The flick is set in the end Century XVIII upon English-French war , in Napoleon time , 1797 . Actor and director Peter Ustinov has directed a few films , this is the best . The movie centers about a Young named Billy (Terence Stamp's film debut) who's obligatorily enlisted in a war ship . Billy Budd is a crew member of the British merchant ship the Rights of Man sailing off the coast of Spain , when the ship is briefly commandeered by the British Naval Ship , the HMS Avenger . There Billy will have to take on a nasty deputy (Robert Ryan) with tragical results .
Terence Stamp's interpretation as an innocent , naive , thoughtful and sensitive young is extraordinary . Robert Ryan plays correctly to the villain and ominous man . The support cast is featured by famous secondary actors : John Neville (Baron Munchausen) , David McCallum (UNCLE Agency series ) , Ray McNally (The mission) and Neall MacGinnis (Jason and the Argonauts). The film is based on a Herman Melville's novel (author of the prestigious novel Moby Dick) . Herman Melville had been writing poetry for 30 years when he returned to fiction with "Billy Budd" in late 1888. Still unterminated when Melville died in 1891, it was forgotten and it was finally edited in 1924 . An independent producer acquired the screen rights in 1956 and assigned the adaptation to DeWitt Bodeen and subsequently sold to producer/director Robert Rossen, the latter worked with Bodeen on a second script though uncredited . By the time it reached the screen in 1962 , it had been sold to Peter Ustinov , who wrote the definitive storyline but gave Bodenn a co-writer credit ; after writing the magnificent screenplay Ustinov directed this above average film .
The movie runtime is overlong and results to be a little bit boring , because happening little adventures ; however , being very interesting and thought-provoking . Cinematography by Robert Krasker (superproductions' photographer of the 60s) is riveting . Anthony Hopkins' musical score is fascinating . Acting as ship commander and direction by recently deceased Peter Ustinov are excellent . Rating: 7.5/10 . It's a thoughtful and riveting movie . Well worth watching . Better than average.
Terence Stamp's interpretation as an innocent , naive , thoughtful and sensitive young is extraordinary . Robert Ryan plays correctly to the villain and ominous man . The support cast is featured by famous secondary actors : John Neville (Baron Munchausen) , David McCallum (UNCLE Agency series ) , Ray McNally (The mission) and Neall MacGinnis (Jason and the Argonauts). The film is based on a Herman Melville's novel (author of the prestigious novel Moby Dick) . Herman Melville had been writing poetry for 30 years when he returned to fiction with "Billy Budd" in late 1888. Still unterminated when Melville died in 1891, it was forgotten and it was finally edited in 1924 . An independent producer acquired the screen rights in 1956 and assigned the adaptation to DeWitt Bodeen and subsequently sold to producer/director Robert Rossen, the latter worked with Bodeen on a second script though uncredited . By the time it reached the screen in 1962 , it had been sold to Peter Ustinov , who wrote the definitive storyline but gave Bodenn a co-writer credit ; after writing the magnificent screenplay Ustinov directed this above average film .
The movie runtime is overlong and results to be a little bit boring , because happening little adventures ; however , being very interesting and thought-provoking . Cinematography by Robert Krasker (superproductions' photographer of the 60s) is riveting . Anthony Hopkins' musical score is fascinating . Acting as ship commander and direction by recently deceased Peter Ustinov are excellent . Rating: 7.5/10 . It's a thoughtful and riveting movie . Well worth watching . Better than average.