Mutiny on the Bounty. Bronislau Kaper
In 1787, in Portsmouth, the rude Captain William Bligh (Trevor Howard) of the British ship Bounty is assigned to travel to Tahiti to transplant breadfruit to bring to England. Bligh is jealous of the aristocratic 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian (Marlon Brando) and along the journey, his tyrannic and cruel behavior leads to a showdown with the rebel Seaman John Mills (Richard Harris) and other seamen. But on the voyage of returning to England, his savage attitudes kill crew members, forcing Fletcher to lead a mutiny to overthrow Bligh.
Bronislau Kaper chose leitmotifs, as was his practice, to underpin his score, but he also understood that the cultural backdrop of the Tahiti needed to be infused into his soundscape. To that end he was meticulous, spending considerable time in Tahiti embracing its exotic auras, recording native singers and instruments. “Overture” opens the film, displayed boldly across the screen. It offers a score highlight, which provides the usual Golden Age presentation of the score’s primary themes as a concert piece. Written in ABC form, we open with a dramatic expression of the menacing Mutiny Theme, its long-suffering and pent up fury released powerfully. We then flow gloriously into a wondrous full statement of the HMS Bounty Theme, so full of adventure. We conclude with exotic and festive music, which energetically expresses the joy of the crew’s happy life on Tahiti, culminating with a glorious flourish!