A great WWII drama

Rating: Null/10 (14 September 2005)

Humphrey Bogart as Captain Queeq takes over as the captain of an inconsequential ship in WWII. The previous commander ran a loose ship and the sailors are undisciplined with shirt tails hanging out. Queeg wants none of that and plans to correct it, instituting all kinds of rules. Van Johnson as second in command is a seasoned veteran who is loyal to the captain and tries to ignore Queeq's erratic behavior. Fred MacMurray is an amateur psychologist and convinces Johnson that Queeq is crazy and mentally unfit to command. Robert Francis is a new commander still dry behind the ears who can't decide who to side with.
The Caine Mutiny is a great drama. The acting is solid from the main characters down to the smaller parts. Bogart gives a terrific performance doing a masterful balancing act with Queeg's character, not quite sane but never totally insane. The movie starts a little slow and the subplot with Francis and his girlfriend is not necessary and could have been trimmed from the film. But once the ship pulls out of harbor the real movie begins. The message of the movie could have been simple, but the intelligent screenplay reveals the complexities of the crew's behavior.
The supporting cast is loaded with familiar faces: E.G. Marshall, Jose Ferrer, Jerry Paris, Claude Akins, Lee Marvin, James Best and Tom Tully.
Highly recommended.