The Caine Mutiny (Combat Classics)

This Collector's Edition is worth getting for the extras alone. They have a useful discussion about the increasing challenge of TV to Classical Hollywood in the early 50s a reference to Elia Kazan,"On the Waterfront" (1954) a HUAC "friendly witness" and Edward Dmytryk, the only one of the Hollywood Ten to turn around and name names. ~ Australians here may remember the (destroyer) Voyager Incident of 1964 ~ was she cut in half by the carrier Melbourne. Inquest witnesses frequently referred to quote: "a Caine Mutiny situation" aboard Voyager.Anyway, The Caine Mutiny was made at the tail end of the "movie star era", so there's a danger of being dazzled by the "Boggie aura" and not being objective about the actions of the troubled Capt.Queeg, or even noticing the good job Bogart does in the role.Fred McMurray too, has a powerful screen presence and he plays the devious Lt. Tom Keefer with a darkness not seen since his Walter Neff in "Double Indenity;" a complete contrast to his fatherly, "My Three Sons" personae. Yet McMurray's "star appeal" can also obscure his "thinking preformance" - he clearly lets you read every "shifty" thought on Keefer's face. Keefer only verbalises his true colors (no pun) when he "'fesses up" to a "yellow streak 10 miles wide," after Maryk corners him into seeing Admiral Halsey about Queeg.There is an interesting association with cowardice and the color yellow here; we have Queeg, throwing the yellow dye marker in panic and running from duty and Keefer's calculating, "too smart to be brave" yellow as he runs from responsibility - who then, is the true coward and why?Van Johnson is on "safe" ground; Lt. Steve Maryk, is an extension of his own affable, fair minded self, a qualilty that prevents him from understanding that Keefer's duplicity and deflected hatred of the Navy will make him legally culpable of mutiny.José Ferrer is a commanding screen presence at any time, and he makes Lt. Barney Greenwald seem to have been there for the entire picture. Ferrer plays his final scene with intimidating indignation - he has been drinking he says, to assuage "his guilty conscience" and we learn for the first time of his dilemma in defending Maryk.Still you can put meditations on the complexities of human nature aside if you want and take "The Caine Mutiny" as pure wartime action, but you'd miss the little payoffs. It took me a long time, for example, to notice one small give-away detail; the dismissal of Comdr. DeVriess (Tom Tully) as a "slack" commanding officer by the rather affectless Robert Francis as Ens. Willis Seward Keith. The J.G.'s assessment seemed valid enough - until I noticed DeVriess timing Maryk's, perfomance on the paravanes with a stop-watch!DeVriess had the maturity and experience to know how and when to get the best out of his command, but he will not push his "tired crew" and "beaten up tub that ought to be melted down for razor blades," beyond their frayed limits. A "slack" commander, Willie? Sometimes you just have to trust the captain to steer the right course, even if you don't!The moral complexity of the mutiny on the Caine is further complicated by Queeg's honesty and humility in seeking "constructive loyalty" from his officers after the "yellow stain" incident. His officers' rejection of his plea raises questions about subordination to lawful authority.Greenwald carefully avoids these explosive issues in the court-martial, but not so with Keefer at the "joyful celebration." He elicits support from Maryk, "You're an honest man, Steve. Tell me, do you think it would have necessary for you to have taken command if you'd given Queeg the loyalty and support he deserved?" ~ (powerful stuff.)The Caine Mutiny is great war film: good to see it out on DVD. Also the commentary track and the extra features have a lot on interesting information on the problems in Hollywood with falling ticket sales and the reasons why war films were popular at the time.THe two extras on the blacklist and especially about Edward Dmytryk, the only one of the Hollywood 10 who eventually "named names," were interesting as well as references to Elia Kazan and his use of Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront" to justify his own testemony before HUAC.

It’s a great movie for business and team realignment.

Great product and service.

OK - Humphrey Bogart was twenty years too old to be playing a 30-something LCDR, but his portrayal of a well-meaning but mentally ill officer under life and death conditions is perfect, and you can't help but choke up at his breakdown in the climactic scene of the court martial.Herman Wouk, the author of the original novel, was a young officer on a similar ship, and the writing and technical details, even tho they did not come from his own screenplay, are very accurate. I was also a young ensign, and Robert Francis, as ENS Willie Keith, also nails his role. I had to laugh at the opening scene in which the admiral refers to the new officers as "full-fledged ensigns". Having been a brand new ensign, I can assure you there's nothing full-fledged about it, and most of the extras portraying young officers in that scene are too old. He is so cool, my seeing this movie when it first came out may well have been a deciding factor in my decision to select the Navy as my branch of service.The story arc with Willie's mother and girlfriend is mostly distracting, but it does point up his silver spoon upbringing and efforts to grow up in spite of it.Special kudos go to the US Navy technical advisor, CDR James Shaw, and the cooperation of the US Navy. Unlike, say, "Top Gun", which was a terrible turkey, this movie crackles with realism, and the dialogue, action, sets and scenes, and details are near-perfect.Special mention goes to the effects used in the typhoon scene. Obviously shot with a model, it is nonetheless incredibly real. I can assure you of this, as I was in a similar storm in the North Atlantic in a ship of the class seen at the very end of this movie. The typhoon had to be convincing to make Captain Queeg's breakdown believable, and it is.The moment Jose Ferrer walks into his first scene, the movie belongs to him. He's an incredibly sharp, smartass Naval Aviator who doesn't even want to take the case, and, for good measure, the bandaged hand symbolically suggests that he's going to have to defend an unwinable position with one hand tied behind his back.The court martial is perfectly depicted, showing how carefully the Navy proceeds in such matters.The after party scene is also perfect. As the drunken Naval Aviator, Ferrer makes sense of the whole affair, pointing out who the real villain is and throwing champagne in the face of a much bigger and much more sober officer. I also became a Naval Aviator, and that scene could not be more perfect.Technically, the digital restoration is also perfect, including the soundtrack, and for good measure, that is easily some of the most stirring movie music I've ever heard, to this day.Get this movie! Get this particular restored version!

A classic movie from 1954, Humphrey Bogart plays – rather against his usual screen persona – the paranoid, martinet Lt. Commander Queeg, captain of a US minesweeper.Based on Herman Wouk`s novel of the same name (though rather different from it) this is nevertheless a very good study of the “men in war” type dealing with a situation where the commanding officer may be mentally unfit for duty.One of Bogart's most memorable roles, the supporting cast are equally fine and there's a rousing music score from Max Steiner.The UK DVD has nothing to speak of in the way of extras, though it does have subtitles in English.

'Ensign Willie Keith's first assignment is on the undisciplined 'rust-bucket'the 'SS' Caine' a minesweeper, he is obviously disappointed with his appointment.The serving Commander is replaced by 'Lt Commander Philip Francis Queeg' who isa disciplinarian who follows 'the book' to the letter.However whilst he is openly critical of the officers serving under him he acceptslittle in the way of responsibility for his own shortcomings.His decisions throw doubt into the minds of officers and crew alike.Things come to a head during a cyclone in which the ship and it's crew are at risk,2nd in command 'Lt Steve Maryk' takes command saving the 'Caine' from almostcertain floundering.Following this incident, at a naval hearing 'LT Maryk' is charged with inciting amutiny,An absorbing naval drama with many familiar faces from yesteryear, solid performancesfrom 'Humphrey Bogart' supported by 'Fred MacMurray' 'Van Johnson' and new-face'Robert Francis'Picture and sound quality benefiting from the HD upgrade.A MOVIE WELL WORTH RE-VISITING.As you might expect there is little in the way of additional features, except for'Commentary from 'Richard Pena' and 'Ken Bowser' along with 'Behind the Caine'mutinit' featurette.

This is not the sort of film you'd expect from Hollywood, now or in the 50's. There aren't any heroics; there aren't even any heroes. Queeg (Bogart) is obviously a man no longer fit for command; a man who cannot win over his officers from the moment he takes over command. The officers are officers of a slack ship that needs leadership; leadership Queeg is no longer equipped to provide. Whilst there is a villain (Keefer), even he is somewhat equivocal, and that is probably the closest point at which this film conforms to Hollywood "normality".It is, nevertheless, an absorbing story; well thought out, well directed, well acted. The ending is... unsatisfactory, as it should be. If there are no heroics, there shouldn't be a neat tying off of all loose ends. Nothing is black & white; no-one emerges from the final court-martial tarred & feathered or with shining haloes, not even Keefer, oddly enough.It's not quite a 5* film, but it's not far off it. In the 21st Century, Bogart's probably the only recognisable name in it (Lee Marvin has a minor part). That should & does not detract from the quality of the performances. Every character is as believable as the story is; everything is as grey as the storm that proves the climactic trigger of that story. It's not quite a 5* film, but it is well worth adding to your film library.

When Queeg takes command of the USS Caine he introduces regulation discipline aboard the ship. This does not go down to well with the crew, and the officers, with the exception of Maryk soon despise Queeg. As Queeg tightens discipline , Keefer, begins to make subtle suggestions about Queegs sanity and suggests that Maryk should relieve Queeg. When it happens, the ship is saved from sinking but Maryk ends up on mutiny charges. It will take a good lawyer to secure his aquittal, and some ugly truths to come out.Fred Macmurray is great as the subltle, clever Keefer who gets Maryk (Van Johnson) to do the dirty Work, and Bogart delivers a great performance as Queeg

Very good film but seemd to me a film of 2 parts, one before Bogarts appearance and and the second half, with him.None the less, always a treat to see him act. Plus an excellant supporting cast.