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 (Sir Anthony Hopkins), whose cruelty leads to a mutiny on his ship. Follows both the efforts of Fletcher Christian (Mel Gibson) 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

Jimmy Buffett's music video of his song "One Particular Harbour" was filmed on this same set, at the same time, and also with some of this movie's extras.

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Goofs

At the beginning of a meal, the officers toast the King, but do so while sitting. British serving officers always stood while toasting the monarch, even though only in the captain's cabin of a large ship would there be enough headroom to stand upright. When William IV, a naval officer since he was about 13, became King in 1830, he allowed serving officers to toast him while sitting, but this was more than 30 years too late for the officers of the Bounty.

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Quotes

Bligh: God damn you, man. Don't you bloody cross me.

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Alternate Versions

German version misses ca. 26 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in Mission: Impossible II (2000)

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.