Billy Budd (1962)

Please don't spend money on this.

not as good as all the hype

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

I read Melville's novel in High School and recall being extremely affected by the comparison of evil vs innocence as one and the same menace. After watching the film adaptation, I have even stronger feelings of the incompetent writing which may or may not be Melville's. With only one witness to the death of the 'Evil Grinch', and a committee very willing to corroborate evidence and a 'Get Out of Jail Card', how does the Law and Justice speech make any sense? The Captain leaves it solely to the 'Man from Uncle' to justify bending the rules, but the entire film does just that, beginning to end. How can you support such weak characters when there were limited repercussions to the acquittal vs high mutiny potential?Of course this alternate version of Karma and dying for someone else's sins may have a corollary or two in literature, but the figures just don't add up. First, this lovely lad was not trying to take over the ship, judge or insult anyone, or scare them into fear mongering morons. When really bad things happen to extremely good people you can only empathize with the scenario in a non-fiction setting. Otherwise, the constant sadistic behavior rewarded in the end is most annoying and irrational. Rate Melville as a rank amateur if you will, but decidedly not a Spielberg emotionally manipulating hack.I had to prepare a report on this book so long ago and I asked my sweet boyfriend to write it for me while I attended to other higher priority projects. I got into a lot of hot water for that stint as he just copied the Cliff notes. I sadly lost an opportunity to express many personal observations that I experienced several times in my life. Apologies, mostly to myself.High recommend for Terrence Stamp's enduring portrayal of love, trust, forgiveness, and joie de vivre.

Terrific 1962 film detailing justice, morality and devotion to the law.Robert Ryan is fabulous as the Master-of-Arms, cruel at every step, who believes that flogging is the answer to everything. He is the very answer to Captain Bligh on "Mutiny on the Bounty."Naive Billy, played by supporting Oscar nominee Terence Stamp, conveys the simplicity, and the man who was unfortunate enough to be subjected to military standards.Peter Ustinov is terrific here as the head who sees no way out to free Budd, despite the fact that what he did could easily be justified. The law was the law and it had to be enforced.Melvyn Douglas proves that wisdom comes through age by learning by experience.Finally, the crew, ready to rebel immediately sees that duty comes first when at war.This was truly an absorbing film.

"Keep your mouth shut, except at meal time!" That's what the "pretty boy" (Terence Stamp) title character is advised by the all-knowing Melvyn Douglas, senior crew member on an 18th Century English warship captained by Peter Ustinov with the crew controlled by the sadistic Robert Ryan. He isn't another Captain Bligh: In fact, he can be quite noble (in rare moments) and like "Les Miserables'" Javert thinks he is justified in his actions. There are many moments when his humanity is clearly visible, but all of a sudden, he switches like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.So why the reluctance to fully like this film? It starts off great, with each of the actors introducing their character names as their actual name appears in the credits. Lacking color which would have added more excitement to it, this film is as black and white as the lives of the characters, even though their individual qualities are far from black and white. Being essentially an ensemble piece, I can see why Terence Stamp was nominated for an Oscar in the supporting actor category, even though he's the protagonist and the most mentioned name on every other character's lips. Everybody truly shines and all of the veteran actors are extremely well used. Ustinov as the captain gives a truly layered portrayal, filled with both sympathy and power, and is far from his later mostly comical portrayals. Ryan is extremely intense, especially in a scene with Stamp where the younger man urges him to consider him a friend to which Ryan quietly and slowly builds to a response of anger and vengeance. Newcomer Stamp here is totally likable, almost saint-like, and will never be confused with his roles in "Superman II" and "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert".A bit more psychological in nature than normal, it really makes you think into these character's psychologies and not place a label on them as either "hero" or "villain" (or more appropriately in Ryan's case, "tyrant", which he is, but with some gentler facets as well). Unfortunately, it is mostly chat, little action (with the exception of a few battle scenes), and the over length a bit troubling.

This adaption of Herman Melville's unpublished novella served to introduce Terrence Stamp to the movie-going public in his breakout part in the title role. It's one of the great portrayals of innocence in a cruel world on the big screen. And it's also one of the great portrayals of unsatisfied homosexual desire in the person of Billy Budd's great adversary, Master-At-Arms John Claggett as played by Robert Ryan.Melville as a New Englander knew full well about English impressment of seaman. And in 1797 after the mutinies in the fleet at Spithead they were needing sailors worse than ever. The Royal Navy had no compunction about taking seaman from their own civilian merchant ships as well as American ones. A press gang comes aboard the merchant ship and takes young Billy Budd of striking looks and undetermined origin for service in His Majesty's Navy.On board the British warship, Stamp's happy go lucky attitude makes friends among the crew, but arouses the enmity of Ryan who just has it in for him from day one. He's a cruel and sadistic sort in any event, but Stamp arouses something special in him and the word arouse can have several meanings in this context.I don't want to give too much away, but if one is familiar with Herman Melville's slightly better known work of Moby Dick you will find certain parallels. The great white whale that everyone is conscious of is the French enemy and their fleet. When they attack the problems of the ship and its discipline seem petty indeed.Between the two poles of good (Stamp) and evil (Ryan) is the captain Peter Ustinov and the rest of the crew. From Ustinov on down they watch the drama played out between Stamp and Ryan, knowing who was in the right, but also knowing what the rules, in this case the Articles of War call for.Terrence Stamp in his second film and in the title role got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, the only nomination the film received. He lost to Ed Begley for Sweet Bird Of Youth. But his performance wouldn't be possible without the excellent and unrecognized one of Robert Ryan. The two play off each other so well.The story of Billy Budd lay undiscovered after Melville's death in 1891 until 1924. It's been made both a play and an opera, but this film version is a most satisfying piece of cinema.