Mutiny on the Bounty (1935): Shira's Take

Okay, I feel like a typical stupid American movie viewer when I say this, but it took an hour and a half to get to the effing mutiny. The movie should be called "(Really Hard-to-Watch Flogging Scenes Resulting Eventually in a) Mutiny on the Bounty". Basically, I'm inclined to like movies with people as charming as Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) and as villainous as Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton). The only problem is the part of this movie that showed Bligh for the sadistic creep he was lasted so so long and was truly painful. Now, I know we needed to understand why a good guy like Christian would want to take over the ship, but I think about a half an hour in we understood. I loved Franchot Tone as Roger Byam, the future admiral with conflicting feelings of loyalty to the crown and camaraderie to Christian. I'm really glad I watched this movie, because now I appreciate Frank Lloyd for the visionary director I think he truly was, instead of the oh-so-sad director of Cavalcade (a.k.a. worst movie ever). Basically, I think it was a very good movie, if a little drawn out and depressing. Notes to myself: Clark Gable became a sexy pirate at the end! Ellison (Eddie Quillan) looks just like River Phoenix. Charles Laughton is totally a charicature of himself. Herbert Mundin played a small role in this movie, and I recognized him from Cavalcade. It was very exciting, and I'm sure I will be recognizing more and more actors from previous best picture winners. 7/10