Billy Budd, based on the Herman Melville novel of the same name, is a 1962 period drama starring the sensational Robert Ryan. Peter Ustinov, who also directed the film, stars along with Ryan, while the title role introduced newcomer Terence Stamp (in an Oscar-nominated best supporting actor performance).
While on a wartime cruise in 1797, The Avenger, a ship of the British Royal Navy, stops The Rights of Man, a merchant ship bound for the West Indies. Needing to impress one of that ship's men into naval service, the officers board The Rights of Man and come away with Billy Budd, a young man between 17 and 19 years of age. A simple boy, Billy cannot read or write, and when he gets nervous, he finds himself stammering, totally unable to speak.
The Master at Arms on The Avenger is John Claggart (Robert Ryan), a man as evil as the day is long. A cruel and sadistic man, he rules over the crew with viciousness and brutality, finding pleasure in having the men flogged, often for infractions of which they're not even aware. All the men despise Claggart, a scenario in which he delights.
Billy Budd, on the other hand, is kind, friendly, and good. When all the men complain about the master at arms, Billy tells them he is sure that since no man can take pleasure in cruelty, that there must be a reason when someone is flogged or put on report. Even after Claggart forces a sick man to stand watch, Billy believes he must have had a reason for doing so.
Billy even tries to befriend Claggart while topside one evening, an act which causes the man's hatred towards Billy to increase. And when Billy refuses to take part in an assassination attempt on the master at arms, his fate is sealed. The evil in Claggart is so infuriated by the good in Billy that he will stop at nothing to destroy the boy.
Billy Budd is amazingly acted. The always-sensational Robert Ryan positively oozes evil in this film. While Ryan often portrayed "bad guys" and did a fantastic job doing so, I find this role to be perhaps his most wicked. His portrayal of the evil, malevolent Claggart was positively brilliant. As I've said many times, I do think Robert Ryan was one of the best actors ever and definitely one of the most under-rated. The Billy Budd character is kind, forgiving, caring, honest, trustworthy---the kind of person we wish there were more of in this world. Terence Stamp did a beautiful job as Billy. Peter Ustinov, who produced, directed, and starred in this film, is quite good in his role as the ship's captain...a man torn between justice and mercy. This is a very thought-provoking movie---is black always black and white always white? Or are there gray areas? Definitely, a good discussion piece. But absolutely NOT a feel-good movie.
The film is out on DVD so it should be quite easy to track down. Happy viewing!!!