Although this is the third Hollywood account of the infamous 1789 mutiny, it’s not a remake.
Unlike the Charles Laughton/Clark Gable or Trevor Howard/Marlon Brando versions, this sticks closely to historical fact.
Consequently, Lieutenant – as he was at the time of the mutiny – William Bligh emerges as a gentleman bound by duty and loyalty who expected nothing less of his crew, while Fletcher Christian comes across as a man driven by heartfelt but half-digested notions of liberty and romance.
It was undoubtedly a bold move for Mel Gibson to play such an antihero, but, despite his efforts, he is acted off the screen by the magnificent Anthony Hopkins, whose dignity and determination hold together Roger Donaldson’s highly intelligent film.
Fletcher Christian
Mel Gibson Lieutenant William Bligh
Anthony Hopkins Admiral Hood
Laurence Olivier Captain Greetham
Edward Fox John Fryer
Daniel Day-Lewis Cole
Bernard Hill Smith
John Sessions Young
Philip Davis Churchill
Liam Neeson Nelson
Simon Chandler Doctor Huggan
Malcolm Terris Quintal
Neil Morrissey Ellison
Dexter Fletcher
Director
Roger Donaldson
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