A thing I loved about BILLY BUDD is that virtually every sailor (and actor) is an Englishman except for Melvyn Douglas, who speaks with a kind of Danish-German accent that is at least consistent throughout, and his fellow American Robert Ryan, who didn't even bother attempting an English accent.

I'm listening today to the commentary recorded by Steven Soderbergh and Terence Stamp, and the revelation that as unemployed actors Stamp and Michael Caine were flatmates delights me more than I can say.