FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Adeel Hail Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

loufalce Top notch, intelligent adventure drama as Captain Crawford {Guiness} clashes with sadistic first mate Scott-Padget {Bogarde} on the HMS Defiant .Based on a historical fact-the fleet wide mutiny planned by British sailors in 1797 to protest the deplorable shipboard living conditions and horrible punishment, this film is entertaining, well produced , directed , acted and shows a great deal of attention to historical accuracy. The acting is excellent with Guiness fine as the humane and sympathetic -not weak-captain who takes his twelve year old son to sea as a midshipman as was the practice in those days. He also insists that his son is given no special treatment.Bogarde is especially vile as the sadistic first mate who got where he is due to his family's powerful influence in the British navy. He will fight Crawfood tooth and nail to get things done his way.Anthony Quayle also turns in a good performance as the sailor who gets the crew to pledge to the mutiny and saves the captain's son life when he helps him come down from the mast after his punishment that was dished out to him for allegedly carving his initials on a table.. There is an exciting battle with a French warship that features plenty of swordfighting and hand to hand combat until the French surrender{they do that good, don't they?} the horrible living conditions, the floggings and punishments and rotten food is realistically depicted, and the final battle features some first rate model work, especially with the feared and dreaded fire ships. The Defiant itself is a very accurate life size replica that gives the viewer a realistic picture of what one of these ships was like and how it was handled. It contrasts the comparitive luxury of the captain's quarters to the living quarters of the common seamen. It was anything but a glamorous life and even prisoners on land had a better life in jail. In retrospect, it is amazing that the common sailor did so much for England when their own navy and commanders treated them only slightly better than animals. In my humble opinion, this is one of the best sea adventures ever filmed. It's right up there with Mutiny on the Bounty, Captain Horatio Hornblower and Master and Commander. Nothing in this movie rings false. Highly recommended for history buffs and ship lovers. In America this movie is known as Damn the Defiant. My rating is 9 and one half stars.

Andy (film-critic) As a bookseller, there are always customers that are on the hunt for the newest (or oldest) nautical adventures. In a world dominated by Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower, it is easy to forget the others that forge the same path. Luckily, there is a little film out there entitled "H.M.S. Defiant" (or "Damn the Defiant" for those non-Brits out there) which dismally explores the world of pre-union sea faring days. With horrid living standards, spoiled food, and tensions leading to rebellious shipmates, "H.M.S. Defiant" is not only a film that de-sugars the myth of living on a naval ship, but also keeps the audience in such close quarters that the claustrophobia oozes right from the screen into your living room. It is a powerful film that takes you below deck and plants you deep within the world, giving you the details of a mutiny, the engaging warfare that takes place, and the destructive nature of both a good captain and a violent one. This isn't a film for everyone, the underdeveloped pre-story forces you to try to understand why these men were being rounded up and why this mutiny would need to happen - but it doesn't take long. Outside of Alec Guinness and Dirk Bogarde (who both are fabulous respectively), the rest of our cast is rather thin and at times, too cliché. Yet, "H.M.S. Defiant" stands proud, it isn't the most remarkable sea-faring film out there - but it keeps pace well, giving us a equal helping of action and emotion.To this viewer, "H.M.S. Defiant" worked because of Guinness and Bogarde's repertoire towards each other as well as to the other crew. The counter nature of both of these men, one the reliant, steadfast, determined iconic Captain, the other a violent-ridden, order defiant, angry Lieutenant keeps you glued to the screen, pending whatever their next move may be. Director Lewis Gilbert realizes the power of these actors and chooses to use everything on the ship as his cache of weapons between them; from Guinness' child, to French ships, to the constant unknown threat of a mutiny, nothing is spared as either Guinness or Bogarde debate nautical semantics. Every action pushes these two characters apart, from disagreeing on destination to how to discipline the crew. Which further demonstrates Gilbert's ability behind the camera, not only do you have these two strong actors creating their own tension above and below the ship, but then he builds sympathy for the crew. He does this by providing us with little information, by making us impartial to the actions - but away of the consequences. Take for example that first scene where the shipmate holds his fists up to the Lieutenant, an action that would typically require six-dozen lashes. In that one scene alone, we are witness to the evil of Bogarde, the strong yet sympathetic Guinness, and the mere chaos of the crew. Within this scene, the taste of this ship is experienced, and yet we are only slightly prepared for what is going to occur in the upcoming scenes.While I applaud Gilbert's use of all of these elements to give us a stronger, more human element to this craft - the "H.M.S. Defiant" isn't a perfect film. There are trouble spots. One happens to be the lack of development between these smaller shipmate characters. Yes, the Bogarde's violence does allow us to build sympathy towards them - but that is all. The random aside about the doctor being a drunk is evidence that not much thought went into creating whole characters. The anger towards Bogarde by a singular shipmate, blinded by anything else, was not only thick foreshadowing (who didn't see that coming), but again, was this man's only characteristic. The faux-gentleman lawyer, who suddenly had a plethora of knowledge about the law, was another stunning example. Characters, instead of given names, were handed abilities to carry the story. It was as if Gilbert was determined to have Guinness and Bogarde as our only defined characters, yet still have emotion behind this inevitable mutiny. There was no need to pull the story into more than two hours, but definitions were needed to solidify the "Defiant". Also, while the battle scenes were intense, the editing of each battle was sloppy. During the battles, one couldn't help but rewind to see who was where and fighting whom. Was Gilbert testing the nature of chaos battles on the sea, or just haphazard with his direction. Gilbert could manage some moments admirably, others - seemed to falter to the wayside.Overall, I enjoyed the experience of "H.M.S. Defiant" though I doubt I would watch again. If I had anyone ask me what film (outside of "Star Wars") they could watch Guinness perform, I would say either "Great Expectations" or this. He, coupled with Bogarde was intensely satisfying. While I hated the missed opportunity to develop the minor characters, these two primed actors carried this film. The action was strong, the emotion was high, and those darn whippings were tough - but it just wasn't enough to make this anything but a standard film. I liked what I saw, but I don't think I could enjoy it again.Grade: *** out of *****

trpdean I see that mine is the fourth review within a month of this 1962 movie it's as if the film were just released! This is absolutely first rate gripping drama - wonderfully acted by three of England's best, with beautiful production values and a fascinating and varied tale. It is really three tales in one: of naval warfare during the Napoleonic Wars (three wonderfully created battles), of mutiny, and of the conflict between a captain and his first lieutenant. The folding of these three stories is really superbly done - and the characterization is superb - we feel very strongly that we know these very interesting people - and the acting by the three stars: Alec Guinness, Dirk Bogarde and Anthony Quayle is excellent. I take issue with one comment by a poster who wrote that Guinnesss plays a weak character - I don't agree though we are shown the strategic and tactical genius of his first lieutenant with whom he is in conflict. This is British film-making at its best. At least as fine as Master and Commander. I can't imagine anyone who would dislike it - anyone.

bkoganbing I remember seeing H.M.S. Defiant in the theater when it came out back in 1962. It's too bad my VHS copy is formatted. One really needs the wide screen to appreciate the vast sweep of this wonderful sea adventure.The Defiant sets sail from the naval harbor at Spithead just before the ships of the Channel Fleet are ready to start an organized mutiny. So with no contact between them and the ships at Spithead or in the Mediterranean, the men of the Defiant have to work out their own course of action. That action is the basis for what happens.They've got an unwitting ally in the ship's executive officer, Scott- Padget played by Dirk Bogarde. A future Drake or Hawkins with influence and a taste for sadism. He looks to usurp the authority of Captain Crawford who is played by Alec Guinness. The conflict between them plays into the hands of the mutineers.In that other famous story of the sea, Mutiny on the Bounty, Fletcher Christian points out to Captain Bligh that the men drafted into the Royal Navy from the press gangs aren't king and country volunteers. Neither are these people in the foc'sle of the Defiant.Bogarde plays against type and does it well. He's usually not a villain in film although he had essayed villainous roles before in his career. But Guinness is a wonder. His Captain Crawford, calm, detached, and inspiring in his own way in his patriotism was a role Alec Guinness could be proud of. Totally different than the characters he played in those Ealing studio comedies. This falls more in line with Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai or Colonel Sinclair in Tunes of Glory without the bad character features the other two had. Great Britain eventually stopped using press gangs, but at the time it was the way the Royal Navy got a crew together. In fact later on during the Napoleonic Wars, the British took to stopping American ships and impressing members of those crews in the Royal Navy. It was one of the causes of the War of 1812.Two other performances in H.M.S. Defiant are worthy of note. Anthony Quayle as the mutiny leader on the Defiant and Tom Bell one of the mutineers whose rashness nearly blows it all for the seamen and their cause.Hovering over all of this is the French and to me the highlight of the film is Alec Guinness reminding the men of their duty to prevent a French invasion of their island home. It's a superb piece of drama.A little Mutiny on the Bounty, a little Horatio Hornblower go into the plot of H.M.S. Defiant. It's a good mix with a superb group of players serving it up for the audience.