| Billy Budd | 
 enlarge | List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $9.97
You Save: $10.01 (50%)
Buy New/Used from $7.88
Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 50 reviews)
Sales Rank: 17180
Category: DVD
Actors: Melvyn Douglas, Thomas Heathcote, Barry Keegan, Ronald Lewis, Cyril Luckham
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Studio: Warner Home Video
Brand: Warner Brothers
Label: Warner Home Video
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dvd, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 123 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: WARD110801D
UPC: 085391108016
EAN: 0085391108016
ASIN: B000KJU182
Release Date: March 6, 2007
Theatrical Release Date: November 12, 1962
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Fumbled at the One Yard Line November 29, 2007
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
This film was on the way to being one of the best adaptations of literary fiction of all time when it threw it all away in the last 3 of 120 minutes. Please believe everything positive people say about this film and more. There will simply never be a better cast assembled to film this Melville novella, and the handling and treatment are visionary and extraordinary....
...except the last 3 minutes -- so far afield of Melville's subtlety and lesson as to be incomprehensible. Melville's story was somewhat enhanced for dramatic purposes up to this point, but all the choices were sound. And then it was undone.
I am witholding saying more as not to give it away, just as a warning -- especially to those who know and love Melville. His ending could have been very simply done, and the meanings inherent here would have blossomed to cosmic proportion. As they do in Melville's final pages. This ends up something much more limited. But you still have perhaps the greatest performances of all the actors involved, in any movie I have ever seen any of them in. For the wreck of this movie does not touch what they do, nor in any way involve them (2 of the 3 major players are already offstage by then, and the 3rd does not get new lines, but is deprived of Melville's final lines for him, and proper context).
Not wanting to be a spoiler, and never more unhappy to have to write a mixed review....
 Seafaring saga October 10, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
The immensely talented Peter Ustinov displays his versatility not only producing, directing and acting in the notable film "Billy Budd" but also wrote the screenplay based on the Herman Melville short story.
The setting is primarily aboard the H.M.S. Avenger in 1797 during one of the many wars between England and France. Young Billy Budd played by a youthful Terence Stamp is impressed into the British Navy from an English merchant ship. The pleasant easy going Budd immediately gains favor with the crew and the Avenger's captain the moral and dutiful Captain Vere played by Ustinov. Despite his positive nature Budd runs afoul of cruel and sadistic Master of Arms, the blackhearted John Claggart, played superbly by star of the film Robert Ryan. Veteran actor Melvyn Douglas playing voice of reason sailmaker Dansker represents the conscience of the crew as they respond to the power play aboard the ship.
The film expertly emphasizes the clash between good and evil as Ryan and Stamp interract with Billy Budd innocently trying to win over Claggart. The climax is reached as Ryan accuses Stamp of mutiny before the captain. Stamp unable to defend himself due to a stammering problem lashes out and kills Ryan with a blow to the head.
Ustinov now must uneviably decide the fate of the popular but unfortunate Budd as he is shackled by the military law he has sworn to abide by.
 Billy Budd July 20, 2007
This is a classic film about a classic book. The cast is just right, even the odd choice of Robert Ryan as the Master at Arms, and after almost wearing out the tape of my VHS version I was delighted that it is now available on DVD. Peter Ustinov is the driving force behind this production and it is clear that this is a labor of love. Highly recommended
The Classics July 6, 2007
If you want to watch an old time movie with a strong plot, great acting and something to take away from it, Buy Billy Budd.
A lot of you are probably to young to know this movie, but give it a try. You will be smarter if you do and learn what it take's in life to get through the pains of living.
Wooden ships and iron men June 27, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The British navy is not this way any more, thank heaven, and unfortunately, they rarely make movies like this any more. Excellent performances rom a talented cast.
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