Other Titles • H.M.S. Defiant • Damn the Defiant! (1962) • Rebellion (1962)
Synopses for H.M.S. Defiant (1962)
1.
In the historical suspense thriller, DAMN THE DEFIANT!, Alec Guiness stars as Crawford, the captain of the H.M.S. Defiant. The ship embarks on a voyage to battle invading French pirates, but megalomaniac Lt. Scott-Padget (Dirk Bogarde) has other plans. The violent Scott-Padget goes head to head with Crawford on disciplinary issues, and when Crawford is injured during a battle with the French, Scott-Padget ruthlessly takes command. It’s up to seaman Vizard (Anthony Quayle) to steer up a mutiny and liberate the Defiant from the egotistical Scott-Padget.
Based on the novel, MUTINY, by Frank Tilsley, DAMN THE DEFIANT! is an accurate recreation of 18th-century nautical warfare. Director Lewis Gilbert spares no expense on details--the elaborate sets and lavish costumes are of the utmost believability, making the film essential viewing for any history lover.
2.
They were shipmates at war...with each other.
Alec Guinness must battle a mutinous crew and Napoleon's fleet in the rousing, historical adventure Damn The Defiant! As commander of the British warship H.M.S. Defiant, the humane Crawford (Guinness) strives to maintain order throughout the ship against the ceaseless brutality of sadistic first mate Scott-Padget (Dirk Bogarde).
After Crawford is injured in a fiery battle with a French treasure ship, angry seamen Vizard (Anthony Quayle) leads the crew to mutiny when Scott-Padget takes over. Now with Vizard in command, Crawford persuades him to join the British fleet to help fight against France's planned invasion of England in hopes for a mutiny pardon. But when a vengeful sailor murders Scott-Padget, the Defiant crew must decide between saving their country or their own lives.
3.
Set in 1797 at the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars, HMS Defiant is an enthralling British naval drama made to capitalise upon MGM's epic remake of Mutiny on the Bounty, also released in 1962. Based on the novel Mutiny by Frank Tilsey and starring Alex Guinness as a fair-minded captain locked in psychological conflict with Dirk Bogarde, his manipulative, coldly malicious first officer, the parallels with the famous true story are clear. However there were many naval mutinies at this period and this large-scale saga, which includes some spectacularly staged widescreen naval battles, offers a realistic depiction of life in the British navy at the time--from the press gangs and floggings, to the appalling food and living conditions.
Director Lewis Gilbert--who previously helmed Sink the Bismarck! (1960)--strikes a good balance between the personal drama and sweeping maritime adventure. Guinness successfully varies his firm-but-fair officer from The Bridge on the River Kwai, Bogarde is chillingly hateful and Anthony Quayle gives strong support. ITV's recent Hornblower cumulatively offers a more detailed portrait of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars, though the TV series cannot match the visual scale of this big-screen production.
On the DVD:HMS Defiant is presented anamorphically enhanced at 2.35:1, though a little of the original CinemaScope frame is still cropped at the sides. The image is generally very good, though a handful of scenes near the end show considerable print damage and there is an inconstancy of colour grading between some shots. Grain is variable, but not generally a problem, though some unattractive "ringing" from edge enhancement is noticeable, particularly around Alex Guinness when he stands against a bright sky. The sound is in very clear mono with just occasional distortion on the music score. The disc offers the option of watching with dubbed French, German, Italian or Spanish soundtracks. The original trailer is included--under the American title of Damn the Defiant!--as are trailers for three other classic war films. The only other extra features are a small gallery of original publicity materials and three very basic filmographies. --Gary S Dalkin
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