AniInterview
Sorry, this movie sucks
jjnxn-1
Where to begin with this bottom of the barrel adventure? Dmytryk was always an inconsistent director able to produce fine films like "The Caine Mutiny" and "Broken Lance" as well as high gloss trash such as "Walk on the Wild Side" and "Where Love Has Gone" and slug like this. Strictly paying the rent actors give lackluster performances. Angela looks great and gives the film's best performance but why oh why is she wearing a 1950's evening dress on a warship in 1812? Painfully obvious that this was filmed on the cheap in a studio tank with low lighting to cover the sets shortcomings. A shame since there are not a lot a films about this time period so a wasted opportunity like this is doubly disappointing.
bill-790
"Mutiny" is surely one of the weakest films of 1952. Yes, it's in color (though the color photography isn't so hot) and, yes, the cast includes some solid actors. On the other hand production values are minimal and the screenplay is worse than routine. The results are decidedly below par.What can we say about the director? Edward Dmytryk had directed several excellent films before he tackled this one. I should mention, among others, "Murder, My Sweet," "Cornered," and "Crossfire." After "Mutiny," he went on to direct "The Caine Mutiny," "Soldier of Fortune," and "The Left Hand of God." So how did Dmytryk get roped into doing this one? Someone more familiar with the man's career will have to explain that one. Suffice it to say that "Mutiny" places pretty far down the list of this fine director's works. Its short length is in its favor, but that's a rather weak virtue. (Even though it is a short movie, one wishes it were even shorter.) All in all, this is not a good movie. Unless you have absolutely nothing better to do, I strongly recommend that you skip this one.
classicsoncall
Not a bad little actioner here for a movie that doesn't go feature length. It doesn't start out as a pirate adventure but turns into one when Hook (Gene Evans) and Redlegs (Rhys Williams) learn of plans to smuggle ten million dollars worth of gold back to the States during the War of 1812. Captain James Marshall (Mark Stevens) is commissioned to run a British blockade and head off to France to pick up the privately funded stash, and takes along disgraced former seaman Ben Waldridge (Patric Knowles). The film really gets going when Waldridge stows his paramour Leslie (Angela Lansbury) aboard the Concord, setting up a tension that sails on for the rest of the story.The surprise of the film for me was Lansbury, never realizing she was as pretty as she appears here. That's balanced by how totally despicable her character is, a gold digger who'll use Waldridge and anyone else in her path to live a life of luxury. Her 'ten million or nothing' ultimatum to rogue Waldridge hints at a suitable demise for her character when it's time, and this viewer found himself counting the minutes. But not before she attempts to write a little murder of her own into the script.The film's finale makes use of an early hand crank wooden submarine that's almost comical in it's concept except for the fact that it works. It provides the dubious opportunity for Captain Waldridge, in a redemptive moment, to go down with the ship.I picked up this film as part of a ten movie/three DVD compilation simply called "Pirates" from St. Clair Vision. The print of the film I viewed addresses the concerns of two other reviewers for the movie on this site. It appeared to be a pretty good print without the scratchy quality attributed to it, while also appearing in it's original Technicolor format. For a lazy rainy morning, it was just the ticket.
StarClem12
All you 3 out of 10s are not looking at the 'big picture' here - the historical background added interest; the presence of a woman on board and a strong one at that; 'mateship' overriding one of the mens' love for that woman, and causing one to go to the assistance of the other and the good acting made this worthwhile for me. I did enjoy Angela Lansbury as the scheming grasping female lead! I could overlook the absence of full sized ships, however I was disappointed it was not in colour. We are so spoilt nowadays. There was a time when all movies were black and white only and when colourised movies were released everyone said people wouldn't like them, audiences would get ill watching them - how wrong they were. I'm surprised a film made in 1952 was B & W - there must have been a tight budget.
