The Caine Mutiny (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'The Caine Mutiny' (a Stanley Kramer production directed by Edward Dmytryk) centers around new Ensign officer Willie Keith (Robert Francis, who died in a plane crash after making this film). Keith is assigned in 1943 to the destroyer/minesweeper USS Caine & enters a contentious relationship with the skipper, Capt. DeVries (Tom Tully); disapproving of DeVries' sloppy way of running his ship. DeVries thankfully retires & the new captain, tough, no-nonsense veteran, Capt. Philip Francis Queeg (Humphrey Bogart), pleases Keith to no end; as he uses his rigid power to turn the crew into proper sailors. However, once at sea, Lt. Tom Keefer (Fred MacMurray), a novelist & glib-of-mouth communications officer, is the 1st to notice that Capt. Queeg's behavior is, shall we say, irrational.
After a series of incidents, Queeg displays a mighty hot temper, neurotic tendencies, insecurities, & even some acts of cowardice. Overburdened 1st officer Lt. Steve Maryk (Van Johnson) refuses to believe Lt. Keefer when he exclaims that the captain may have mental issues; including paranoia. But when Capt. Queeg orders that the crew of the ship must search all-night & day for some stolen frozen strawberries, Lt. Maryk starts to have doubts about the captain; hence, believing Lt. Keefer's opinion.
Matters come to a head during a catastrophic typhoon, as Capt. Queeg's panic, temper, & complete inability to deal with the deadly situation forces executive officer Maryk to use Navy Article 184 to demote Queeg & assume command with Ensign Keith's backing support. Queeg uses this incident to bring the 2 mutineer officers to a court martial. Everything culminates in courtroom dramatics during said court martial. Lt. Barney Greenwald (Jose Ferrer) reluctantly agrees - out of sympathy - to be the lawyer for Maryk & Keith. During said trial the 2 officers display their inexperience, but the lawyer (who also feels GREAT sympathy for war veteran Queeg) fights hard for his clients. Drama ensues; even after the trial concludes.
'The Caine Mutiny' went on to be one of the years highest grossing films, & garnered a plethora of Academy Award nominations. Stunningly, Dmytryk did not receive a nod for Best Director. I also would have switched out Tom Tully in Supporting for Van Johnson's excellent portrayal as the highly-stressed Lt. Maryk. But noms for screenplay, editing, sound, & score made perfect sense. I'd have even considered cinematography & special effects accolades; given all the Navy/port/ship/ocean/typhoon sequences. Fred MacMurray is stellar as Keefer; who quietly, but surely undermines the crew's already-shaky confidence in Capt. Queeg. And I love Jose Ferrer in just about any motion picture I see him in; such command of the screen.
So now I come to 'ole Bogie; revealing a vulnerability & neuroses that he had not exhibited in his other roles, nor would he again – he died 3 yrs. after this film of throat cancer. One of the more memorable scenes is when a twitchy Queeg nervously rolls marbles in his fist as he mentally wilts & withers on the witness stand. What Bogart does as Queeg is impart layers of strict perfectionism so as to hide from his crew that he is actually a scarily obsessed man with an inferiority complex. Now, I could have done without the love story subplot btwn. the Robert Francis character & May Wynn. But aside from that, I mightily enjoyed the characterizations, high drama, terror-on-the-high-seas sequences, as well as that climactic court martial. Great film.
After a series of incidents, Queeg displays a mighty hot temper, neurotic tendencies, insecurities, & even some acts of cowardice. Overburdened 1st officer Lt. Steve Maryk (Van Johnson) refuses to believe Lt. Keefer when he exclaims that the captain may have mental issues; including paranoia. But when Capt. Queeg orders that the crew of the ship must search all-night & day for some stolen frozen strawberries, Lt. Maryk starts to have doubts about the captain; hence, believing Lt. Keefer's opinion.
Matters come to a head during a catastrophic typhoon, as Capt. Queeg's panic, temper, & complete inability to deal with the deadly situation forces executive officer Maryk to use Navy Article 184 to demote Queeg & assume command with Ensign Keith's backing support. Queeg uses this incident to bring the 2 mutineer officers to a court martial. Everything culminates in courtroom dramatics during said court martial. Lt. Barney Greenwald (Jose Ferrer) reluctantly agrees - out of sympathy - to be the lawyer for Maryk & Keith. During said trial the 2 officers display their inexperience, but the lawyer (who also feels GREAT sympathy for war veteran Queeg) fights hard for his clients. Drama ensues; even after the trial concludes.
'The Caine Mutiny' went on to be one of the years highest grossing films, & garnered a plethora of Academy Award nominations. Stunningly, Dmytryk did not receive a nod for Best Director. I also would have switched out Tom Tully in Supporting for Van Johnson's excellent portrayal as the highly-stressed Lt. Maryk. But noms for screenplay, editing, sound, & score made perfect sense. I'd have even considered cinematography & special effects accolades; given all the Navy/port/ship/ocean/typhoon sequences. Fred MacMurray is stellar as Keefer; who quietly, but surely undermines the crew's already-shaky confidence in Capt. Queeg. And I love Jose Ferrer in just about any motion picture I see him in; such command of the screen.
So now I come to 'ole Bogie; revealing a vulnerability & neuroses that he had not exhibited in his other roles, nor would he again – he died 3 yrs. after this film of throat cancer. One of the more memorable scenes is when a twitchy Queeg nervously rolls marbles in his fist as he mentally wilts & withers on the witness stand. What Bogart does as Queeg is impart layers of strict perfectionism so as to hide from his crew that he is actually a scarily obsessed man with an inferiority complex. Now, I could have done without the love story subplot btwn. the Robert Francis character & May Wynn. But aside from that, I mightily enjoyed the characterizations, high drama, terror-on-the-high-seas sequences, as well as that climactic court martial. Great film.