The Caine Mutiny (1954)

Bogart as Captain Queeg

'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.

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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 optioned 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.

The movie was an outstanding commercial success and grossed $8.7 million in U.S. rentals during itw 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 gross ing 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 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 story line 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.

The cast is very strong and the excellent performances generally are what raise 'The Caine Mutiny' to the level of a movie classic. Bogart as the tortured and complex Captain Queeg gives one of the greatest performances of his career, completely different from his normal roles. Fred MacMurray and Van Johnson are superb in important supporting roles, and Jose Ferrer and Robert Francis also give solid performances. Francis was killed in airplane crash a year after the film's release, ending a promising film career.

'The Caine Mutiny' was the last of four films which Edward Dmytryk made for Kramer and is probably the best. The screenplay by Stanley Roberts was intelligently adapted from Wouk's work and retains all the essence of the novel. It is a very good movie, which still retains its impact today.