Billy Budd is a 1962 film directed by Peter Ustinov and based on the novel of the same name by Herman Melville. The film tells the story of a young sailor named Billy Budd (played by Terence Stamp) who joins a British Navy ship during the Napoleonic Wars.
Billy is well-liked by his fellow sailors for his kind and gentle nature, but he soon becomes the target of the ship's master-at-arms John Claggart (played by Robert Ryan), who is sadistic and jealous of Billy's popularity. Claggart makes false accusations against Billy, claiming that he is planning a mutiny.
When the ship's captain, Edward Fairfax Vere (played by Peter Ustinov), becomes aware of the situation, he decides to hold a court-martial to determine whether Billy is guilty or innocent. Despite Billy's protests of innocence, the court finds him guilty and sentences him to hang.
In the film's climactic scene, Vere must decide whether to commute Billy's sentence and let him live or allow him to be executed. Vere ultimately chooses to follow the letter of the law and orders Billy's execution, leading to a tragic and heartbreaking ending.
Billy Budd explores themes of innocence, morality, and the corrupting influence of power. It was well-received by critics at the time of its release and has since become a classic of British cinema.