H.M.S. Defiant — H.M.S. Defiant
H.M.S. Defiant is a 1962 historical adventure movie directed by Lewis Gilbert (Alfie, Educating Rita, and Moonraker). The film was also notable for being co-written by Nigel Kneale (Beasts, Quatermass and the Pit and Halloween III: Season of the Witch) alongside Edmund H North (The Day the Earth Stood Still, Patton and Sink the Bismark) and Frank Tilsley (a TV writer best known for his work on BBC Sunday Night Play, BBC Sunday Theatre and Champion Road). The film also had a pretty strong cast of actors including Sir Alec Guiness (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Bridge on the River Kwai and Kind Hearts and Coronets), Dirk Bogarde (Death in Venice, A Bridge Too Far and The Night Porter), Maurice Denham (The Day of the Jackal, Animal Farm and Countess Dracula) and Nigel Stock (The Great Escape, Young Sherlock Holmes and Cromwell).
Set at the end of the 18th century, H.M.S. Defiant follows the crew of said vessel as they take to the sea during the French Revolutionary Wars. With a crew press-ganged into service Captain Crawford (Guiness) and his First Officer, Scott-Padget (Bogarde) set sail for Corsica. Scott-Padget is a tough First Officer, who is quite brutal in his treatment of the crew, in particular the Captain’s son, midshipman Harvey Crawford (David Robinson). Scott-Padget has his eye on the command of the ship and means to replace Captain Crawford. When the ship runs into a French Frigate, a fight ensues, and the crew of the Defiant captures the ship. Crawford sends a small crew back to a British port, including his son whom he has decided should never have been allowed to sail as part of a crew at such a young age. Scott-Padget has become so unpopular with the crew at this point that they have started a petition, before long, Crawford confines Scott-Padget to his quarters for insubordination. Alas he doesn’t stay confined for long, when Crawford and the crew capture a Venetian frigate, Crawford suffers a severe wound, which eventually leads to him losing an arm, and this allows Scott-Padget to take control of the ship for himself. How can Crawford regain control of his ship? Will the crew mutiny against the unpopular Scott-Padget?
H.M.S. Defiant is an excellent example of a swashbuckling naval action film. The cast is top drawer, particularly Guiness, who is his usual impeccable self and Bogarde, who is outstanding as the rotten First Officer, Scott-Padget. On top of that, the script is good, and the film is beautifully directed by Lewis Gilbert. The film is based on real events that took place in the Mediterranean during the 1797 war with France, when thousands of British sailors mutinied for improved conditions. The film also features some fantastically well-choreographed sea battles that help to elevate it beyond many other films from the same era.
The new Blu-ray disc from Powerhouse Films features two gorgeous prints of the movie, both English and American theatrical prints that have been remastered in high definition. There are also a couple of archival interviews with Lewis Gilbert, several cast members and a making-of documentary, as well as theatrical trailers and an image gallery. It also comes with a 36-page booklet with a new essay from Sheldon Hall and some archival interviews with Dirk Bogarde and Murray Melvin. This release is limited to 3,000 copies.
Overall, this is an exceptional release for a remarkable film. H.M.S. Defiant is one of the very best films of its kind, with a remarkable cast and exceptional direction. It is such a pleasure to see it given such a wonderful release from Powerhouse Films, who, it has to be said, have been quietly going about their business of releasing high-quality releases of classic movies. If you enjoy frolics on the high seas, this one will be right up your street. Even if you’re not a big fan of this kind of stuff, it’s such a good film that there is still plenty to enjoy about it.