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Damn the Defiant!

Alec Guinness , Dirk Bogarde , Lewis Gilbert    DVD
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
Price: CDN$ 24.30 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 25. Details
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Set in 1797 at the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars, Damn the Defiant! (also known as H.M.S. Defiant) is an enthralling British naval drama made to capitalize on MGM's epic remake of Mutiny on the Bounty, also released in 1962. It's based on Frank Tilsey's novel Mutiny and stars Alex Guinness as a fair-minded captain locked in psychological conflict with his manipulative, coldly malicious first officer (Dirk Bogarde), and the parallels with the famous true story are clear. However, there were many naval mutinies during 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. --Gary S. Dalkin


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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This fictionalized story of a mutiny on HMS Defiant, commanded by a captain burdened with a vicious first lieutenant, is worth seeing if you like nautical fiction in general, or are a lover of novels by Patrick O'Brian or C.S. Forester. It is not easy watching, although there is no deliberate crudity (this is an old film for one thing).

The story begins prosaically enough with the Defiant setting off under the command of a man who has just brought his son in as a midshipman (a typical way for a son to follow his father into the navy; Nelson began by following a maternal uncle into the navy, albeit on another ship). We learn quickly enough that this voyage will not quite be what is intended. The first officer, played brilliantly by Dirk Bogarde, is a vicious but very well-connected man, who punishes harshly for the slightest offense (even an unintended one). The crew are on the point of mutiny, in what is intended to be a concerted action with the rest of the Mediterranean Fleet and the ships in British ports. A few sailors are reluctant to join the planned mutiny, but they are persuaded to join thanks to the harshness of the lieutenant and the lack of action taken by the captain. Is the captain weak? Not really. His choices are limited firstly by the system (whereby powerful enemies can ruin even a captain's career) and secondly by the fact that his son is made a pawn in a vicious game. Things take an unexpected turn, firstly when the captain gets his son off on a prize crew (a small crew commanding a captured enemy vessel, civilian or otherwise) and thus wrests back control from his first lieutenant; and secondly, when the captain is seriously injured.

The denouement comes rapidly. The crew mutinies, driven to desperation - but they must make a crucial choice when the French fleet comes out unexpectedly with fire ships (ships set aflame deliberately) and attacks the British ships still at anchor. Will the crew agree to let the captain take command back and fight off the French ships? Or will the crew choose to murder all the officers (or the most hated ones, at any rate) and take the ship where they will? Watch the film for the dramatic if slightly unrealistic conclusion. This film is particularly recommended for an unflinching portrayal of the harshness of naval discipline (with back-breaking lashes for even the slightest gesture of insubordination or resistance) and for the realistic portrayal of naval actions. The principal roles are played by Alec Guinness (the captain) and Dirk Bogarde (the first lieutenant). The film, incidentally, was directed by John Brabourne (7th Baron Brabourne), a son-in-law of Admiral The Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The DVD appears to have no special features, and the sound and picture quality is said to be only average. I wish that a special edition widescreen DVD was available with documentaries about the naval aspects of the Napoleonic wars, the British navy in the late 1700s, and finally, some information about the great naval mutinies at Spitshead and Nore.

For someone like me, who is just beginning to be fascinated by nautical fiction, this was a great film, better than even the Hornblower series and film (good as they are). If you are reading nautical fiction set in this era, this film is strongly recommended. There is no particular amazing feat of seamanship, merely a realistic depiction of hard choices made by men facing almost impossible consequences.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Sea Adventure! Top Drawer! Mar 31 2009
By Book N Movie Buff TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
This is an excellent film overall - with an exceptionally strong cast, special effects, and storyline. It does (I'm sure) show quite well what life in the Royal Navy was like in 1787-ish. A more realistic viewpoint. But the thrill of adventure on the high seas fighting Napoleon makes this a thrilling period film. The action scenes are riveting and very real! No complaints at all on special effects - you'd think you were there!
Highly enjoyable film!
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Format:DVD
This is a fine story of life aboard a British naval vessel during the Napoleonic wars. Alec Guiness stars as the enlightened and thoughtful captain, Dirk Bogarde is the cruel and hard first lieutenant (executive officer). The two are locked in a battle of wills and leadership concerning the means by which the ship will be commanded. The captain believes that a happy ship is an efficient ship, and seeks to lead by inspiration. The first lieutenant believes in merciless discipline, reinforced with his sadistic love of inflicting punishment. This conflict is complicated by the fact that the men of the British fleet are plotting the famous Spithead mutinies, and the first lieutenant has influential friends in London. This is a very interesting story of leadership and conflict.

The storyline moves along smartly most of the time, and the acting is quite good. The special effects are very good--no "bathtub ships" or battles. Guiness does his customary excellent job in his role as captain, although I personally thought he might have exerted more personal force than he did; his leadership style as portrayed in the film is somewhat understated. Bogarde is excellent as the villainous first lieutenant--you'll hate him by the end of the movie.

This is a fine movie worth watching more than once.

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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Portrayal of the British Navy
The film is an excellent portrayal of the British Navy in 1797. The scenes showing the press gangs, the hard and dangerous work, the brutal floggings for relatively trivial... Read more
Published on April 6 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars Rousing, sea tales with superior acting!!
What can you say about the powerhouse teaming of Alec Guiness and Dirk Bogarde?? Two of the greatest actors of our time. Read more
Published on July 1 2002 by Deborah MacGillivray
5.0 out of 5 stars The Wooden World
I love stories set in the wooden ship time period. This one is not a disappointment...the battle scenes and the depictment of life on a frigate are very realistic. Read more
Published on Dec 13 2001 by M. La Vean
5.0 out of 5 stars history comes to life
Sir Alec Guiness is totally convincing. Anthony Quayle's character is so believable. What a great way to learn about why the English navy ruled the oceans. Awesome photography! Read more
Published on Mar 10 2001 by Kirby Z
5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Columbia!
Damn the Defiant! -- U.K. title: H.M.S. Defiant -- is a classic story of the British Navy's widespread "mutiny" of 1797. Read more
Published on Jan 16 2001 by John Dziadecki
5.0 out of 5 stars A chilling study in leadership
Damn the Defiant is the story of a fictional ship but the underlying theme, of a mutiney in the British Fleet is all too true. Read more
Published on Jan 10 2001 by Paul Sayles
5.0 out of 5 stars In the tradition of Hornblower
Damn the Defiant is built around a true incident, the "Spithead Mutiny" of the British Channel Fleet during the war with France in 1797. Read more
Published on Nov 15 2000 by Dan Thompson
5.0 out of 5 stars Even better in the DVD version!
First I'll repeat what I wrote in my review of the VHS version of "Damn the Defiant!":

"There aren't a lot of movies about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic... Read more

Published on Oct 20 2000 by Bruce Trinque
5.0 out of 5 stars If you are a Hornblower fan, you'll like this one!
The movie presents a side of Napoleanic British Royal Navy life I have seldom seen in film. Lashings are common enough in sailing films, but the use of corporal punishment, press... Read more
Published on May 8 2000 by Alan R. Holyoak
4.0 out of 5 stars Solid historical yarn with great performances
Alec Guinness and Dirk Bogarde are superb as the good-hearted frigate captain and the malevolent first lieutenant locked in a power struggle where the captain's midshipman son is a... Read more
Published on Jan 23 2000
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