A really outstanding adaptation of this story of the tyrannical behaviour of the Royal Navy Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton) who was tasked with sailing round the world to procure breadfruit trees as cheap fodder for slaves in the Caribbean and in so doing brutalises his ill fed and thirsty crew to the point of mutiny lead by Lieutenant Christian (a very dashing Clark Gable). I found Franchot Tone a rather good looking but wooden "Byam" and Gable's accent is probably best to be glossed over but the production standards, and excellent maritime photography are proof positive of what could be done without computer animation. There is a rousing score from Herbert Stothard and a great supporting cast of professionals - especially Ian Wolfe's efforts as the odious ship's clerk "Maggs" and Herbert Mundin's rather hapless "Smith" - giving this story added depth, a soupçon of humour and lots of style as they battle the hostilities of the sea and the inhumanities of a brute. It's history, so not too much room for jeopardy with the narrative, but Laughton proves to be entirely convincing as a man never to be crossed.
