Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

71% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
71% of users liked it
(4,052 ratings)

This colorful remake of the 1935 version again concerns the crew and treatment of the HMS Bounty by a cold hearted sadistic captain. Captain Bligh (Trevor Howard) boards the ship in Portsmouth, England, to embark on a mission to bring tropical breadfruit trees to Jamaica. Fletcher Christian (Marlon… More This colorful remake of the 1935 version again concerns the crew and treatment of the HMS Bounty by a cold hearted sadistic captain. Captain Bligh (Trevor Howard) boards the ship in Portsmouth, England, to embark on a mission to bring tropical breadfruit trees to Jamaica. Fletcher Christian (Marlon Brando) is the aristocratic second mate who welcomes the new captain aboard. Christian's view of the captain sours with the cruel treatment of the crew and the dangerous decision to round Cape Horn. The Bounty sails into the teeth of a ferocious winter storm which is another in a long line of indignities suffered on the journey. John Mills (Richard Harris) is punished for stealing cheese. A sailor is ordered to stay aloft in the crow's nest, nearly resulting in death. The crew finds temporary paradise in Tahiti before Bligh's behavior becomes intolerable for the once faithful Christian. The crew revolts and sends the captain on his way in a small rowboat. Settling on Pitcairn Island, the crew soon realizes they may never see England again. Mills burns the ship to insure the trip is never made. Christian attempts to save the only means of transportation of their new island home. Lewis Milestone directed the film which was plagued by constant cost overruns to the tune of 18 million dollars. Brando's legendary ego clashed with results as turbulent as the fictitious trip around stormy Cape Horn. The movie retained slightly over half the cost of the production price tag in its initial release. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 59 min.
Directed By: Carol Reed, Lewis Milestone
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Nov 8, 1962 Wide
On DVD: Nov 7, 2006

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther, New York Times
...Marlon Brando makes Fletcher Christian an eccentric who dominates the entire dramatic scheme.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Hardly anyone was pleased with the results.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Brando practically scuttles the ship as the brooding Mr. Christian with the bad English accent. (Blu-ray edition)
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It's best to watch it for its glorious cinematography and settings, and forget about Brando's participation.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A troubled production, with clashes between Brando and the original director, technical problems, but despite all that, the movie has some good moments.
Norm Schrager, Filmcritic.com
With Clark Gable's recent death creating an awareness and an expectation in moviegoers of 1962 for a robust and manly Gable characterization, instead Brando delivered a nasally, aristocratic poseur
Derek Adams, Time Out
Brando makes a total mess of his English accent, the romantic interlude in Tahiti goes on endlessly, and the visuals (perhaps the main point of interest in the movie) too often resort to travelogue vistas and picture postcard lighting.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Its picture postcard scenery couldn't hide how colorless the film felt at times.
, Film4
Brando is plainly miscast...

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

A B

Marlon Brando is brilliant in this epic movie. An oldie but a goodie.
Mike T

This movie is notorious for the endless production conflicts involved in its making, many of them detrimental to the career and reputation of Marlon Brando. It's too bad that the issues involved with making the film often overshadow how impressive it really is. This picture is… More
This movie is notorious for the endless production conflicts involved in its making, many of them detrimental to the career and reputation of Marlon Brando. It's too bad that the issues involved with making the film often overshadow how impressive it really is. This picture is all spectacle - the color-soaked photography, majestic direction and theatrical performances make this an adventure worth being a part of. The tension between Trevor Howard and Marlon Brando is outstanding, and I think that's a testament to how well they portray their characters. Lewis Milestone does a brilliant job of working around the endless problems associated with shaping this epic. It feels polished and precisely crafted. Essential viewing for fans of large-scale Hollywood filmmaking, or for Marlon Brando enthusiasts.
Barry L

Superb. Brilliant retelling of the story....ramming Speed Mr Christian!