Damn the Defiant!
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Movie Reviews of Damn the Defiant!
Movie Review: Thank you Columbia!
Summary: 5 Stars
Damn the Defiant! -- U.K. title: H.M.S. Defiant -- is a classic story of the British Navy's widespread "mutiny" of 1797. The film centers on board the HMS Defiant and the conflict between its Captain and First Officer and of the British Navy's sailors harsh conditions which give rise to rebellion.Alec Guisness, Dirk Bogarde, and Anthony Quayle are excellent in their roles. Director Lewis Gilbert does an admirable job of moving the story, characters and action along.
Any of you who love the Hornblower stories will feel right at home here. Columbia is to be congratulated for giving us a 2.35:1 widescreen anamorphic-enhanced DVD of this great character-driven film. The flip side is p&s but why bother? This film needs to be seen in its original format. Sound is a clear mono. Extras are spartan but interesting.
Now if only Warner Brothers would give us the 1951 swashbuckling classic "Captain Hornblower" with a superb Gregory Peck in the title role!
Movie Review: Two kinds of battles
Summary: 5 Stars
The French aren't the only enemy in this awesome epic. Shipboard tensions threaten to explode into mutiny when a tyrannical lieutenant (Dirk Bogarde) takes over for the injured captain (Alec Guinness). Will the crew turn rogue, or will they set aside their inner fights when Napoleon's fleet threatens?
It's old, no computer special effects, but very nicely done. Makes you remember when a movie had to, well, sink or swim on good screenwriting and acting instead of flashy visuals. Guinness is, as always, a master of his trade.
If you are a fan of Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World (Widescreen Edition) or the equally entertaining Horatio Hornblower Boxed Set or the book versions, you owe it to yourself to give this video a look.
Movie Review: Moving and interesting
Summary: 5 Stars
The anguishing position of being the captain's son in an English ship during the Napoleonic wars is certainly no mean thing. Especially if your foe happens to be the ship's second in command,an envious and evil minded officer, marvelously played by Dirk Bogarde.
The film is certainly a first rate period classic of its kind. The life aboard an English Warship of the early Nineteenth Century is masterfully portrayed, and the drama lived on board is extremely disquieting to the viewer.
Alec Guiness, (the ship's captain) plays a good quiet and fair gentleman, knowledgeable of his trade and in anguish at not being able to protect his son from his devious second in command, untill he devises a plan..
A very interesting an moving experience.
Movie Review: One of the Best under-sail adventure movies ever made!
Summary: 5 Stars
An excellent cast, an excellent story, the filming is breathtaking, and the adventure is riveting! This has to be one of the best, if not the best film of it's kind. Quite a few of these sailing ship/Napoleonic war movies were made in the early 1960's (Billy Budd, Mutiny on the Bounty for two), and this one. All had the common theme as I recall of the "freedom of man". Where did that thinking disappear to? Now it's the 'subservience to corporations". This movie rates as one of the two best - the other being Mutiny on the Bounty (Brando). They are different though - one at peace, this one at war. But the acting, storyline, cinematography and sheer adventure make this one a true favourite.Movie Review: Rousing, sea tales with superior acting!!
Summary: 5 Stars
What can you say about the powerhouse teaming of Alec Guiness and Dirk Bogarde?? Two of the greatest actors of our time. The dynamics of Guiness' Captain, controlled by a malicious Scott Pagent the first mate, played with a wicked gleam by Bogarde, is something to watch!!! There is excellent supporting work, and super battle scenes, but it is the power struggle between Guiness and Bogarde that is the sole and centre of this film.DVD only enhances that and made me feel like I was seeing this for the first time!!
Wonderful historical drama, wonderful character struggle.......
A definite must for fans of Guiness, the gorgeous Bogarde or historical dramas.