Funny thing, Art -- We finally got hold of "Billy Budd" and watched it last night. I last saw this film as a teenager. There are some parallels, with the main characters, in both films, I think. Billy Budd is young, innocent, pure. He smiles though all the bad things that happen. There are good characters in this film, though -- they are just helpless in the face of Evil and the rules of the British Navy. Watching it again after 40 years we found ourselves shouting at him, "Don't take it!" and "No! Robert Ryan is not nice, but misguided. He DOES really like to flog sailors. He is not your friend-in-waiting"
Strange, I don't remember wanting to do this last time around.
Terence Stamp has the same glowing beauty I remember.
Must find "O Lucky Man" and watch it again.
Cheers, Joy