The Caine Mutiny (1954)
Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Film Review

A must-see film for any fan of Humphrey Bogart - a taut, thoroughly compelling wartime drama in which the legendary actor gives what many consider to be his finest performance, I kid you not.  The neurotic Commander Queeg is a far cry from the kind of role that earned Bogart his reputation - sadistic gangsters and hardboiled detectives - but he makes the part one of his most convincing and poignant.   If anyone doubts whether Bogart is a truly great actor, these doubts should be instantly dispelled by the courtroom sequence near the end of the film where Queeg's professional reserve suddenly breaks down to reveal a solitary man racked by deep-seated insecurities.

The Caine Mutiny was based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same title, which had also been adapted by its author, Herman Wouk, as a stage play, performed on Broadway in 1954.  The film was directed by Edward Dmytryk, a distinguished Hollywood filmmaker who fell foul of the McCarthy anti-communist witch-hunts of the early 1950s.  Dmytryk's experiences at this time are reflected in the film - notably his traumatic trials before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) and betrayal by supposedly loyal friends.  Dmytryk was jailed and later blacklisted for his association with the Communist Party and his unwillingness to testify against others.  The Caine Mutiny is the film that rebuilt his reputation in Hollywood and allowed him to resume his career.

As well as giving an accurate and insightful depiction of life in the U.S. Navy during WWII, The Caine Mutiny makes some powerful statements on professional and personal loyalty, showing the devastation that may result from blind prejudice and petty personal vendettas.  On its initial release, the film was an immense commercial and critical success.  It was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Score and Best Actor (Bogart), but won none.  Bogart lost out to Marlon Brando for On the Waterfront.

In addition to Bogart, the film features three other big name actors, José Ferrer, Van Johnson and Fred MacMurray, as well as a promising unknown talent named Robert Francis, making his screen début as Ensign Willie Keith.  With his striking good looks and charming persona, Francis was set to become a major star in Hollywood, with a great career ahead of him.   But it was not to be.   He died within a year of this film's release - killed outright at the age of 25 when he accidentally crashed a private plane.

Film Synopsis

In 1943, naval college graduate Willie Keith is eager to begin his service in the U.S. Navy, even if it means leaving behind his anxious mother and his girlfriend.  His first assignment is Ensign on the Destroyer-Mine Sweeper Caine, and he is dismayed by what he first sees.  The ship's commander DeVriess has a relaxed view on navy discipline, so his crew are slovenly and the ship a mess.  Despite this, DeVriess runs an effective ship, and his men like and respect him.  Shortly after Keith's arrival. DeVriess retires and is replaced by Queeg, an experienced navy captain with an impressive record of service.  From the outset, Queeg makes it clear that he is a stickler for discipline, but his mania for detail soon makes him unpopular.  After a few bungles, Queeg loses the confidence and respect of his crew, and Keith allies himself with two of his fellow officers - Lieutenant Maryk and Lieutenant Keefer - in thinking that he is unfit to command the ship.   During a violent sea storm that threatens to sink the ship, Maryk and Keith relieve Queeg of his command.   Safely back on shore, Queeg brings a charge of mutiny against the two men and they are brought before a court martial.  If found guilty, both are likely to be executed...