Billy Budd Page #9

Synopsis: H.M.S. 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. He relies on his cruel and often sadistic Master-at-Arms John Claggert to maintain what he believes to be tenuous order and discipline aboard the ship. When a new seaman, Billy Budd, is pressed into service from a passing merchantman, his innocent, happy-go-lucky attitude quickly endears him to both his messmates as well as the ship's officers. However, his charismatic naivete seems to bother Claggert, whose perverse depravity makes him resent Billy's good-natured purity, especially after the teenager's promotion to fore-top captain. The mean-spirited Claggert unfairly plots to put him on report and ultimately perjures himself when he accuses Billy of conspiring to mutiny.
Genre: Adventure, Drama, War
Director(s): Peter Ustinov
Production: Allied Artists Pictures
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.9
Rotten Tomatoes:
100%
APPROVED
Year:
1962
123 min
768 Views


Majesty George Rex...

...and Alan Napier, Viscount Kelsey,

First Sea Lord.

Signed...

...Philip Seymour, senior member.

Let them dance on a rope's end!

You're not hanging Billy Budd!

Silence!

You will resume discipline instantly!

Be warned!

For the last time, you scum,

will you obey orders?

Stand back into ranks.

Resume your ranks there

and be quick about it!

Prisoner...

...have you anything to say?

If you have nothing to say,

the sentence of the court will be carried out.

God bless Captain Vere.

Sound off!

Marines, cover the hanging party!

No, Billy!

Permission to dismiss the men, sir.

Permission to dismiss the men, sir.

Sir?

You may do as you wish, Mr. Seymour.

It's of no further concern to me.

Sir, a decision must be made.

A decision has been made,

Mr. Ratcliffe.

I'm only a man,

not fit to do the work of God...

...or the devil.

Ship's company.

Ship's company, by divisions, dismiss!

Afterguard dismissed.

Starboard battery dismissed.

Larboard battery dismissed.

Fore-, main-, and mizzentopmen dismissed.

Repeat the order!

Captain Hallam, fire into their ranks.

Marines, take aim.

Beat to quarters!

Clear decks for action!

Come on, lads, let's punish the French

for turning up late!

The rest belongs to naval history.

But if the sacrifice of Billy Budd...

... has served to make men

more conscious of justice...

... then he will not have died in vain.

Men are perishable things...

... but justice will live

as long as the human soul...

... and the law,

as long as the human mind.

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Peter Ustinov

Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, (né von Ustinov; or ; 16 April 1921 – 28 March 2004) was an English actor, voice actor, writer, dramatist, filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, screenwriter, comedian, humorist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster, and television presenter. He was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits for much of his career. An intellectual and diplomat, he held various academic posts and served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and President of the World Federalist Movement. Ustinov was the winner of numerous awards over his life, including two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, Emmy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards for acting, and a Grammy Award for best recording for children, as well as the recipient of governmental honours from, amongst others, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He displayed a unique cultural versatility that has frequently earned him the accolade of a Renaissance man. Miklós Rózsa, composer of the music for Quo Vadis and of numerous concert works, dedicated his String Quartet No. 1, Op. 22 (1950) to Ustinov. In 2003, Durham University changed the name of its Graduate Society to Ustinov College in honour of the significant contributions Ustinov had made as chancellor of the university from 1992 until his death. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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