Monday, May 15, 2017

MOVIE DIALOG OF THE DAY ― BILLY BUDD (1962)

Connection with the previous post (EL CID): ROBERT KRASKER was the DOP on both films. 

RATINGS: IMDB ―7.9/10, Rotten Tomatoes ― 100%, ME ― 85%



Master At Arms Claggert: Tell me in all ignorance do you dare understand me, then?
Billy Budd: I think so, sir.
Master At Arms Claggert: Why did Jenkins die?
Billy Budd: You did not wish his death.
Master At Arms Claggert: No, I did not.
Billy Budd: You didn't even hate him. I think that sometimes you hate yourself. I was thinking, sir, the nights are lonely. Perhaps I could talk with you between watches when you've nothing else to do.
Master At Arms Claggert: Lonely. What do you know of loneliness?
Billy Budd: Them's alone that want to be.
Master At Arms Claggert: Nights are long. Conversation helps pass the time.
Billy Budd: Can I talk to you again, then? It would mean a lot to me.
Master At Arms Claggert: Perhaps to me, too.
[His expression suddenly sours.]
Master At Arms Claggert: Oh, no. You would charm me too, huh? Get away.
Billy Budd: Sir?
Master At Arms Claggert: Get away!

Rpbert Ryan as Master-at-Arms John Claggart and Terence Stamp as Billy Budd



Trivia (From IMDB):

Herman Melville had been writing poetry for 30 years when he returned to fiction with "Billy Budd" in late 1888. Still unfinished when he died in 1891, it was forgotten. Melville's biographer accidentally stumbled upon it when going through a trunk of the writer's papers in his granddaughter's New Jersey home in 1919. Melville's widow worked to help complete it, and it was finally published in 1924. Over the years other unsatisfactory versions were published, but it wasn't until Melville's original notes were found that the definitive version was ultimately published in 1962. Ironically Peter Ustinov's film version was released the same year.

Favorite film of actor Jeff Bridges.

Independent producer Frank Gilbert acquired the screen rights in 1956 and assigned the adaptation to DeWitt Bodeen. The rights were later sold to independent producer/director Robert Rossen, who worked with Bodeen on a second screenplay. By the time it reached the screen in 1962, it had been sold to Peter Ustinov, who wrote the final shooting script but gave Bodenn a co-writer credit.

When the film opened in Britain in November, 1962, there was no mention of DeWitt Bodeen in the screenplay credits or the film's advertising; the screenplay was credited to Peter Ustinov and Robert Rossen. However, whenever the film has been shown on British television (it has been televised on only a handful of occasions in the UK), the credits have instead named Bodeen as Ustinov's only collaborator and made no mention of Rossen.

Terence Stamp's film debut.

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