HISTORICAL NAVAL CHARACTERS IN FICTIONAL FILM (4 and last)
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 Fletcher Christian. The overacting is wonderful in that sort of horrific way, as are the sets and accents. Costumes are pretty authentic, though. Bligh is depicted as deranged. Mind you, it was an Australian film, which probably explains some of the ingrained bias towards Bligh. From the days of him managing the colony, he was not a hero (Possibly because he was too keen on giving the convicts who'd served their time parcels of land to farm).
- The third version of the story features Charles Laughton (with a wonderfully accurate uniform - he researched it for himself) and Clark Gable in a uniform which looks more Rhett Butler than Tom Pullings. The other equally well known version is that with Brando as Christian (who's becoming more and more the hero) and Trevor Howard chewing the scenery as Bligh. Plus ca change. At least these versions show what a supreme seaman Bligh was, navigating thousands of miles without instruments and ensuring his men survived on minimal rations.
- Reay regards the most recent cinematic version - Anthony Hopkins as Bligh, Mel Gibson as Christian - as being the most psychologically accurate. Both men were haunted and difficult, Bligh was hard and Christian was self-centred.
- Many mistakes are repeated in all the versions. When he had the Bounty, Bligh had first lieutenant's rank, but was titled master and Commander. Christian was a Master's mate. Christian arguing with Bligh in front of the men was a direct breech of regulations and deserved punishment under the articles of war. Most important of all, Bligh never had any man flogged on Bounty. He had a record, on the Pacific station, of being the least likely to flog. Reay believes his story has become confused with that of Edwards, who went to find him.