Mutiny on the Bounty

Name: Mutiny on the Bounty
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, Romance
Released: November 8, 1962
Duration: 178 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Chips Rafferty, Duncan Lamont, Gordon Jackson, Hugh Griffith, Marlon Brando

1962

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 7 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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Mutiny on the Bounty

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Movie Details & Credits

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) | Release Date: November 8, 1962 | Approved

Starring: Chips Rafferty, Duncan Lamont, Gordon Jackson, Hugh Griffith, Marlon Brando, Percy Herbert, Richard Harris, Richard Haydn, Tarita, Trevor Howard

Summary: In 1787, British ship Bounty leaves Portsmouth to bring a cargo of bread-fruit from Tahiti but the savage on-board conditions imposed by Captain Bligh trigger a mutiny led by officer Fletcher Christian.

Director: Carol Reed and Lewis Milestone

Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, History, Romance

Rating: Approved

Runtime: 178 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Staff (Not Credited)

This is a superb blending of direction, photography and special effects artistry. Read full review

Cindy White

Watching the film now, it seems like a bit of an anachronism. The story may be set in 1789, but the style and tone of the film is pure 1962. They simply don't make films like this anymore. Read full review

Bosley Crowther

Has its ups and downs. Bronislau Kaper has provided a highly chromatic musical score that is consistent with the size, the sweeping romance and the eventual lumpishness of this film. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

It's obvious that director Milestone could not control Brando for a moment and that the famous, sometimes brilliant actor directed himself. His is one of the most impossible performances in screen history, infecting Harris, who plays a sort of seagoing Iago and is equally hammy and unbelievable. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Brando makes a total mess of his English accent, the romantic interlude in Tahiti goes on endlessly, and the visuals (perhaps the main point of interest in the movie) too often resort to travelogue vistas and picture postcard lighting. Read full review

Empire Will Lawrence

Brando rocks the boat with his dodgy accent and lowers the tone as history gets rewritten as vanity project. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

This three-hour 1962 remake of the Charles Laughton-Clark Gable MGM classic (1935) was the first production in which Marlon Brando really ran amok, with various delays causing the budget to skyrocket. Hardly anyone was pleased with the results. Read full review

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User Reviews

Bitash

Aug 27, 2020

I just saw this movie, it’s 2020, I didn’t know if I can handle a 3 hour movie of men on a boat. Was I wrong. I first of all was sooooo impressed with Brando. He sounds like a native English, I think he did fantastic job in portraying his role as a high society officer, he had the attitude,I just saw this movie, it’s 2020, I didn’t know if I can handle a 3 hour movie of men on a boat. Was I wrong. I first of all was sooooo impressed with Brando. He sounds like a native English, I think he did fantastic job in portraying his role as a high society officer, he had the attitude, accent and all. I couldn’t believe how good he was.
The cinematography, the scenery just beautiful. Most of it on location in Tahiti and on a real replica boat! All I can say is that I am impressed with Brando. Loved the movie. Must watch classic movie.… Expand

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Broyax

Jan 22, 2023

Je préfère nettement le Bounty de 1984 même si cette version très grandiloquente de 1962 ne démérite pas… entièrement ! mais dans l’ensemble, il s’agit d’une sorte de ‘péplum’ maritime, très ampoulé, un brin désuet pour tout dire avec en prime -ou plutôt comme boulet- ce côté romanesque àJe préfère nettement le Bounty de 1984 même si cette version très grandiloquente de 1962 ne démérite pas… entièrement ! mais dans l’ensemble, il s’agit d’une sorte de ‘péplum’ maritime, très ampoulé, un brin désuet pour tout dire avec en prime -ou plutôt comme boulet- ce côté romanesque à l’eau de rose croupie qui cerne le film de toutes parts… ou presque.

La fin à cet égard m’a presque achevé… j’ai failli me liquéfier sur place (trop de violons, nom de dieu, trop de gnangnan de partout…et tout le ridicule qui l’accompagne, immanquablement !). Une fin ou plutôt un épilogue qui n’en… finit d’ailleurs pas. Il est à noter de toute façon de nombreuses longueurs dans cette grosse production hollywoodienne qui s’étale sur plus de trois heures, ‘overture’ et ‘intermission’ compris.

Malgré étonnamment, une excellente première heure, bien rythmée, agrémentée qui plus est du jeu souvent ironique d’un Fletcher Brando à l’aise en dandy légèrement à côté de ses pompes… face à bien sûr l’excellent Trevor Howard plus cruel et sadique que jamais ! un peu trop sans doute, un déséquilibre que le film de 1984 a sensiblement rectifié…

Si Howard reste droit dans ses bottes et brillamment fidèle à son rôle, Brando a quelques difficultés à donner de l’épaisseur à son personnage ; plus le film avance (lentement), moins il s’avère convaincant. Il reste évidemment en dehors de tout cela de superbes images (le film maritime de cette époque de la flibuste se prête bien entendu admirablement au jeu du voyage… et de la carte postale.

En outre et enfin, le grand spectacle reste bien sûr de rigueur et n’a point vieilli, même lors de la fameuse tempête… mais que le temps est long et sirupeux à Tahiti ! mais ç’aurait pu être pire, je suppose… et mieux aussi, globalement !… Expand

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