The Bounty (1984)

Fed up with their captain's harsh discipline, a sailing ship's crew decides to take action.

Director:

Roger Donaldson

Writers:

Richard Hough (book), Robert Bolt (screenplay)

Stars:

Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Gibson	...	Fletcher Christian Master's Mate
Anthony Hopkins	...	Lieutenant William Bligh
Laurence Olivier	...	Admiral Hood
Edward Fox	...	Captain Greetham
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	John Fryer
Bernard Hill	...	William Cole
Phil Davis	...	Edward Young (as Philip Davis)
Liam Neeson	...	Seaman Charles Churchill
Wi Kuki Kaa	...	King Tynah
Tevaite Vernette	...	Mauatua
Philip Martin Brown	...	Seaman John Adams
Simon Chandler	...	David Nelson
Malcolm Terris	...	Dr. John Huggan
Simon Adams	...	Thomas Heywood
John Sessions	...	John Smith

Storyline

The story of Lieutenant Bligh, whose cruelty leads to a mutiny on his ship. Follows both the efforts of Fletcher Christian to get his men beyond the reach of British retribution and the epic voyage of Lieutenant Bligh to get his loyalists safely to East Timor in a tiny lifeboat.

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Plot Keywords:

mutiny | lieutenant | ship | lifeboat | ship's crew | 

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Taglines:

They were friends through hell. They became enemies in Paradise.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK USA New Zealand

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 May 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Lawbreakers

Filming Locations:

15 Montpelier Row, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,622,306, 6 May 1984, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$8,600,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company, Bounty Productions Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Captain William Bligh's later career was peppered with further mutinies and complaints about his "oppressive attitude". His tyrannical nature later sparked the Rum Rebellion in New South Wales in 1808, which led to his being forcibly deported.

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Goofs

The film is set in the late 1700s. Yet Tahitian women, who live on an island far from society, have extremely smooth skin and no body hair whatsoever, which would hardly be the case with people in the 1700s, let alone in an isolated island society.

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Quotes

John Fryer: Captain Bligh is surprised that he hasn't had the pleasure of your company at supper for some weeks.
Christian: Do you still do that?
John Fryer: And the Captain said he'd expect you this evening.
Christian: Well, today... today is not Friday.
John Fryer: Six o'clock. Prompt, if you please.

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Alternate Versions

German version misses ca. 26 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

User Reviews

Complex retelling of classic sea fable; Hopkins receates memorable role with superiority.

I will admit, I thought I'd seen it all when I first saw Charles Laughton bring the snivelling and maniacal Captain Bligh to life. I was dead wrong. Anthony Hopkins, whom I place on the highest rank of accomplished actors, recreates the memorable role with incredible flair and complexity. He shows us not just an insane seaman bent on ultimate subordination, but a man with real concern for maintaining order, knowing the consequences of anything less. "The Bounty", yet another retelling of the classic tale, is actually an amazing recreation of the sea fable, pumped with real emotion and drama. The writers really understand the characters in this story, especially in Bligh's case, but also in Fletcher Christian's as well. Mel Gibson reigns over the role this time, still fresh from his Australian beginnings, and undoubtedly one of the best at perfecting the challenged and affected hero. I proudly rave this version of the famous mutiny, and probably will place this among 1984's best films. Rating: Three stars and a half.