Damn the Defiant! (1962) H.M.S. Defiant (original title)

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Nigel Kneale (screenplay) and
Edmund H. North (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 April 1962 (UK)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

The cry was MUTINY... and the decks ran red!...

Plot:

Defiant's crew is part of a fleet-wide movement to present a petition of grievances to the Admiralty...

Plot Keywords:

Mutiny | Napoleonic Wars | Corporal Punishment | Cruelty | Dictator

Cast

Alec Guinness	...	Captain Crawford
Dirk Bogarde	...	Lieut. Scott-Padget
Maurice Denham	...	Mr. Goss (Ship's Surgeon)
Nigel Stock	...	Senior Midshipman Kilpatrick
Richard Carpenter	...	Lieut. Ponsonby
Peter Gill	...	Lieut. D'Arblay
David Robinson	...	Harvey Crawford
Robin Stewart	...	Pardoe
Ray Brooks	...	Hayes
Peter Greenspan	...	Johnson
Anthony Quayle	...	Vizard
Tom Bell	...	Evans
Murray Melvin	...	Wagstaffe
Victor Maddern	...	Dawlish
Bryan Pringle	...	Sgt. Kneebone
Johnny Briggs	...	Wheatley
Brian Phelan	...	Grimshaw
Toke Townley	...	Silly Billy
Declan Mulholland	...	Morrison
Walter Fitzgerald	...	Admiral Jackson
Joy Shelton	...	Mrs. Crawford
Anthony Oliver	...	Tavern Leader
Russell Napier	...	Flag Captain
Michael Coles	...	Flag Lieutenant
André Maranne	...	Colonel Giraud (as Andre Maranne)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Bolam	...	Midshipman Assisting in Operation (uncredited)
Tom Bowman	...	Bosun (uncredited)
Dick Gregory	...	Purser (uncredited)
Ann Lynn	...	Young wife whose husband is pressed (uncredited)
Endre Muller	...	French Captain (uncredited)
James Sharkey	...	Venetian Captain (uncredited)
Harry Webster	...	Flagship Sailor (uncredited)

Directed by
Lewis Gilbert

Writing credits
Nigel Kneale		(screenplay) and
Edmund H. North		(screenplay)
Frank Tilsley		(novel "Mutiny")

Produced by
John Brabourne	....	producer
Douglas Peirce	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Clifton Parker

Cinematography by
Christopher Challis		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter R. Hunt		(as Peter Hunt)

Art Direction by
Arthur Lawson

Makeup Department
Gordon Bond	....	hairdresser
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup artist (as Fred Williamson)
Michael Morris	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Richard B. Goodwin	....	production manager (as Richard Goodwin)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Causey	....	assistant director
Jim Brennan	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Robert Porter	....	first assistant director (uncredited)
Claude Watson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bill Dennison	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Percy Godbold	....	prop buyer (uncredited)
Bill MacLaren	....	construction manager (uncredited)
Ted Tester	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
H.L. Bird	....	sound recordist (as H. L. Bird)
Red Law	....	sound recordist
Winston Ryder	....	dubbing editor (as Win Ryder)
Ken Ritchie	....	boom operator (uncredited)
George Widdows	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Howard Lydecker	....	special effects supervisor
Ernie Sullivan	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Skeets Kelly	....	model photography (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Austin Dempster	....	camera operator
Robin Browne	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Bert Cann	....	stills (uncredited)
Roy Ford	....	focus puller (uncredited)
John Jordan	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Jack Roche	....	camera grip (uncredited)
Ronnie Fox Rogers	....	focus puller: second camera (uncredited)
Jack Sullivan	....	chief electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jean Fairlie	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
Duncan McPhee	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Crome	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Norman Wanstall	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor

Other crew
Shirley Barnes	....	continuity
William Hobbs	....	fight arranger
Robert Porter	....	location manager
Marguerite Green	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Archie Holley	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Enid Jones	....	publicist (uncredited)
A.J. Villiers	....	ship captain (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)
• G.W. Films Limited (uncredited)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1962) (UK) (theatrical)
• Avala-Genex (1962) (Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1966) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (DVD)
• MediaOutlet.com (????) (USA) (DVD) (as 'Damn the Defiant')

Also Known As:

"H.M.S. Defiant" - UK (original title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2002) | West Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG | UK:PG (tv rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #19849)

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The ship in Frank Tilsley's novel, on which this movie is based, is called the "Regenerate" rather than the "Defiant."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At one point a sailor is heard singing "Oh Shenandoah." While the origins of this folk song remain unclear, most believe it originated in the early 1800s and thus would not have been known at the time of this movie's 1797 setting.

Quotes:

Lieut. Scott-Padget:Ship's company ready to witness punishment, sir.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "War of 1812" (1999)

excellent performances, historical authenticity and interesting plot

Despite the fact that this film is not as known as some other sea sagas, it has some spectacular battle scenes, which are quite impressive even today. The movie does contain some historical speculations ( like the prevention of France's invasion of England in 1797 ), but overall it is one of the most detailed and authentic depictions of what seamen's life looked like in the 18th century. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in the military history of the period. The primary reason I wanted to see that movie was the fact that Alec Guinness was in it. Needless to say, his portrayal of Defiant's captain is as strong and convincing as ever. Good captain vs. bad second-in-command ( Bogarte )opposition might not seem very original to a modern viewer, but again, excellent performances by both Guinness and Bogarte and many unpredictable plot turns make us forget about this semi-cliche.

Denis Maternovsky