Billy is an innocent, naive seaman in the British Navy in 1797. When the ship's sadistic master-at-arms is murdered, Billy is accused and tried.
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Title: Billy Budd (1962)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Robert Ryan | ... | John Claggart - Master of Arms | |
| Peter Ustinov | ... | Edwin Fairfax Vere - Post Captain Royal Navy | |
| Melvyn Douglas | ... | The Dansker - Sailmaker | |
| Paul Rogers | ... | Philip Seymour - First Lieutenant | |
| John Neville | ... | Julian Radcliffe - Second Lieutenant | |
| David McCallum | ... | Steven Wyatt - Gunnery Officer | |
| Ronald Lewis | ... | Enoch Jenkins - Maintopman | |
| Lee Montague | ... | Squeak - Assistant to Mr. Claggart | |
 |
Thomas Heathcote | ... | Alan Payne - Maintopman |
| Ray McAnally | ... | William O'Daniel - Maintopman (as Ray McAnnally) | |
| Robert Brown | ... | Arnold Talbot - Maintopman | |
| John Meillon | ... | Neil Kincaid - Maintopman | |
| Cyril Luckham | ... | Alfred Hallam - Captain of Marines | |
| Niall MacGinnis | ... | Nathaniel Graveling - Ship's Master, Rights of Man (as Niall McGinnis) | |
|
|
Victor Brooks | ... | Amos Leonard - First Mate, Rights of Man |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
H.M.S. Avenger is headed into battle against the French fleet during the Napoleonic Wars, and the dark shadow of two recent mutinies in the English fleet concern Captain Vere. He relies on his cruel and often sadistic Master-at-Arms John Claggert to maintain what he believes to be tenuous order and discipline aboard the ship. When a new seaman, Billy Budd, is pressed into service from a passing merchantman, his innocent, happy-go-lucky attitude quickly endears him to both his messmates as well as the ship's officers. However, his charismatic naivete seems to bother Claggert, whose perverse depravity makes him resent Billy's good-natured purity, especially after the teenager's promotion to fore-top captain. The mean-spirited Claggert unfairly plots to put him on report and ultimately perjures himself when he accuses Billy of conspiring to mutiny. Written by Gabe Taverney (duke1029@aol.com)
Taglines:
The Men!.. The Mutiny!...The Might!... The Magnitude Of Herman Melville's Classic Adventure of the High Seas! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
12 November 1962 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Die Verdammten der Meere See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Captain Vere: It's no right. Which one of us here have rights? It's my duty and I must perform it.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Independent producer Frank Gilbert acquired the screen rights in 1956 and assigned the adaptation to DeWitt Bodeen. The rights were later sold to independent producer/director Robert Rossen, who worked with Bodeen on a second screenplay. By the time it reached the screen in 1962, it had been sold to Peter Ustinov, who wrote the final shooting script but gave Bodenn a co-writer credit. See more »Goofs
Captain Vere uses a book to shield his eyes when he stares up at Billy on the mast, but his face is still in full sunlight. See more »Quotes
Lieutenant Seymour: Aye sir, that is your right.Captain Vere: It's no right. Which one of us here have rights? It's my duty and I must perform it.
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Crazy Credits
As the cast is listed onscreen, the actors are heard stating their characters' names and ranks. See more »Contribute to This Page
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This film which was made at the now legendary, Allied Artists Studios (cough cough) is nothing short of a Masterpiece. Filmed totally on board a reconstructed Man O'War, it features Oscar level performances by Peter Ustinov, Terrance Stamp, Melvin Douglas and the performance of a lifetime by Robert Ryan (as Klaggart, the very human manifestation of evil). If one accepts this movie as a biblical allegory, then it could not end any other way. This is not your typical Hollywood fare, it is filled with intelligent performances, and good direction under difficult conditions. And it's in glorious black and white.