Botany Bay (1953)

In 1787 prisoners from London's Newgate Gaol are to be shipped to New South Wales. Hugh Tallant is an American medical student whom, we learn at sea, was falsely imprisoned. Because of his ... See full summary »

Director:

John Farrow

Writers:

Jonathan Latimer (screenplay), Charles Nordhoff (novel),

Stars:

Alan Ladd, James Mason, Patricia Medina

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Ladd	...	Hugh Tallant
James Mason	...	Capt. Paul Gilbert
Patricia Medina	...	Sally Munroe
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Gov. Phillip (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Murray Matheson	...	Rev. Mortimer Thynne
Dorothy Patten	...	Mrs. Nellie Garth
John Hardy	...	Nat Garth
Hugh Pryse	...	Ned Inching
Malcolm Lee Beggs	...	Nick Sabb
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Moll Cudlip (as Anita Bolster)
Jonathan Harris	...	Tom Oakly
Alec Harford	...	Brig-keeper Jenkins
Noel Drayton	...	Second Mate Spencer
Brandon Toomey	...	Guard (as Brendan Toomey)
Ben Wright	...	Deck Officer Green

Storyline

In 1787 prisoners from London's Newgate Gaol are to be shipped to New South Wales. Hugh Tallant is an American medical student whom, we learn at sea, was falsely imprisoned. Because of his attempt to escape, evil Captain Gilbert decides to return him to England on charges of mutiny. Events, including arrival of plague, keep Tallant busy in New South Wales.

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Plot Keywords:

medical student | whipping | revolt | bare chested male | stabbing | 

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Taglines:

SAVAGE as the Great Continent They Invaded!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Nau dos Condenados

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to his biography, Alan Ladd summed up his role in "Botany Bay" as follows: "I'm a hell of a hero in this picture. I kill nine guys and duel and talk and talk and talk and make love all over the place. Don't miss me. I'm very big."

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Quotes

Capt. Paul Gilbert: [after sentencing Hugh Tallant to a 50-lash whipping] I don't want any danger of infection. Have you the salt ready for his wounds?

User Reviews

Still haunted by Mason's villainy!

As of this date, the only other IMDb comment on this title is one with which I can agree. I saw it during its neighborhood run in the year of its release and recall that it did, indeed, look like the budget must have been rather minuscule. But James Mason's performance is one that I can still remember as entirely disturbing for a young moviegoer not yet in his teens. What an actor! He made this film, which Paramount obviously treated as just a programmer, quite an experience. If remade today, I suppose we'd have Mel Gibson in the Alan Ladd role and, perhaps, Geoffrey Rush trying to imitate Mason's indelible portrait, plus some authentic Australian locations. But once was enough, for it was quite a grim experience, and the brutality that would probably be gruesomely depicted today would be more than I'd pay to see!