Billy Budd Review
Herman Melville was one of America's fiercest, most abstruse writers, and the unfinished novella -Billy Budd contains many of the author's hallmarks. Like his most famous work, -Moby Dick, Budd is an allegory of powerful proportions, based on an actual naval event, and has invited widely disparate interpretations. The fall from Eden, the complications of a society imposing justice, the betrayal of Jesus Christ, and even latent homosexuality are all commonly read into the text. Though many of these shadings are lost in Peter_Ustinov's 1962 version of the book, he does manage to capture what is no doubt the heart of the work: the betrayal of innocence by society. Based on a stage version, the movie has a rather static quality, but admirable attention is paid to Melville's fascinating characters. Though Robert_Ryan's portrayal of the evil Claggart is excellent, if a bit over-the-top, Terence_Stamp's soulful performance as Billy is key to the story's emotional impact. Stamp proved himself a vital talent in the role, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination. Brendon Hanley, Rovi
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