The Bounty

Introduction

Between 1977 and 1980, David Lean collaborated with Robert Bolt on a two-part project about the mutiny on HMS Bounty. The Lawbreakers focused on the actual mutiny, while The Long Arm explored what happened afterwards. Despite initial involvement by both Warner Brothers and the Dino de Laurentiis Corporation, Lean was unable to find a backer willing to finance both films. He decided to combine the two scripts into one film entitled Pandora's Box. Melvyn Bragg was brought in to work on this script, when Robert Bolt underwent heart surgery and subsequently suffered a massive stroke, but Lean still failed to find the financial backing he needed. The documentation arising from this project was considerable, and shows how detailed Lean and Bolt's work became, including plans for a replica of HMS Bounty which was built in New Zealand. Dino De Laurentiis eventually released a version of the story (The Bounty, d. Roger Donaldson, 1984), which used the replica ship and parts of Bolt's script, and starred Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson.

The BFI regrets that it is not currently possible to display materials relating to this project.

Janet Moat