I wound up wanting to recommend two films, including this one largely shaped by the incredibly talented peter ustinov and costarring both a young terence stamp and a battleweary robert ryan. Peter ustinov produced, directed and worked on the script of his film version made in black and white in 1962, based on the stage play. Right out in the skyvaulted open and on the decks of a sturdy squarerigged ship, a fine adornment of his. But it is about as good of a version possible, beautifully. Avenger is headed into battle against the french fleet during the napoleonic wars, and the dark shadow of two recent mutinies in the english fleet concern captain vere.
Billy budd 1962, a film by peter ustinov theiapolis. Jul 24, 2017 terence stamp as billy budd in peter ustinovs 1962 film. Terence stamp is billy budd, a seaman forced to serve in the. Billy budd, british adventure film, released in 1962, that was an adaptation of a play based on herman melvilles unfinished novel billy budd, foretopman billy budd played by terence stamp is a young seaman impressed into service on the hms avenger of the british navy in 1797 during the war between england and france. Herman melvilles seafaring story receives a superb treatment from directorcostar peter ustinov. The film, directed by peter ustinov who also played captain vere, is a blackandwhite postcard to male bonding, tension and loneliness. Billy budd 1962 official trailer terence stamp, robert ryan movie hd billy is an innocent, naive seaman in the british navy in 1797. We do not deal with justice here, but with the law. Unlike most sea films, the enemy in billy budd is not to be found from without, but within. Its the battle of good versus evil, the powerful theme of herman melvil. Billy budd played by terence stamp is a young seaman impressed into service on the hms avenger of the british navy in 1797 during the war. Billy budd, british adventure film, released in 1962, that was an adaptation of a play based on herman melvilles unfinished novel billy budd, foretopman. He wrote and directed many acclaimed stage plays and led numerous international theatrical productions.
Terence stamp is billy budd, a seaman forced to serve in the british navy during the war between england and france in 1797. The problem of the adapter of fiction to the screen is more difficult by far than. Melvyn douglas, peter ustinov, robert ryan, terence stamp. The anarchist film archive presents billy budd 1962 peter ustinov, watch online now. Premiering in 1962, the same year, coincidentally, when harrison hayward and merton m. Billy budd film wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Other memorable film roles include his turns as a ringmaster in lola montes 1955, a comic convict sidekick to humphrey bogart in were no angels 1955, captain vere in ustinovs own film version of herman melvilles billy budd 1962, a modernday mexican general determined to reclaim the alamo in viva max. Its handsomely crafted, with intelligence and admirable fidelity to herman melvilles novel. Ustinov was to refer to billy budd as his finest work in film, and there was something about its challenges that brought out his resourcefulness, successfully enough to keep you absorbed, yet not entirely able to achieve full dramatic liftoff. Billy budd is a 1962 film about the conflicts aboard the warship hms avenger, between a masteratarms who enjoys punishing others and keeping them in states of fear, military officers who feel it is their duty to employ such means to control those they command, and an idealistic young sailor impressed into service aboard it from a merchant vessel, rights of man. Predstavlja adaptaciju istoimene pripovjetke americkog pisca hermana melvillea. Billy budd peter ustinov s production of billy budd is a near miss, and ustinov, alas, is the culprit.
As the actors credits unfurl onscreen over images of hms avenger pursuing the british merchant vessel rights of man, each performer. Billy budd 1962 official trailer terence stamp, robert ryan. Billy looks upon all men as inherently good and, although his crewmates. Billy budd 1962 peter ustinov synopsis, characteristics. Adapted from the stage play version of herman melvilles short novel billy budd, it starred terence stamp as billy budd, robert ryan as john claggart, and ustinov as captain vere. Adapted from the stage play version of herman melvilles short novel billy budd, it stars terence stamp as billy budd, robert ryan as john claggart, and ustinov as captain vere. Herman melvilles tale of good versus evil aboard a british naval ship pits innocent new recruit billy budd stamp, in his film debut against sadistic masteratarms john claggart ryan, at his menacing best. Ustinovs film billy budd, a study in the process of adaptation. Billy budd 1962 peter ustinov dvd elvis dvd collector. Billy budd 1962 region code 1 usa its 1797, and the english frigate avenger sails wartime seas, ready to engage the french navy in the broadsideforbroadside of combat. Ustinovs film billy budd, a study in the process of.
Terence stamp in his film debut is billy budd, an optimistic, young british sailor during a 1797 war between england and france who wins favor with all his crewmates, except for the sadistic masteratarms, who accuses budd of plotting a mutiny. He also won a golden globe award for best supporting actor for the film quo vadis he set the oscar and globe statuettes up on his desk as if playing doubles tennis. The angelic billy is played by a blond stamp in his first film role. Ustinov won academy awards for best supporting actor for his roles in spartacus 1960 and topkapi 1964. Herman melvilles short novel billy budd is adapted for the screen in this 1962 film, which is distinguished by robert kraskers expressive blackandwhite cinematography and peter ustinov s crisp direction. Aug 16, 2012 1962s billy budd is directed and also stars peter ustinov as the british ships captain, captain vere. One knows from his tight smile covering manipulativeness, fearmongering and depths of paranoia whom claggart is meant to resemble, as robert ryan vividly plays the masteratarms aboard a 1797 british naval warship. Jan 15, 2014 premiering in 1962, the same year, coincidentally, when harrison hayward and merton m. Herman melvilles short novel billy budd is adapted for the screen, distinguished by robert kraskers expressive blackandwhite cinematography and peter ustinovs crisp direction. Billy budd played by terence stamp is a young seaman impressed into service on the hms avenger of. Billy budd played by terence stamp is a young seaman impressed into service on the hms avenger of the british navy in 1797 during the war between. The classic conflict of good and evil, drawn in herman melvilles billy budd with the story of a pure young british sailor tormented by a vicious master at arms, is firmly battened down and. This film is not currently playing on mubi but 30 other great films are. Peter ustinovs billy budd 1962 is the flying dutchman of seagoing sagas, illfated, if not quite cursed, in several respects.
Melville wrote vituperatively about the use of flogging in both the american and the british navies. Peter ustinov was a twotime academy awardwinning film actor, a director, writer, journalist and raconteur. Death and the maiden by roman polanski, thom mount, josh kramer. Robert ryan, almost alone among the cast in missing an english accent and thankfully he didnt put one on, play the ships demonic master of arms, john claggart. Peter ustinovs film billy budd claims a pirandellian moment. Some of the images in peter ustinovs film of herman melvilles billy budd, sailor carry story and suggestion, from the very beginning. Billy budd 1962 with peter ustinov classic film freak. Premiering just four days after the opening of mgms muchpublicized, problemplagued, mixedbag remake of mutiny on the bounty, producerdirector and cowriter and costar peter ustinovs adaptation of billy budd 1962 is by far the superior picture.
The angelic, pure hearted young billy budd terence stamp in his first film role, is a psychological threat to the cruel claggartrobert ryan, whom life has turned into a man who must destroy any sign of goodness. One knows from his tight smile covering manipulativeness, fearmongering and depths of paranoia whom claggart is meant to resemble, as robert ryan vividly plays the masteratarms. Billy budd 1962 peter ustinov watch online christie books. Billy budd 1962 peter ustinov cast and crew allmovie. Directed by peter ustinov 1962 with terence stamp, robert ryan, peter ustinov herman melvilles tale of good versus evil aboard a british naval ship pits innocent new recruit billy budd stamp, in his film debut against sadistic masteratarms john claggart ryan, at his menacing best. Billy terence stamp is an eager 18 year old who goes to sea on a boat commanded by captain vere peter ustinov. It starred a young terence stamp as billy budd, and ustinov took the role of captain vere. In my head, i often conflate peter ustinov and charles laughton, so when i heard ustinov had directed a film, i came to it with the standards of the night of the hunter in my mind. Find movie and film cast and crew information for billy budd 1962 peter ustinov on allmovie. Billy budd is a film directed by peter ustinov with robert ryan, peter ustinov, terence stamp, melvyn douglas, year. In the opening scene, after each actor speaks the name of his onscreen character as his own. Ustinov s film billy budd, a study in the process of adaptation.
Billy budd 1962 peter ustinov, robert ryan, melvyn douglas march 16, 2020 h. In his film debut, stamp was nominated for an academy award for best supporting actor, and received a. Peter ustinov produced, directed, and costarred in this powerful adaptation, which boasts striking cinematography courtesy of dp. Adapting herman melvilles final, unfinished novel, not published until 1924, more than 30 years after his death, billy budd is still. Billy is relentlessly harassed by the sadistic masterof arms claggart robert. Protagonist, koga tumaci terence stamp, je mladi pomorac koji 1797. Avenger is headed into battle against the french fleet during the napoleonic wars, and the dark shadow of two recent mutinies in the english fleet concern captain vere sir peter ustinov. But ustinovs successful direction of the hesitant newcomer in billy budd gave the cinema its first glimpse of a great star who went on to symbolize the freewheeling countercultural impulses energizing culture in the 1960s.
Peter ustinov filmography as director 1984 lion and the hawk 1972 hammersmith is out. Ustinov himself is manowar captain vere, forced to try the naif billy for the accidental murder of masteratarms claggart. Coxe play, released on november 12 of 1962 in the usa. Allied artistsphotofest few movies enwrap you in their stories with the indelible immediacy of peter ustinovs adaptation of herman melvilles unfinished short novel, billy budd. Herman melvilles short novel billy budd is adapted for the screen in this 1962 film, which is distinguished by robert kraskers expressive blackandwhite cinematography and peter ustinovs crisp direction. Opinion billy budd, tragically charming the boys for a. Billy bud je britanski crnobijeli igrani film snimljen 1962. The film opened yesterday at cinema i and cinema ii. Billy budd 1962 peter ustinov, robert ryan, melvyn. Terence stamp as billy budd in peter ustinovs 1962 film. Billy budd is a 1962 cinemascope film produced, directed, and cowritten by peter ustinov. Billy budds backstory is the 1797 naval mutiny in the thames estuary, during which mutineers attempted to blockade london and set up a floating republic.
Billy budd peter ustinovs production of billy budd is a near miss, and ustinov, alas, is the culprit. Billy looks upon all men as inherently good and, although his. Billy budd by peter ustinov, robert ryan, melvyn douglas. Billy budd is a 1962 british historical dramaadventure film produced, directed, and cowritten by peter ustinov. In the opening scene, after each actor speaks the name of his onscreen character as his own personal name is seen in the. Recently, i went back and reread melvilles original novel and then took time to view a couple of film versions of the classic novel. Apr 18, 2019 the film, directed by peter ustinov who also played captain vere, is a blackandwhite postcard to male bonding, tension and loneliness. Nov 03, 2008 peter ustinovs film billy budd claims a pirandellian moment. Billy budd film pop culture wiki fandom powered by wikia.
Billy budd 1962 peter ustinov, robert ryan, melvyn douglas. But ustinov, who in his protean way produced, directed, cowrote and costarred, found his lowbudget, black and white cinemascope film a david competing against. Billy budd terence stamp is an innocent, naive seaman in the. Mar 03, 2016 billy budd by peter ustinov film allied artists, 1962. In his film debut, stamp was nominated for an academy award for best supporting actor, and. Herman melvilles billy budd, and peter ustinovs film. Sep 28, 2011 this feature is not available right now.
Ustinov plays captain vere of the wartime british navy vessel on which the story unfolds. The screenplay was cowritten by ustinov and robert rossen. Herman melvilles short novel billy budd is adapted for the screen, distinguished by robert kraskers expressive blackandwhite cinematography and peter ustinov s crisp direction. Stamp was nominated for an academy award for best supporting actor, and received a golden globe award for most promising male. Billy budd, sailor by herman melville novella oxford world classics, 1998. But theres another warfare going on, a conflict aboard the kings ship. Novel, to play, to film the adaptation of literary forms into film presents varied problems to those involved in the film production, particularly the screen writer and director. The ubiquitous mr u is to be commended for spearheading the noble effort to translate herman. Billy budd doesnt quite live up to that, but it was a surprising character study with a host of great performances, most notably from robert ryan. With robert ryan, peter ustinov, melvyn douglas, paul rogers.
1097 694 822 259 559 750 1037 310 1344 68 1511 274 1394 1457 725 902 1406 644 1041 678 654 516 30 335 171 277 1004 1156 390 1426 1254 911 1027 390 1336 1421 1146 1175 262