The Caine Mutiny

Rating: Null/10 (4 February 2007)

Wow, every year I have to pull out my DVD about twice to watch this film....a fabulous movie, one of the best of all time....combination war story and drama at the same time. Who could ever forget Humphrey Bogart's performance as the neurotic Captain Queeg....in my mind Bogart's best performance ever, even considering "African Queen", "Casablanca" and "Treasure of the Sierra Madre"......story concerns a young ensign (Robert Francis) who is fresh out of the naval academy and assigned to a boat full of misfit sailors and officers - the USS Caine, a mine sweeper, far down the food chain as far as navy ships and commands go. Francis first encounters a down and out, worn out captain, played by Tom Tully, who manages to critique Francis to the point of near harassment. After Tully is dispatched from the Caine, a new captain, Bogart takes over and things then really go over the top. Captain Queeg (Bogart) is a wound up, worn out, neurotic who distrusts everyone and seems incapable of running a naval vessel. Things quickly deteriorate on the Caine and the officers aboard are ready to throw Queeg overboard after so much harassment by him. The neurotic scene where Queeg questions his officers about two pails of missing strawberries is a classic......then check out the scene in a typhoon where it appears imminent that the Caine is about to founder and tip over due to Queeg's inability to command. Van Johnson as the ships second in command puts on a memorable performance....he overthrows Queeg (per article 184 of naval regulations) as unfit and unable to command. Naturally Queeg goes berserk at this point in the film during the typhoon and emotions run sky high. After the mutiny a trial takes place in San Francisco. Brilliant part of the movie the entire trial scenes where officers and enlisted men alike are put to the sword by the prosecuting attorney played by E.G. Marshall. Jose Ferrer as the defense attorney in an outstanding role trying to defend the men of the Caine. Best scene when Bogart gives a brilliant performance trying clumsily to defend his actions on the Caine on the witness stand. He slowly starts to unravel and disintegrates from intense questioning about his capabilities as a captain and fit sailor. Check out the scene when he pulls out the steel marbles and twirls them in his hand astounding the judge, prosecutor and defense attorney. Pure screen magic. Fred MacMurray as a con artist, cowardly officer who secretly plots to overthrow Queeg puts on a dandy performance. In short, this is a great film, a true classic. A skimpy love story in the background with Ensign Keith (Francis) and his girlfriend adds a little twist to the film. How did Humphrey Bogart not get an Oscar for this film???? Hard to believe...... One of the all time great Hollywood classic films.