“Mutiny on the Bounty”: Movie Analysis Essay

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The 1935 movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” is a historical film that has been said to be one of the best historical representations, even though there are some inaccuracies. In the movie it is shown that Captain Bligh was on board Pandora but in reality this never happened. His presence during the trial on mutineers is also fictional. Another character, Christian is present at the trial in the film but historically, he was never there because has died years before. In the movie, one of the mutineers by the name Thomas Ellison is allowed to see his wife before the execution. Historical records show that this was never practiced in the society of that time because of an unneeded sentiment and stress, and there is even no record of Thomas being married at all. When the ship was taken over, several crew men are killed because of their loyalty but during real events no one died or was killed in the process of taking over the ship. There are some character depiction irregularities as well. Captain Bligh’s character is shown to be very rough, inhumane and sadistic. There are moments in the movie that show keelhauling and even such brutality as flogging of a man who has already died. The situational irregularities or events that never happened do not really affect the movie or plot as much. But a misrepresentation of characters is very influential. The viewer develops an unfair predisposition towards Bligh due to his cruel nature. This is very historically inaccurate because Captain Bligh was a different person. Even though it adds to the drama and emotions of the movie, it is very inaccurate and disrespectful to the real person. The direction is carefully planned out and is representative of the times. The music is very uplifting at the sailing of the Bounty. The emotions of people are shown with a close up of the face. This makes the experience of the viewer more personal and dramatic. The movie is black and white and in a way, it adds to the dramatic and depressing scenes. The sky seems grimmer and the sea looks indifferent to the people and the ship sailing. The storm scene seems to be infernal and representative of the darkest emotions and thoughts of people on board the ship. When the ship arrives at Tahiti, the scene is shown very naturally and the nature, together with scenery make the moment very realistic. To make the movie more appealing to the present audiences, some coloring could be added. It would make the scenes more interactive and natural.

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A remake was made in 1985 called “The Bounty” and it also has some historical inaccuracies. One of them is the trial of Admiral Hood. In the movie the trial takes place in a building of Admiralty and Hood is being tried for losing the Bounty. In real life, the court martial took place aboard the warships. The logbook of Bounty is titled “H.M.A.V. Bounty, her log” and the first recorded date states December 23, 1787. Bu the real log was called “Bounty’s Log” and the first entry was made on December 1, 1787, outlining the preparations and the fact that the attempt of leaving was unsuccessful. A major irregularity in the plot is when Captain Bligh decides to take another try to go around Cape Horn. This would mean that they have circumnavigated the globe but in reality this did not happen. Historically, Bligh’s mission was to deliver breadfruit plants from Society Islands to Jamaica. The journey had to be safe and guaranteed, so extreme care of the cargo and the ship was taken. The place of trial of admiral and the name of the log are not very crucial to the true depiction of historical events and so, there is not much difference in the dramatic effect. But the wrong travel directions or detour of the movie have created a false sense of greatness of the crew and the captain. It shows that people were overconfident and unrealistic. The direction of the movie is very unique and original. The scenes that show the sea are very descriptive and natural. The reflection of the moon on the water and the detail of the sea make the viewer connect with the privacy and grandeur of the moment. During the storm scene the events are very specific and real. The detail shows how devastated people are and the setting very much complements the movie. The clothing is somewhat different from the 1935 movie, it is more modern and this makes the audience closer to the events that take place. The Tahiti arrival is much richer compared to the 1935 movie. The role that color plays complements and enhances the portrayal of nature. To make the movie more acceptable for the current audiences, the scene where the crew men shoot the dolphins swimming by could be cut out. Overall, both movies are great pieces of work that depict past times and morals of people.

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IvyPanda. (2022, February 4). “Mutiny on the Bounty”: Movie Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mutiny-on-the-bounty-movie-analysis/

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IvyPanda. (2022) '“Mutiny on the Bounty”: Movie Analysis'. 4 February.

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IvyPanda. 2022. "“Mutiny on the Bounty”: Movie Analysis." February 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mutiny-on-the-bounty-movie-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda. "“Mutiny on the Bounty”: Movie Analysis." February 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mutiny-on-the-bounty-movie-analysis/.


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IvyPanda. "“Mutiny on the Bounty”: Movie Analysis." February 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mutiny-on-the-bounty-movie-analysis/.

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