Claim: A book was the basis for The Bounty.

The Bounty is a 1984 British historical drama film directed by Roger Donaldson , starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins , and produced by Bernard Williams with Dino De Laurentiis as executive producer . It is the fifth film version of the story of the mutiny on the Bounty . The screenplay was by Robert Bolt and it was based on the book Captain Bligh and Mr. Christian -LRB- 1972 -RRB- by Richard Hough . It was made by Dino De Laurentiis Productions and distributed by Orion Pictures Corporation and Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment . The music score was composed by Vangelis and the cinematography was by Arthur Ibbetson .