The Making of 'The Bounty' Page #3

(Sound of canon fire)

Stand by for a second salute!

Fire second salute!

(Excited voices

of natives and crew)

Hey. I'll have her.

Thank you.

(Sounds of drum beats and chanting)

Quintel!

Sorry sir.

Have you ever seen

a woman before?

Keep your mind

and your eyes on your work, man.

Come on, get in line there.

Oars!

Prepare to toss oars.

Toss oars.

Toss your oars.

Thank you.

Hail, Capitan Bligh.

Hail, King Tynah.

(Chief replies in Tahitian)

Thank you, your Majesty.

I bring you greetings from His Majesty,

King George of England.

How is the great Captain Cook?

Captain Cook! He's well

and he also sends his greetings.

- He lives?

- Yes.

- He is my friend.

- I know.

Now you see.

Ah!

He gave me his picture.

Yes.

Some people say he was killed

by the people of Hawaii.

No, er... Captain Cook

is very much alive.

And, er, he's in good health,

King Tynah. He's very much alive.

(Responds in Tahitian)

As I said,

he sends his greetings to you.

And, er, he always talks of you

as his very close friend.

You told that

to this man... Tynah?

King Tynah, sir.

A savage King.

A King, my lord.

Descended from many Kings.

As our King George

is descended from many Kings.

Yes, in a way, sir.

Then why did you lie to him?

Why did you not tell him

Captain Cook was murdered

in Hawaii 10 years before?

Because they believe

that Captain Cook is immortal.

Literally?

They seem to regard

his likeness as a sacred image.

Interesting.

They also believe that every British

officer is more or less related to him.

So you were

more or less immortal too.

It would appear so, sir. And-um -

I also needed their assistance.

Captain Cook was our guarantor.

How long you stay in Tahiti?

About two months.

Round about the islands.

Stay here. Do not go to the other

islands. No welcome there for you.

Everything you need is here.

I'm much obliged to you.

His Majesty King George

has sent you many gifts,

King Tynah. Perhaps

I could carry back in return.

Gifts from yourself

to His Majesty King George.

Anything for a King. Pigs.

Bananas. Coconuts. Breadfruit.

Breadfruit. Breadfruit's

a very good idea. Yes, breadfruit.

I think His Majesty likes breadfruit.

Isn't that true Mr Nelson?

Indeed it is, sir.

His Majesty is a very keen gardener.

He would appreciate

breadfruit greatly.

If you were to send him

little breadfruit plants.

He could grow them

in his own garden.

(Sound of laughter)

We shall grow him

many little plants.

Thank you.

- Mr Christian.

- Sir.

Mr Cole. Would you distribute the gifts

to King Tynah and his good people.

These are gifts from His Majesty King

George of England to yourselves.

(Christian)

Sir.

(Crew member)

Take it away, Mr Cole.

Oh, dear God.

- I hoped to avoid this.

- Avoid what, sir?

Dammit all man,

I'm expected to sleep with her.

She's one of King Tynah's wives. A gift

from one chief to another as it were.

Now look,

five minutes after I go below,

you must call me up on some

important business. Alright?

Yes sir. What business?

Business, dammit.

Any bloody business.

Welcome aboard, Ma'am.

Yes. Get on with your work.

She should soften

the old man up a bit.

Hot.

(Knock on door)

Enter.

Excuse me, sir. I...

- Mr Christian.

- Sir.

What demands

my immediate attention?

It could wait until tomorrow.

What is it? Damn you.

The ship is sinking, sir.

Good.

Ma'am.

(Greetham) Was Fletcher Christian

at this time still your friend and ally?

At that time, yes.

There was no indication

of any resentment towards you?

No. None.

Mr Bligh. When you planted

out your breadfruit,

did not the savages carry out

some sort of ceremony?

An indecent ceremony?

Is this relevant, Captain Greetham?

My Lord, if the crew

were allowed to witness it, yes.

Were the crew present, Mr Bligh?

Yes.

And was it indecent?

It is their deep belief

that the earth is rendered fruitful

by the coupling of their Gods.

And that the Gods can be roused

by the coupling of men and women.

(Sounds of drums

and native chanting)

So it did begin at the ceremony?

No sir. Not at the ceremony.

No, it was Fletcher Christian

and the native girl.

You misunderstood the depth

of the emotion between them?

Yes. I realise that now.

I had assumed that it was

simply youthful passion.

It takes more than an infatuated

youth to make a mutiny.

It takes a discontented crew.

The crew were anything

but discontented, sir.

Fletcher Christian corrupted them.

Yes, but what made them

so easy to corrupt?

I don't know.

It was the place itself.

(Sounds of native girls

laughing and chattering)

Come here.

(Fryer)

Mr, Christian.

Come in, whoever you are.

Faya!

Captain Bligh's surprised

that he hasn't had the pleasure of your

company at supper for some weeks.

Do you still do that?

And the Captain says

he'll expect you this evening.

Today. Today's not Friday.

Six o'clock.

Prompt, if you please.

Areya.

Wait, Dr Huggen.

I found the most extraordinary plant

today. On the west side of the island.

Just by the mouth of the river.

Mr Christian, it is half past seven.

Well, you didn't wait for me. I hope.

May I ask why you have come

to my table in a state of undress?

Well, I couldn't wear the jacket.

The tattoo's too painful.

Good God.

Put on your jacket, Mr Christian.

It's very painful, sir.

Put on your jacket,

Mr Christian. If you please.

- May I serve now?

- Wait!

Thank you, Mr Christian.

Very well Smith,

you may serve now.

Thank you sir.

- Mr Nelson.

- Sir.

When did you last inspect

the breadfruit plants?

Yesterday, sir.

Not today?

No sir. Mr Christian said a daily

inspection was not necessary.

Oh, did he indeed?

Well, Mr Christian.

And when do you think they will be

ready to transport in your opinion?

They'll be some time yet, sir.

We've already been here thirteen

weeks longer than we intended.

Will we never leave this place?

Because we arrived

so late. The plants...

I want to be advised of their progress

every day, Mr Christian.

Unless you need the time to cover

the rest of your body in pretty pictures.

Wait!

The sooner

we are seamen again the better.

Don't you agree, gentlemen?

Now perhaps you will join me in prayer.

Oh Lord, our heavenly father.

Almighty and everlasting God.

Most humbly do we thank thee

for what we're about to receive.

It won't be long now lads.

You'll all be on your way home.

You're not coming?

I fancy having a look at a few

of the other islands around here.

They'll hang you for desertion.

Only if we're caught.

You with us, John?

No. I've got a wife

and three kids back home.

There he goes.

Mr Bligh and bloody mighty.

How do you fancy the Endeavour

Straits? The Indian Ocean?

The South Atlantic?

The North Atlantic?

Nothing

but rotten biscuits and pork.

And his bloody lordship on your back

morning, noon and night.

Not me lads. Not me.

When do we go then?

Who's officer of the watch tonight?

I am.

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