Herman Melville's greatest novel was MOBY DICK, but when it was published in 1851 it was a flop with the public. They expected sea stories like TYPEE, OMOO, REDBURN, or WHITE JACKET from Melville, but while MOBY DICK was about a whale ship pursuing a white whale, there were psychological and mystical symbols in the story that simply confused the public. Melville had done this before in a novel named MARDI (also a flop). He never regained his pre-1851 audience. Ironically this was the period when he wrote some of his greatest work: PIERRE, OR, THE AMBIGUITIES; THE CONFIDENCE MAN: HIS MASQUERADE; THE PIAZZA TALES. After THE CONFIDENCE MAN he did not write again for many years. He did turn out poetry (pretty good poems too) but then his next major work was a huge book length poem CLAREL, about modern pilgrims in the Holy Land. It too was not a success. All this time Melville supported himself and his family with a job as a customs house inspector. He was pretty obscure when he died in 1891. Few noted the literary figure of half a century before in the obituary columns.
Then, in 1924, in the midst of a serious reappraisal of Melville's work (which established him as one of the U.S. greatest writers), the story BILLY BUDD: FORETOPSMAN was finally published. Written in 1889 it was his last great work. It is really a novella, but it is as rich a piece as MOBY DICK.
The story takes place in 1797. Billy is on an American boat when it is stopped by a British frigate commanded by Captain Edward Vere. He is impressed onto the British ship (although it is not established, the British needing seamen claim he is an English seaman, and the American captain can't stop them). Billy is a totally good person, and the crew of Vere's frigate all come to like him, including Vere. The one exception is the Master of Arms, John Claggart. In charge of maintaining order on the boat, Claggart is suspicious of goodness. He finally confronts Billy, and in the confrontation Billy kills Claggart by a single blow. Billy is arrested, and Vere and his officers hold a court martial. Due to the recent 1797 Great Mutiny of the British fleet at the Nore and Spithead, Vere and his officers have the added pressure on them that they must have a symbolic sacrifice to maintain order on the boat. This is killing to Vere, who realizes that despite the physical blow Billy is truly innocent. Billy is found guilty and executed, shouting before he dies, "God Bless Captain Vere!"
The story is richer than this description can reveal, and I urge you to read it if you haven't. Ustinov, who directed this film (as well as appearing as Vere) never did a better job as a director - it was a straight tragedy, so none of his quirky humor gets involved here as in say ROMANOFF AND JULIET. All the characters (even Claggart - Robert Ryan in another fine performance) are sympathetic. At one point Claggart and Billy are alone on deck and for just a moment an emotional contact is made between the men - but Claggart realizes it as a sign of weakness and backs away from it (suspecting it was a trap from Billy). Terence Stamp too (in his film debut) plays Billy as innocent and Christlike - the sacrifice that can't be avoided to save his world (the frigate). And in the background is the issue of good and evil, how they constantly confront and twist each other out of shape so that nobody knows which is which in the end.
Although the 1797 Mutiny is the basis of the novella and film, Melville had another incident in mind that involved a cousin of his. In 1842 the American sloop of war, U.S.S. Somers, commanded by Captain Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, was the scene of some incident that the Captain read as a possible mutiny. It was never really proved (despite several studies of the incident). But three men were hanged, including a midshipman named Philip Spencer (who was the son of President John Tyler's Secretary of War, John Canfield Spencer). Melville's cousin was an officer on the Somers, and frequently talked to Melville about the incident which blossomed into BILLY BUDD.
Then, in 1924, in the midst of a serious reappraisal of Melville's work (which established him as one of the U.S. greatest writers), the story BILLY BUDD: FORETOPSMAN was finally published. Written in 1889 it was his last great work. It is really a novella, but it is as rich a piece as MOBY DICK.
The story takes place in 1797. Billy is on an American boat when it is stopped by a British frigate commanded by Captain Edward Vere. He is impressed onto the British ship (although it is not established, the British needing seamen claim he is an English seaman, and the American captain can't stop them). Billy is a totally good person, and the crew of Vere's frigate all come to like him, including Vere. The one exception is the Master of Arms, John Claggart. In charge of maintaining order on the boat, Claggart is suspicious of goodness. He finally confronts Billy, and in the confrontation Billy kills Claggart by a single blow. Billy is arrested, and Vere and his officers hold a court martial. Due to the recent 1797 Great Mutiny of the British fleet at the Nore and Spithead, Vere and his officers have the added pressure on them that they must have a symbolic sacrifice to maintain order on the boat. This is killing to Vere, who realizes that despite the physical blow Billy is truly innocent. Billy is found guilty and executed, shouting before he dies, "God Bless Captain Vere!"
The story is richer than this description can reveal, and I urge you to read it if you haven't. Ustinov, who directed this film (as well as appearing as Vere) never did a better job as a director - it was a straight tragedy, so none of his quirky humor gets involved here as in say ROMANOFF AND JULIET. All the characters (even Claggart - Robert Ryan in another fine performance) are sympathetic. At one point Claggart and Billy are alone on deck and for just a moment an emotional contact is made between the men - but Claggart realizes it as a sign of weakness and backs away from it (suspecting it was a trap from Billy). Terence Stamp too (in his film debut) plays Billy as innocent and Christlike - the sacrifice that can't be avoided to save his world (the frigate). And in the background is the issue of good and evil, how they constantly confront and twist each other out of shape so that nobody knows which is which in the end.
Although the 1797 Mutiny is the basis of the novella and film, Melville had another incident in mind that involved a cousin of his. In 1842 the American sloop of war, U.S.S. Somers, commanded by Captain Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, was the scene of some incident that the Captain read as a possible mutiny. It was never really proved (despite several studies of the incident). But three men were hanged, including a midshipman named Philip Spencer (who was the son of President John Tyler's Secretary of War, John Canfield Spencer). Melville's cousin was an officer on the Somers, and frequently talked to Melville about the incident which blossomed into BILLY BUDD.