards for protection (they needed the room for all the flower pots). Bligh himself was only a Lieutenant having previously served as Master under Captain Cook. Even after the mutiny and being abandoned at sea, he didn't give up and heroically captained his open boat to the nearest settlement 3,000+ miles away on Timor. Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins do a great job portraying the principles in script which is probably close to what actually happened based on all evidence.

This version at least helps rectify a great historical injustice regarding the command of Mr. Bligh.

Another disappointment telling of the Bounty saga....

This was a disappointing film. Granted, it's a tad more historically accurate depiction of the Bounty then the other two films made of the story, but it still didn't get at the heart of it. In this film, Captain Bligh is portrayed as more human, but that's really just in the beginning of the voyage. After they leave Tahiti, he becomes deranged and obsessed. No real explanation is given, and it seems the makers of the film resorted to the time worn "good guy/bad guy" stuff because it was easy and doesn't require much thought. The actual story of the mutiny is quite complex. Bligh was not at all mad, but actually quite benign, especially compared to the dastardly Captain Cook, who was as cruel as his reputation suggests, and to other sea captains of his time. Bligh was considerably considerate towards his crew, doubling their rest periods, supervising their diet (to prevent scurvvy), and ensuring they had proper exercise (there is a scene in this film depicting that). He was also a master seaman, managing one of the most extraordinary feats in navigational history, sailing 3618 miles in an open boat for 41 days. This is depicted in the film, but it's really not given any real significance, probably because it would show Bligh in a positive light. It is not really known exactly why there was a mutiny. The most proper explanation is that Fletcher Christian fell in love with Tahiti (and a woman), and that Bligh was furious at the loss of discipline of his crew. Originally, this film was supposed to be two films, both of epic length, directed by the great David Lean. Robert Bolt wrote the scripts, and by all accounts, Bolt's original scripts were masterful. But due to production delays, cost overruns, bad weather, etc., etc., Lean was never able to make the two films he envisioned. He tried to get one film made, but that wasn't to be either. Eventually Lean dropped out of the project, throwing his energy into his final film, A Passage to India. The massive Bolt script was whittled down into a shorter version, and that's what was used for the film here. The film feels like a greatest hits version of the Bounty, without any real nuance or deep character development. The director here, Roger Donaldson, is no David Lean, and it shows. His direction is very workmanlike, and ends up being stale and he doesn't give this film the epic sweep it so desperately needs. The film also glosses over the fate of the mutineers. In this film, it's implied that the mutineers lived in peace and harmony once they landed on Piticarin Island, but in fact, many of which died at the hands of the natives and the others were caught by English ships set out to find the mutineers, and they were all executed. I would suggest reading books on this subject, rather than seeing the films, as none of them reach the complexities of the real story.

A treat for fans of Naval History

Being a fan of British naval history, and also a fan of Anthony Hopkins, I love this film. I think it is severely under-rated. The acting (particularly by Hopkins) is superb, and the cinematography and realism are stunning.Unlike some of the previous comments for this film I think it is pretty loyal to the true historical facts of the real mutiny. Alright, there are a few minor changes to fact, but nothing that radically alters the story. Basically Bligh was a very able and fair captain, who was let down by incompetent officers. Bligh was no more a monster than any other Royal Navy captains, the difference was other Royal Navy Captains had able commissioned officers and a squad of marines to back up their authority. Bligh was on his own, because the admiralty insisted on saving money on the bread-fruit expedition by giving Bligh a small ship and no officers. (All the officers on board were non-commissioned warrant officers, who were not employed by the Royal Navy but were in it for their own advancement, Blight was the only Royal Navy officer). This is what ultimately led to the mutiny. Bligh had no one he could rely on to back up his orders from the Admiralty. Bligh was actually an exponent of modern thinking, and treated his men with much more humanity than other Royal Navy Captains. He had learnt his trade from sailing under Captain Cook.I think Hopkins manages to capture this in his performance. Bligh was a professional man, who grew increasingly frustrated by the incompetence and laziness of his officers. Hopkins manages to convey this sense of increasing irritation brilliantly. He felt particularly let down by Fletcher Christian, who was his friend and whom he had personally advanced up the ranks. He expected Fletcher to back up his orders, but Fletcher was more interested in his own pleasure with the Tahitian women.On the journey out the crew were actually very happy and contented, but the trouble began when the crew began to experience the liberties and freedoms of Tahitian life, and they did not want to leave it. Bligh had to force the men to go back to their duty, and instead of having officers to back him up, the officers took the side of the men.I think the script of this film captures the true story quite well. I saw the Clark Gable version of the story many years ago, and the only thing I remember is the portrayal of Bligh as an irrational monster, with none of the reasons behind his anger explained. In this version I feel Hopkins is more like the real Bligh. An able commander trying to carry out his orders, but let down by those around him.The confrontation between Bligh and Christian in the captain's cabin the day before the mutiny is one of my favourite movie scenes of all time. Hopkins performance of the captain at the end of his patience is just outstanding. `Oh there are rumblings are there?'. Superb! The only down side to this film is Mel Gibson. I can't stand the sight of him! Mind you, even he manages to pull of a good performance.The film ends quite abruptly, with a lot of loose ends. The most fascinating parts of the true story come after the end of the film. I guess the time constraints of the film mean they had to concentrate on just the story of the mutiny.The mutineers set up a colony on Pitcairn, and ended up all murdering each other until only one survived (Jack Adams). Those that stayed on Tahiti were captured two years later by HMS Pandora which had been dispatched after Bligh got back to England. This ship rounded up about 16 mutineers, and on the way home the Pandora hit a reef off Australia and sunk. The crew had to make an open boat journey to Coupang, the same port that Bligh's life boat had arrived at two years earlier!! Meanwhile Bligh was promoted and sent off on another Breadfruit exhibition to Tahiti, this time the Admiralty gave him commissioned officers and a squad of marines. This mission succeeded.When the Breadfruit plants finally reached the slave colonies in the West Indies, the slaves refused to eat the fruit as they disliked the taste. That's irony for you!

By far the best version

In the end factual truth is always more interesting than fictionalized story-telling. This is a much, much better account of the fascinating tale of the Bounty than the crude over-simplifications of the Gable/Laughton and Brando/Howard versions, although both of those are highly watchable movies in their own right. The perennial question about this episode in Britain's naval history is why did this mutiny actually happen? There is no clear or obvious answer: after all, hundreds of British ships ruled the waves for many decades without mutinies, many of them under far more gruelling and cruel conditions than the Bounty. This film surely comes closest to truly understanding the unique factors that led to the fateful insurrection, and it seems to boil down to a strange and unfortunate mixture of human personalities and very unusual physical circumstances. Bligh's major disastrous error appears to have been his desire to round the Horn, which led to a domino effect of mounting problems in achieving the original purpose of the voyage. The film doesn't make it properly clear that the ship was actually delayed for 5 whole months on Tahiti, in order to fit in with the seasonal vagaries of the breadfruit plants.

Some other peculiar flaws in the screenplay have been picked up by another reviewer. There seems to have been no truth at all in the idea that Bligh again wanted to sail round the Horn on his return voyage; and there seems no purpose in introducing the scene of Bligh lying to the King of Tahiti about the death of Captain Cook --- although the record may show that he did do this. What the film does make very clear is that Bligh was certainly never a cruel tyrant, and also that he was exonerated for having allowed the mutiny to happen. He seems to have been a man of sensitivity, courage and intelligence, who wanted to manage his men according to good principles. However, he lacked the human touch and charisma to inspire loyalty. His genuine abilities came to the fore in his astounding open-boat voyage of nearly 7,000 km, more remarkable even than the mutiny that caused it. Fletcher Christian was basically a weak character, who allowed himself to be manipulated by malcontents. The hysterical scenes of the actual mutiny are extremely well portrayed in the film. The actors all perform excellently, and it is good to see Gibson in a restrained, well-judged role, before his downward spiral, from Braveheart onwards, into one ghastly, untruthful movie after another.

The last and best film version of this timeless story

By far, my favortie adventure drama film! My only complaint is the opening and background music. It could have used a rousing "Gone with the Wind" memorable theme song instead of the somber haunting music employed. I liked the back and forth switches between Bligh's official enquiry and the story of the Bounty. I don't agree with the too common assessment that Bligh and Christian were both deeply flawed men. This film succeeds in presenting them in a balanced manner. I believe Bligh was mostly a victim of a very unusual set of circumstances. Officially, he was only a first lieutenant, not a captain. Unlike normal crown ventures, he lacked commissioned officers and marines to back up his authority, a critical point the film fails to bring out. Apparently, there is no evidence to back up the implication that Bligh announced his intension to sail around Cape Horn, thus provoking the mutiny. It seems plain that the instigation for the mutiny had mainly to do with the very long(5 months) layover in a paradise of willing girls and relative leisure, which many of the crew, including Christian, preferred to continue over a return to naval drudgery and discipline and an ultimate return to England. Christian apparently, as the film dramatized, had also accumulated an intolerable load of recent brow beatings by Bligh. Apparently, he had considered suicide shortly before the mutiny as the only practical way out of his conflicting feelings, as the film may suggest. It is painfully obvious that the prudish aloof Bligh feels very unconfortable in the leisurely free love atmosphere of Tahiti that most of his men relish. Thus, he seems to his crew a different species all together.
I found this version of the Bounty story far superior to previous versions in terms of its characterization of Bligh and Christian and its overall realism. Anthony Hopkins was unbeatable as Bligh, and should have won an academy award. In contrast to some reviewers, I found Mel Gibson entirely adequate as the real Christian. Some prefer Gable's heroic rabble-rousing version of Christian which fit in with other 1930s swashbucking adventure tales. In terms of realism, it also helped that Gibson was much closer to the real Christian's age of 22 than either Gable or Brando. A few reviewers object to the extensive realistic portrayal of bare-breasted nymphomaniac native maidens, something the strict codes of the mid-1930s wouldn't allow. I found this a definite plus and, having married to South Seas maiden, continue to enjoy the view when not watching this film.

Superb overlooked epic drama

How could a film with Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day Lewis and Liam Neeson sink without trace? That was the fate of Roger Donaldson's The Bounty back in 1984 when none of them were exactly box-office certainties. Indeed, the third dramatization of the British Navy's most infamous act of piracy (excluding the semi-documentary In the Wake of the Bounty) and is perhaps best remembered today as the flop that David Lean nearly directed before falling out with Dino De Laurentiis (UA studio boss Steven Bach infamously greenlit Heaven's Gate instead of a Lean version!). It certainly deserves to be better remembered, boasting a superb screenplay by Robert Bolt (originally intended as two films: the second, dealing with the aftermath was quietly dropped after this tanked) that owes a lot more to history than previous versions despite its occasional inaccuracies.


A young Mel Gibson impresses as the weak Fletcher Christian, drawn into rebelling more by place and circumstances than a catalogue of tyranny, but it's Anthony Hopkins' film all the way. Before his irretrievable descent into ham he was a much more restrained screen actor, and his Captain Bligh is a much more interesting creation than you suspect he'd manage today. Fighting his own demons in a permissive place that rips away the moral repressions of his crew and creates a culture of defiance and inertia that he is unable to combat by either understanding or discipline (if anything, Bligh's fault here is that he is too slack on the men for too long before disastrously overcompensating on the return voyage), the film is punctuated by images of his desperately haunted face as he is faced with the realization of his escalating failure and impotence. Yet it is ultimately Bligh who triumphs and is vindicated in this version, with Christian and his mutineers left at each other's throats as they are cast out of paradise and stranded on a barren shore.


It's impressive, powerful stuff, even more so today for its reality. No cgi, few model shots, they built a real ship and took it to sea for real (even Master and Commander was almost entirely shot in a studio tank in Mexico), and the hardships and efforts pay dividends on screen. Donaldson's direction is better than anything he's done since, Arthur Ibbetson's cinematography impressive and even Vangelis' much maligned score has some of the psychological savagery you can find in Alex North's work on Spartacus. Only a hammy Edward Fox (sparingly used, thankfully) and a superanuated Laurence Olivier strike the odd bum note in the court of inquiry scenes that provide the film's solid framework. I for one would love to see the second Bolt script, The Long Arm, finally make it to the screen some day - hard to believe, but it's a much better tale by far.

Fletcher Christian and the Mutiny as you've never seen them-

"The Bounty" is the story of one of the most famous incidents in maritime history. For anyone who isn't familiar with it, this particular movie is, perhaps, not the best way to begin that knowledge. Yet, it has some of the better characterizations and cinematography which have been put on film since John Ford left us. Sir Anthony Hopkins is, as ever, excellent as Captain Bligh: seeking to do his duty as the British Royal Navy deems necessary. His epic open boat journey was a triumph of seamanship and well deserving of the filmtime devoted here. Mel Gibson, as Fletcher Christian, is a young man attempting to come to terms with his life while learning command seamanship from his older friend, Bligh. His performance is, at times, wooden and completely unemotional - just as are most very young men. At other times - again, just as other young men - he lashes out at the overbearing authority-figure in his life. Only, this time the lash has the effect of changing not only his own life but the lives of every other man on the ship. Mel Gibson may not be the definitive Fletcher Christian but he most emphatically DOES give one of the more riveting screen portrails of a torn and ultimately doomed man. Watch this movie again and learn to know the inner man as well as the mutineer who's actions eventually changed the policies of the British Royal Navy itself.

A FAIR FILM CERTINATLEY NOT THE BEST FILM I'VE SEEN

I saw THE BOUNTY and I have to say it was good but not great and here's why I think so. Having read FRAGILE PARADISE by GLYNN CHIRSTIAN who by the way is a descendent of the notrious mutineer FLETCHER CHIRSTIAN. I hoped that this film would accuratley potray THE BOUNTY MUTINY a lot better than it actually did and here's why I think so. Although ANTHONY HOPKINS was brilliant as CAPTIN BLIGH I found MEL GIBSON to be a little shallow as FLETCHER CHIRSTIAN after having read FRAGILE PARADISE, FLETCHER'S biography I was hoping MEL GIBSON would show a little more depth in his potrayal I also felt that movie jumped too far ahead in between important points that occured in the bounty's voyage even ignoring some incidents which I won't give away that occured between BLIGH and CHIRSTIAN before THE BOUNTY reached TAHITI that may have led to the mutiny itself. I really wanted to recommend this film but I find I can not so in my opinion read FRAGILE PARADISE by GLYNN CHIRSTIAN it really tells the full story from both sides which unfortunatley this movie often fails to do.

Very enjoyable movie with two predecessors

The Bounty is an excellent movie that tells the story of the mutiny on the Bounty with a different spin. The H.M.S. Bounty is sent to Tahiti to pick up bread plants to bring to Jamaica so the slaves there can be fed for cheap. As well, the Bounty and its crew will circumvent the world while completing their mission. At first, the Bounty's mission goes off perfectly but soon enough problems arise as tension develops between Lt. William Bligh and First Officer Fletcher Christian. After watching Bligh mistreat the crew, Christian decides he has seen enough and takes matters into his own hand. This story has already been done twice but this one has a much different tone to it. There is something unexplainable about the movie, but it is still very good. The musical score by Vangelis is very well placed to show the rising tension as the confrontation between the two men draws nearer.

Mel Gibson is very good as First Officer Fletcher Christian. Taking the role played by both Clark Gable and Marlon Brando is not easy, but he steps into the role very well. Anthony Hopkins' performance as Lt. William Bligh is equally as good. This Bligh is much more sympathetic than Charles Laughton or Trevor Howard although he is very unlikable when he finally does crack. Laurence Olivier and Edward Fox are excellent as two officers at Bligh's trial trying to find out what went wrong. The film also stars Daniel-Day Lewis, Liam Neeson, and Bernard Hill in good roles. The DVD offers the widescreen presentation and a theatrical trailer. This is a very enjoyable movie with an excellent cast and beautiful cinematography in the Tahitian islands. For a new spin on a familiar story, check out The Bounty.

Bolt's screenplay brings history alive

First off, The Bounty is historical film making at its finest, and many comments justly pay tribute to the cast and particularly to Anthony Hopkins for fleshing out the very human complexities of Lt. William Bligh.The Royal Navy's most infamous captain was not a monster, after all, but a somewhat ambitious officer sent on a very difficult mission with a small ship and no Royal Marines to maintain discipline. Unlike the tyrant portrayed in Nordoff and Hall's book and as played in earlier movies by Charles Laughton and Trevor Howard, naval records show the real-life Bligh flogged and disciplined his sailors far less often than the more revered Captain Cook or Captain Vancouver. Conversely, the real-life Fletcher Christian was a volatile man who may have acted upon impulse when leading the mutiny.Instead of the simplistic good-evil storyline of earlier Bounty films, 1984's version presents the meaty conflict between two complex men placed in extraordinary circumstances. It's probably the most engaging historical battle of wills in movies since the clash of the colonels in Bridge on the River Kwai. So let's give credit where credit is due, namely screenwriter Robert Bolt.Bolt made a career of creating memorable, complex and believable characters for historical films. His writing credits include Lawrence of Arabia, The Mission, Dr. Zhivago and Man for All Seasons (he also wrote the play). Bolt's intelligent and character-driven style is sadly missing in films today -- just imagine Gladiator with sharp dialogue along with the eye-candy -- but The Bounty showcases a screenwriter at the top of his form. Each line of dialogue rings true, each character is real and each scene seems authentic. When you're dealing with the wide canvas of history's most engaging mutiny, that's all you need.

Excellent and objective

What I really like about this movie is that it doesn't portray a right and wrong party. Both Capt. Bligh and Fletcher Christian are portrayed as decent human beings. Neither is the villain in the movie. One can equally easily argue that one or the other is right.

One can claim that the mutineers should've acted more professionally, obeyed the captain, and not gotten too involved in Tahiti life (particularly with the women). However, one can also argue that the Captain Bligh was morally wrong in commanding the crew to cross Cape Horn, thereby risking their lives, for a mission that required no need for that (transporting of plants), just so that the captain would look good.

A Balanced Presentation of the Famous Mutiny

The third time is the charm. I think this is the best of the three versions of "Mutiny on the Bounty." Captain Bligh was of humble origins and had achieved a high position in the British Navy through hard work and effort, not connections. Anthony Hopkins' performance makes that clear. As portrayed by Mel Gibson, Fletcher Christian is very shallow and immature, but Gibson is much more convincing than the foppish Marlon Brando. Finally, this film has the most authentic flogging scene. In the 1936 version, we saw only two or three lashes. In the 1962 remake, we are asked to believe that a sailor could take two dozen lashes with a cat-o-nine tails without crying out. In "The Bounty," Liam Neeson turns in a masterful performance. We hear his muffled screams (he is wearing a gag) and see several lashes strike his realistically-bloodied back. This version is also the first that gives any meaningful details of Captain Bligh's courageous journey back to England. An excellent work.