directed by: Peter Ustinov, year: 1962
actors: Terence Stamp, Robert Ryan, Melvyn Douglas, Peter Ustinov

Billy Budd is a 1962 British historical drama directed by Peter Ustinov. On a sailing frigate during a tense voyage, a naive apprentice named Billy Budd (Terence Stamp) is pressed into Royal Navy service and soon becomes the target of a brutal master-at-arms. When a tragedy reveals the conflict between instinct and authority, Captain Vere (Ustinov) must determine how to balance justice, mercy, and the rigid code of naval discipline, with devastating consequences for all. The film is noted for its restrained performances and stark, moral atmosphere that lingers long after the final frame.

Mutiny, Drama, Historical Drama, Naval Drama, Courtroom Drama, Adaptation