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Memorable, crazy movie

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

When a film receives critical acclaim the director is usually the first person that the media points to as being responsible for the film's success. I noticed that IMDB has Billy Budd at an overall rating of 7.9 which I am more than a bit surprised at such a high overall rating. Peter Ustinov as the film's director penciled himself in as none other than the ship's Post Captain of the Royal Navy, Edwin Fairfax Vere, and the crew's moral compass. When Billy Budd is confronted by the mean and manipulative liar Master of Arms/Captain John Claggart (Robert Ryan) trouble follows the young Billy Budd (played by 24 year old Terrence Stamp), whose fate is left in the hands of the ship's Post Captain of the Royal Navy, Edwin Fairfax Vere, and his military brass.I thought Robert Ryan was not cast properly as the Master Of Arms and that hat he is wearing looked absolutely ridiculous. His hat reminds me of the Irish leprechaun from the Lucky Charms cereal commercials. All that was needed was for Robert Ryan to jump up in the air and kick up his heels as he doles out his punishment(s) to the various crew members to be reminded he was acting more like a leprechaun and less as a Master Of Arms.I also did not think that this film held up well over the decades. I certainly would not even place it near to the class of watchable film as the 1954 film Caine Mutiny, starring Humphrey Bogart, and/or the 1962 Mutiny On the Bounty, starring Marlon Brando. I love the old films all the way from the 1940's-70's so as much as I wanted to see Billy Budd I am going to blame the poor delivery on the film's director and star Peter Ustinov. He really should have stuck to acting only.I give the film a poor 3 out of 10 rating. I cannot recommend Billy Budd for any value whatsoever.

One of those films that is not only as good as the book but close to being better. The book is great(have a preference though to Moby Dick though, also by Herman Melville) with a story that is gripping and emotionally resonant, strong characters and a most interesting writing style, though also one that will take some getting used to. This film adaptation of Billy Budd is just wonderful and is as of now my favourite Melville adaptation. The cinematography is gorgeous and the ship is very handsomely rendered, so the film has an attractive visual style as one of the numerous things going for it. Antony Hopkins's music score is a rousing yet sympathetic one, it is elegantly orchestrated and not only is it a beautiful score to listen to it also does a great job matching the mood of each scene and what each character is thinking. The script is very intelligently adapted, and its style is actually fairly loyal to Melville's, without being too wordy or complicated. The story isn't completely faithful here, but Melville's style does shine through and in a compelling and fresh way, as well as affecting, parts did give me the chills and the ending is poignant. There are added scenes that added a lot rather than detracted, a prime example being on the deck with Claggart, a chilling scene(just like in the Britten opera, which is well worth checking out) that makes Claggart more repulsive than he already is. The pacing has space but it is not plodding at all, while Peter Ustinov clearly knows what he's doing here and directs with a deft touch. His performance also as Captain Vere is also one of his most restrained, for an actor who could be hammy(often enjoyably), and rarely has he done noble and gentle so touchingly. The aftermath of Billy's death is very believable emotionally. The rest of the cast are just as powerful, Terence Stamp's Billy- a character who you immediately like and genuinely feel sorry for- brought me to tears and Melvyn Douglas is both gravelly and robust as Danskar, who is much more interesting in this film than he is in the book. Acting honours though go to Robert Ryan, a superb performance that manages to give some depth to a truly frightening and evil-incarnate character like Claggart. All in all, wonderful film where the acting especially helps in making it as powerful as it is. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I first saw this film at age 18, and was not ready for the language and psychological underpinnings of the story, but a great story it is. Classic in the sense of a story for all time and and riveting in its humanity. No film captures better the physical conditions of the way sailors lived in the British navy of the Napoleonic Wars. The claustrophobia, the constant movement of the ship over the deep "full of monsters surviving because of the sharpest teeth" as the Master of Arms John Claggert notes. Claggert is memorably played by Robert Ryan, perhaps one of Hollywood's most under-sung actors. His Claggert is a man who seems to be devouring himself with acidic self-hatred. What the world has made him is the doom of Billy Budd, the newly impressed seaman who is the very persona of guileless innocence. These two are headed for tragedy and how they get there is the basis of the film. Very fine actors all around such as John Neville, Paul Rogers, and a young David McCallum lend credence to a shattering conclusion that I found still quite moving in a recent viewing on TCM. Peter Ustinov who directed and wrote the screenplay and plays the Captain was equal to the task in all those roles. One of my favorite top- ten movies of the sea with a story that will never grow old. Neither will Herman Melville's novel.

This is an exceptionally good movie, but it begs the viewer to ask "why did they put American actors like Melvyn Douglas and Robert Ryan in a drama set aboard a British warship?!". While both are good actors, neither sounds the least bit British. Surely there must have been other qualified actors whose voices would have fit in with the rest of the cast that included Peter Ustinov and Terrence Stamp (as the title character)! The film is set during the time of the Napoleonic era--when the Brits and French were arch rivals. During this era, the British navy was stretched to its limits. As a result, the Brits were forcing (or impressing) lots of sailors from merchant ships (and not always British ones) into their navy. But, because the seamen were now a much more valuable commodity, the average sailor now balked at the traditional British code of military discipline. To summarize it, your superiors are gods and you are a piece of scum to be beaten at will...and like it! As a result, several of their warships had rebellions--and captains, in some cases, were killed! So, stories like "Mutiny on the Bounty", "Damn the Defiant!" and "Billy Budd" are based on real life situations caused by men no longer wanting to be beaten and executed for trivial reasons (in most cases).The film begins with a merchant ship being forcibly stopped and boarded by a British warship wanting to impress sailors into their crew. However, the merchant sailors are an angry and hostile lot and they decide to only take one of the crew (Billy Budd). Much of this seemed to be because Budd had such a nice disposition--he'd take to the British navy with little complaint. However, Budd's innocent and sweet nature is put to the test by the actions of his immediate superior (Ryan)--a martinet who seems to revel at breaking and tormenting his men.This is a very good story and seems in many ways like Melville's other classic, "Moby Dick". In both stories, there are insane leaders who cavalierly misuse and abuse their men. There also is LOTS of religious symbolism--and I have heard others refer to Budd as a Christ-like figure. However, unlike "Moby Dick" (at least the movie versions--I never would dream of actually reading it), the symbolism seems a bit less pervasive and heavy-handed--and as a result makes a much more compelling story. Plus, it's a lot more believable than a giant insane whale and an even more insane Captain! Well worth seeing because it's an interesting story and the acting is quite good. However, for fans of Ustinov, this isn't one of his best roles--he is a bit more bland and 'normal' than his usual performance. This is NOT a complaint--just more like an observation.