ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

chaswe-28402 A complex, deeply multi-layered and allusive story about death, which does not give up its meanings easily. Melvillian. Also extremely painful. Several characters die. Claggart reminds me of people I have known, of inexplicable self-hating personality. What does he really want ? Although he constantly lies, in some sense he is consistently true to himself, and his Satanic needs. It's been noticed that Billy's innocence makes him a Christ-like figure. Captain Vere's name suggests a form of truth, but it also means to "veer": in other words to change direction, to depart from the straight and narrow. The Rights of Man are painfully ironic, when reflecting on the slaves and native Americans, as well as the articles of war. Johnson pointed that out. Very well acted and directed. Not necessary to say who by. Hope this hasn't spoiled anything. Budd wasn't on an American merchantman when pressed.

GManfred Superb sea drama with some of the best acting performances ever put on film. The enactment of Melville's melancholy novel is pitch perfect and represents Hollywood at its dazzling best. It takes place entirely at sea, with no footage on land, and you can almost smell the salt and feel the humid air.The Napoleonic Wars between France and England is the setting, with the attendant conflict between the military establishment and civilian conscripts aboard warships in the Atlantic. Onboard one of these a ruthless Sergeant-at-Arms bullies and buffaloes the crew with relentless regularity, until the inevitable happens. But the circumstances are so unusual and unprecedented, and the accused so unlikely that it causes indecision and moral confusion for the authorities involved."Billy Budd" is an artistic triumph for Peter Ustinov who directed, produced and is one of its stars. He meets his match in Robert Ryan as the cruel Sgt. Claggart, which won him an AA Nom. The extraordinary quality of acting expertise reaches down to the smallest part, and is matched by very few motion pictures; "A Man For All Seasons"(1967) comes to mind. A major achievement despite odd subject matter.

AJ Averett "When is justice compatible with speed?"Asked of the Captain in the aftermath of Claggart's death, this is one of the transcendent questions of the story - and one of any legal system.From the compact novel of the same name by Herman Melville, this adaptation by co-star Peter Ustinov - who also directed - is a marvel.Production value is excellent throughout, in particular, cinematography and set direction.The performances are completely idiomatic and uniformly superb. Special mention go to Terence Stamp, of course, as Billy Budd, who emotes genuine innocence and perfect trust - and Robert Ryan, who is thoroughly despicable as the sadistic Claggart, the lone vestige of humanity that flickers once through his tortured soul brilliantly executed. Melvyn Douglas wears the tragedy and weariness of the world on his face with a tear-stained countenance, and speaks it movingly with eloquence."We do not deal with justice, but with law," says the Captain, and Billy's fate is sealed. After the sentence is carried out, he laments in anguish, "I am not fit to do the work of God... or the Devil." But, then, who amongst us is?

bkoganbing This adaption of Herman Melville's unpublished novella served to introduce Terrence Stamp to the movie-going public in his breakout part in the title role. It's one of the great portrayals of innocence in a cruel world on the big screen. And it's also one of the great portrayals of unsatisfied homosexual desire in the person of Billy Budd's great adversary, Master-At-Arms John Claggett as played by Robert Ryan.Melville as a New Englander knew full well about English impressment of seaman. And in 1797 after the mutinies in the fleet at Spithead they were needing sailors worse than ever. The Royal Navy had no compunction about taking seaman from their own civilian merchant ships as well as American ones. A press gang comes aboard the merchant ship and takes young Billy Budd of striking looks and undetermined origin for service in His Majesty's Navy.On board the British warship, Stamp's happy go lucky attitude makes friends among the crew, but arouses the enmity of Ryan who just has it in for him from day one. He's a cruel and sadistic sort in any event, but Stamp arouses something special in him and the word arouse can have several meanings in this context.I don't want to give too much away, but if one is familiar with Herman Melville's slightly better known work of Moby Dick you will find certain parallels. The great white whale that everyone is conscious of is the French enemy and their fleet. When they attack the problems of the ship and its discipline seem petty indeed.Between the two poles of good (Stamp) and evil (Ryan) is the captain Peter Ustinov and the rest of the crew. From Ustinov on down they watch the drama played out between Stamp and Ryan, knowing who was in the right, but also knowing what the rules, in this case the Articles of War call for.Terrence Stamp in his second film and in the title role got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, the only nomination the film received. He lost to Ed Begley for Sweet Bird Of Youth. But his performance wouldn't be possible without the excellent and unrecognized one of Robert Ryan. The two play off each other so well.The story of Billy Budd lay undiscovered after Melville's death in 1891 until 1924. It's been made both a play and an opera, but this film version is a most satisfying piece of cinema.