HISTORICAL NAVAL CHARACTERS IN FICTIONAL FILM (4 and last)

[mylodon]

One main part of Justin Reay's talk was given to the portrayal of Captain Bligh in the numerous film, TV and radio depictions of events surrounding the mutiny on the Bounty.

• The first of these, Bligh and the Bounty, dates back to 1916 and is now lost.
• In the Wake of the Bounty dates from 1933 and stars a young Errol Flynn (his first role) as

Comments

[becky_black]

I am rather fond of the Hopkins and Gibson version not only because Mel Gibson was phenomenally hot in it. It seems somehow the fairest to Bligh, less moustache twirly than in other versions and showing the mutiny as much as being about what Christian and the other mutineers wanted as any reaction to Bligh's actions. Like you point out, he was at the time considered on the softer side when it came to discipline!

[mylodon]

I agree. From the little I know of the man, Bligh as portrayed by Hopkins seems a fair representation of character.

[vespican]

I read the book years ago. Also read it several times via the "Classics Illustrated" comic book version. Interestingly, the illustrations seemed to have been based upon the Laughton/Gable film

[mylodon]

It was the flogging thing which got me. Especially when you consider that Hardy of the Victory was a notorious flogger but that doesn't seem to have stuck.

I refered to my notes about the ranks - Reay definitely said Bligh was rated M&C for Bounty (which had been a collier, previously, I think, although my notes aren't clear on this). I take your point about first, etc lieutenants. Maybe first had been his rank on his previous ship.

What Reay also said was that there's some 'received' information on naval history which isn't accurate and that some myths keep being perpetuated. Notably the one about middies being rated Able, as if that was evidence they came through the hawse hole.

[vespican]

Quite possibly Bligh was rated M & C aboard Bounty. Strange, though that it is never mentioned. We always hear him referred to as "Captain Bligh," which would be correct because he had command of the vessel. And his actual rank was lieutenant, so that is correct as well. Perhaps the Bounty did rate an M&C, or the voyage/mission was of enough importance to allow a commander as captain. (Again, as I understand it, M&C was an honored temporary rank, such as commodore was for captains.)
Dave

[mylodon]

I really have no idea. Reay was adament that lots of naval historians get it wrong so I don't know how much of the confusion is errors passed down, reay's mistakes or me making the wrong notes!

[nodbear]

Yes the flogging thing is interesting the way people have been misremembered = often conveniently it seems to me.

I commented elsewhere about the way Israel Pellew is dismissed in one book as " Pellew's brutal and incompetent younger brother " - well, thats a simplistic statement indeed -and all things are relative - when in command of a ship of the line Israel worked with the ships chaplain and encouraged the crew to meet in groups if they wished to, also to form music groups and he supported a library open to all crew - not only of religious books but other subjects as well. Punsihment rates dropped sharply.

IP was then replaced bu another captain who would not let the chaplain hold any prayer time, banned the music groups and rescinded the library
His punishment rates went exponentially high - 40% more than Israel Pellew's with the same ship and the same crew.

and indeed volgivagant has rightly pointed out that,for every 100 writers who gush about how little Nelson had anyone flogged there is hardly one who points out that latterly

[mylodon]

misremembered = often conveniently it seems to me.

Ain't that the truth? And yes, absolutely, to the Hardy bit.

Thanks for the IP story - hadn't come across that one. (And my pleasure to have sent the stuff. Just wish we'd been their together for the talk.)

[just_jac7]

There was a wonderful show on our ABC radio's conversation hour a while back about Bligh, someone ( my memory *sighs*) had written a book about Bligh and they were interviewing the author. It was so interesting and I always meant to find the book (to add to my pile) Must try and track back through the old conversations to find out more. History never fails to amaze me at just who gets a bad rap and who doesn't and how the myths just get perpetuated down the ages. Not mentioning my pet subject LOL

[mylodon]

Not mentioning it at all. :) (And why do I have a feeling Daughter of Time got mentioned in the talk?)

Reay mentioned an (Aussie I think) radio series and singled it for praise.