Billy is an innocent, naive seaman in the British Navy in 1797. When the ship's sadistic master-at-arms is murdered, Billy is accused and tried.
Acting
Stamp's otherworldly innocence versus Ryan's seething malevolence.
Cinematography
Cinemascope rigging — beauty that traps.
Direction
Ustinov's only directing gig, and it's this morally wrecked?
Director
Peter Ustinov
Terence Stamp
Billy Budd
Robert Ryan
John Claggart, Master of Arms
Peter Ustinov
Edwin Fairfax Vere, Post Captain
Melvyn Douglas
The Dansker, Sailmaker
Paul Rogers
Philip Seymour, 1st Lieutenant
John Neville
Julian Ratcliffe, 2nd Lieutenant
David McCallum
Steven Wyatt, Gunnery Officer
Ronald Lewis
Enoch Jenkins, Maintopman
Lee Montague
Squeak, Mr. Claggart's assistant
Thomas Heathcote
Alan Payne, Maintopman
Ray McAnally
William O'Daniel, Maintopman
Robert Brown
Arnold Talbot, Maintopman
John Meillon
Neil Kincaid, Maintopman
Cyril Luckham
Hallam, Captain of Marines
Niall MacGinnis
Captain Nathaniel Graveling
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Terence Stamp was so unknown that Ustinov initially rejected him — then saw him in a play and chased him down. Stamp's film debut, and he got nominated for a Golden Globe.
US
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