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The Caine Mutiny | Year: 1954 Classification: Drama Directed: - Edward Dmytryk Actors/Actresses: - Humphrey Bogart - José Ferrer - Van Johnson - Fred MacMurray Bogart Unhinged If you love courtroom dramas, then don't miss this film. Humphrey Bogart stars as the captain of the Caine who has been relieved from duty by his officers who believe him to be insane. This is one of Bogart's best later performances, twitching with paranoia, yet somehow oddly sympathetic. Van Johnson is excellent as the officer who takes over and ends up charged with mutiny. Fred MacMurray is also terrific as the officer/novelist with the self-professed yellow streak. Robert Francis is adequate as the new officer who finds himself tangled in the mess. And Jose Ferrer is amazing as the lawyer who defends Johnson. He delivers a show stopping final scene. The scenes demonstrating Bogart's paranoia are well done and memorable, and the courtroom scenes are full of tension. What I liked most about the film is that when all was said and done, I had to really consider if Bogart was as bad as he seemed. That's a tribute to his fine acting, not to mention the complex screenplay with its many layers. Any movie that leaves you thinking is more than worth "the price of admission". Bogart's Finest Role Some people might give me an argument on that, saying no, Rick in "Casablanca" or Charlie in "The African Queen", but this, Captain Queeg in "The Caine Mutiny" is the real departure and the real out-on-a-limb performance of a lifetime. Bogart plays a mentally unstable ship captain during WW2 whose crew finally rises up in mutiny against him when they disagree with his orders during a typhoon. The latter part of the movie is about the court martial of the first mate, played by Van Johnson. Van had been talked into the mutiny by slimeball Fred MacMurray, who withdraws his support whenever things get rough. Jose Ferrer is the lawyer who defends Van and has to take apart Bogart limb by limb on the witness stand. One of my favorite scenes is when Van is in the witness box, and has to admit his knowledge of psychology is less than adequate, so that his decision to take the ship gets more and more unfounded. But of course, the highlight is when Bogart begins to ramble about strawberries while twirling about ball berrings in his palm--that's just so pathetic, but so wonderfully executed. "Ah but the strawberries - that's where I had them..." The crew of the USS Caine resents Captain Queeg, who places the blame for a series of blunders and petty infractions on the crew. Such instances include cutting their own target tow-line while Queeg berates a crewman for having his shirt untucked, and later and most famously, interrogating the officers for the apparent stealing of some strawberries. The mutiny results when, in a life-threatening storm, Queeg freezes up and does not give the order that would save the ship. At that point he is relieved of command by Van Johnson. Later at the court-marshall Johnson is defended by Mel Ferrer and prosecuted by EG Marshall. But was Queeg torpedoed by the crew with insubordination and lack of respect, or did Queeg go off the deep end? Queeg's paranoia comes out in full force, complete with marbles. Based on Herman Wouk's best-selling Pulitzer-winning novel, the movie arguably has Bogart's best performance which was one of seven oscar nominations. Look for Claude Akins and Lee Marvin in small roles. Only the unnecessary love-story between a new ensign and his girlfriend detracts from the otherwise intriguing story. Buy The Caine Mutiny at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on The Caine Mutiny Search with the Priority Search Engine on The Caine Mutiny This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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