Word: budd
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...beard. It is a shock, indeed, to view Peter Ustinov with a clean-shaven countenance. Yet Mr. Ustinov's eventual victory in his battle against eighteenth century decorum must indicate the decline of Britain and her navy; the multi-talented Ustinov--producer, director, co-writer, and star of Billy Budd--completely dominates this ambitious production of Melville's novel...
...film begins clumsily. As Bill Budd is impressed from his merchant ship, the "Rights of Man," to serve on Captain Vere's man-of-war, every attempt is made to set the scene for his tragic confrontation with society. Budd cries out, "Good-bye, 'Rights of Man,'" and the second lieutenant angrily but too obviously misinterprets the ambiguity. With ever more pain-staking care, the discontent of the "Avenger's" crew is endlessly thrust before the audience. Master-at-arms Claggart is not yet allowed to be more than a puppet of the director...
Terence Stamp, as Billy Budd, is authentically simple. When he prefaces his hanging with the slightly reminiscent cry, "God bless Captain Vere," he does not portray Christ; he is a touching, naive sailor unable to understand the evil around him. He seems insanely stupid, yet real, when he fails to understand Claggart's malice and vengeful eyes...
Claggart (played by Robert Ryan) himself cannot comprehend the spectacle before him; he forces himself to see evil in Billy. In a pathetic scene, he exhorts Squeak to portray Budd as a mutineer. Ryan plays the perfect villain; watching a whipping delights him to the point of ecstasy...
...which he must invoke during wartime. He compels his three lieutenants to accept his cold interpretation of Billy's crime, though he would wish otherwise. In the trial scene, Ustinov is not caught between his feelings and society, as Vere is in Melville. Instead, Ustinov's hesitancy in convicting Budd reflects a striking inner conflict...