Triumph against Type

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 1998)

Humphrey Bogart turns in one of the greatest performances of his career as Lt. Cmdr. Queeg, a by-the-book naval officer whose shattered nerves render him tyrannical, indecisive, and cowardly by turns. In other words, he is the polar opposite of virtually every character Bogie ever played in a long career of tough guys, good and bad. Complementing Bogart are Fred MacMurray as manipulative communications officer Lt. Tom Keefer, Van Johnson as beleaguered executive officer Lt. Steve Maryk, and Jose Ferrer as Lt. Barney Greenwald, defense attorney for the mutineers. Were it not for the release of "On the Waterfront" that same year, "Caine" would have swept the Academy Awards.