H.M.S. Defiant (1962)

So much average

Better Late Then Never

The acting in this movie is really good.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Loosely based on the Famed Mutiny on the Bounty, Damn the Defiant is a strong Napoleonic era period piece, and also an above average naval drama. But above all it is a study of two very different men and their contest of wills. Alec Guinness's Captain Crawford is a humane, fair officer who knows the value of discipline and efficiency but also understands the importance of a crew's morale and well being. His opposite in nearly every matter is first lieutenant Scott-Padget (Dirk Bogarde). Bright, ambitious, needlessly harsh and often insubordinate, Scott-Padget is a firm believer in the lash who cares only for his own advancement and is used to getting his way. A dangerous combination, and one that drives the Defiant over the edge.Both leads put on very good performances. Guinness brings Captain Crawford's empathy and resoluteness fully to life. Although he would loathe the comparison, at times he does seem rather like a certain desert hermit in his kindly, aged wisdom. And for his part Bogarde is the epitome of a jerk. With his displays of anger, pettiness, and entitlement he makes himself very easy to hate. The production values are good, with fairly authentic costumes, sets, and other period touches. The naval battles are also quite rousing impressive, with good swordplay and effects that have stood up well considering their age.The film's main shortcoming is that it never treats the mutiny with any serious depth. It's true that a great deal of time is dedicated to the conditions on the Defiant, and to the build-up of discontent that lead to the mutiny. It's also clear that the men have very real grievances, mostly relating to Lieutenant Scott-Padget. But no time is taken to dwell on whether their actions were justified in a time of war, or any soul searching by the men themselves. The ending leaves me inclined to agree with Captain Crawford's lenient position, yet it stills feels like too easy an answer. But perhaps I'm asking too much from what's intended as a fun war movie.All in all, Damn the Defiant may not equal the classic Billy Bud or some of the better adaptations of Horatio Hornblower, but with good acting and good action it's a worthwhile voyage for all ages.

Top notch, intelligent adventure drama as Captain Crawford {Guiness} clashes with sadistic first mate Scott-Padget {Bogarde} on the HMS Defiant .Based on a historical fact-the fleet wide mutiny planned by British sailors in 1797 to protest the deplorable shipboard living conditions and horrible punishment, this film is entertaining, well produced , directed , acted and shows a great deal of attention to historical accuracy. The acting is excellent with Guiness fine as the humane and sympathetic -not weak-captain who takes his twelve year old son to sea as a midshipman as was the practice in those days. He also insists that his son is given no special treatment.Bogarde is especially vile as the sadistic first mate who got where he is due to his family's powerful influence in the British navy. He will fight Crawfood tooth and nail to get things done his way.Anthony Quayle also turns in a good performance as the sailor who gets the crew to pledge to the mutiny and saves the captain's son life when he helps him come down from the mast after his punishment that was dished out to him for allegedly carving his initials on a table.. There is an exciting battle with a French warship that features plenty of swordfighting and hand to hand combat until the French surrender{they do that good, don't they?} the horrible living conditions, the floggings and punishments and rotten food is realistically depicted, and the final battle features some first rate model work, especially with the feared and dreaded fire ships. The Defiant itself is a very accurate life size replica that gives the viewer a realistic picture of what one of these ships was like and how it was handled. It contrasts the comparitive luxury of the captain's quarters to the living quarters of the common seamen. It was anything but a glamorous life and even prisoners on land had a better life in jail. In retrospect, it is amazing that the common sailor did so much for England when their own navy and commanders treated them only slightly better than animals. In my humble opinion, this is one of the best sea adventures ever filmed. It's right up there with Mutiny on the Bounty, Captain Horatio Hornblower and Master and Commander. Nothing in this movie rings false. Highly recommended for history buffs and ship lovers. In America this movie is known as Damn the Defiant. My rating is 9 and one half stars.

Alec Guiness is the kindly, but unimaginative, captain of a Royal Navy frigate (HMS Defiant)during the Napoleonic wars engaged in a battle of wills for command of the ship with his brilliant, but sadistic, 1st Lieutenant, wonderfully played by Dirk Bogarde. Their conflict is set amongst a crew endeavouring to get a petition going with a view to righting their grievances and joining in a peaceful mutiny with the rest of the fleet. The leader of the mutineers is played most sympathetically by Anthony Quayle.The acting talent ensures that the film is always entertaining to watch and the scenes of ships do not suffer from that disease that permeated films of this era where the waves/water-drops are far too big relative to the size of the ships.The film suffers from many errors and unlikely scenes, e.g. the flagship would have cut her cables and ran on seeing the fire ship heading towards her and no matter how much influence (or 'interest' as it was termed then) the 1st Lieutenant had there is absolutely no way that he could have influenced an examining board to pass the elderly midshipman for lieutenant. In those days when a midshipman faced the examining board he had to produce his sea journals and log book for scrutiny and answer a large number of lengthy and difficult questions on seamanship and navigation. The board was made up of at least three senior captains who were unknown to the midshipman under examination and all three had to agree. This was the only point in an officer's career where 'interest' did not count.Most officers were not rich and 'posh' as some posts seem to imply; most officers were the sons of sea officers or parsons etc, and were usually very poor. Most would never have received a commission in the army!! The mutinies at the Nore and Spithead were to right grievances the common sailors had (though the leadership at the Nore mutiny seemed to have a different agenda) and largely succeeded. Some of the grievances included regular and increased pay (the sailors pay had not increased in 160 years!!), shore leave and the removal of certain bad officers. However, their grievances did not include the abolition of the cat O' nine-tails or the press gang as most sailors approved of the 'cat'.The conditions of sailors and the press gang have been much exaggerated over the years, as their conditions compared very favourably with starving landsmen in England and the press could take up only certain kinds of men, and if an officer leading a press gang made a mistake then he could be taken to court and imprisoned, which did happen; consequently officers were very careful who they had pressed. It is estimated that up to 40% were pressed. Contrary to one comment, sailors always received their share of prize money (eventually sometimes!); their share was stated in regulations and if an admiral, captain or admiralty official had refused to hand it over then they would have been tried for theft.

"H.M.S. Defiant" or "Damn the Defiant!" starts by going through the usual motions of a portrayal of the Napoleonic era British Navy, a press gang conscripts men from a port town and supplies are loaded onto the H.M.S. Defiant.However, from there, an interesting rivalry between Captain Crawford, played by Alec Guinness and Lieutenant Scott-Padget, played by Dirk Bograde, develops. Both of these actors gave excellent performances and were supported well by the performances of the ship's crew. The story is supported by a number of battle sequences, which are of high quality.Although this is not the best film portrayal of the British Navy in the Napoleonic era, "H.M.S. Defiant" is solid and worth seeing for the performances of Alec Guinness and Dirk Bograde, as well as its battle sequences.