The Caine Mutiny (1954)

'The Caine Mutiny' is a dramatic American movie about conflict and mutiny aboard a U.S. Navy minesweeper during the Second World War and the subsequent court-martial of two officers. Made in 1954, it was directed by Edward Dmytryk and stars Humphrey Bogart, José Ferrer, Van Johnson and Fred MacMurray. It is based on Herman Wouk's 1951 Pulitzer Prize winning novel "The Caine Mutiny" which Wouk had already made into a stage play, "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial," which ran for a year on Broadway from January 1954.

Plot

The film depicts a mutiny and its consequences, aboard the minesweeper USS Caine in 1943. It is completely fictional but has become better known than the two actual U.S. Naval mutinies which occurred in 1842 and 1944. The basic storyline concerns a popular captain being replaced by an unstable and disturbed officer, Queeg, played by Humphrey Bogart. As the stresses of command increase, Queeg's paranoia and near insanity convince Executive Officer Steve Maryk, played by Van Johnson and other crew members that he should be relieved of command, raising subsequent charges of mutiny that are played out during a dramatic court martial.

Production

After the success of Wouk's novel and subsequent stage play there was strong public interest in the projected film but initially the major studios were reluctant to spend money on the rights to a film which depicted the Navy in a less than flattering way, knowing that the Department of defense would demand revisions in exchange for cooperation. Instead, the independent producer Stanley Kramer took an option on the novel for $60,000. When the producers agreed to include a disclaimer after the opening credits, assuring audiences there had never been a mutiny on a U.S. Navy vessel, the U.S. Navy provided ships, planes, combat boats, and access to Pearl Harbor and Bay Area naval facilities.
Screenplay
The screenwriter, Stanley Roberts intelligently compressed Herman Wouk's 500 page screenplay into 190 minutes and retained all the essence of the novel. He then left the production when Columbia's uncompromising boss, Harry Cohn, demanded that he should add a love scene. The writing was completed by Michael Blankfort, credited with "additional dialog".
Casting
Richard Widmark had been Columbia's first choice for Queeg and Dick Powell had also been in the frame but director, Edward Dmytryk and producer, Stanley Kramer wanted Humphrey Bogart. Bogart himself was enthusiastic to get the role and accepted a lower than normal salary offer from the wily Harry Cohn in order to obtain it.
Reception
The movie was an outstanding commercial success and grossed $8.7 million in U.S. rentals during its initial run putting it among Columbia's top fifteen hits. It was one of the top money makers of 1954, second in earnings only to 'White Christmas'. It was the top grossing of all Bogart's films. The film received seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, and Best Actor for Humphrey Bogart in one of his last films, but won none. (Bogart lost out to Marlon Brando in 'On the Waterfront' which also won Best Picture.)

'The Caine Mutiny' was the last of four films which Edward Dmytryk made for Kramer and is probably the best.. It is a very good movie, which still retains its impact today.