A sailor participates in the infamous mutiny aboard HMS Bounty, in which discontented crew members, drawn to the pleasures of Tahiti, overthrow their demanding captain and seize control of the ship. The film explores the complex relationship between the authoritarian Captain Bligh and the conflicted Fletcher Christian, examining the tensions that drive the rebellion. Those who mutiny must then contend with the consequences of their actions as Bligh attempts to bring them to justice.