When Incompetence Was In Session-Caine Mutiny ***

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2007)

If it weren't so tragic and serious, I could see "The Caine Mutiny" being a comedy in the tradition of "Hogan's Heroes."
That being said, Humphrey Bogart gave a masterful performance as the mentally deranged leader of the ship. Makes you wonder how a person this ill could assume such an important position. Ask any of us who have served under various New York City principals and we can tell you why.
Fred MacMurray was engaging as a heel, a part that would suit him even better, 6 years later, in the classic "The Apartment."
Bogart's Oscar nomination was well deserved but the supporting nomination for Tom Tully was ridiculous. As would happen 6 years later, Fred Mac Murray was passed over in the supporting category again for "The Apartment."
Bogart's in and out behavior was well done here. His distorted face and handling of his arms gave us a devastating performance of a commander who is in deep emotional trouble. We see all the signs- the emotional outbursts, asking for apologies, degrading subordinates by calling them all kinds of names, constant agitation, need for perfection, picking on the asinine so as to get a reputation as a solid leader, Bogart finally cracks on the witness stand just as Ida Lupino did in the 1942 classic, "They Drive By Night."
E.G. Marshall seems to have made a career as an attorney. Did he ever go to law school and take the bar exam? Jose Ferrer is engaging as Barney Greenwald, the attorney for Van Johnson-accused of leading the mutiny against Captain Queeg. (Bogart.) During his outbursts, Queeg would certainly give you that queasy feeling. As for Ferrer, he even looks Jewish to match his name!
I found the picture to be average, with a love story thrown in. Robert Francis, as a young idealistic officer, was quite effective as well as May Wynn. Shocked to read that Francis died in a plane crash the following year after this film came out.