The Caine Mutiny

The Caine Mutiny is a 1954 movie directed by Edward Dmytryk of the fictional story of a mutiny aboard a World War II US naval vessel, and the subsequent court-martial. The film is based upon Herman Wouk's best-selling, and 1951 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. Wouk's novel had already been the basis for a successful nationwide stage play titled "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial."

Related Topics:
1954 - Edward Dmytryk - Mutiny - World War II - Court-martial - Herman Wouk - 1951 - Pulitzer Prize

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The USS Caine (DMS-18) is a rundown minesweeper stationed at Pearl Harbor. Its original commanding officer, Cmdr. De Vreiss, is replaced by the strict, by-the-book Lt.Cmdr. Queeg. During sea exercises there is an embarrassing incident and the crew become convinced that Queeg is a coward. His behaviour leads the senior officers to believe Queeg is mentally unstable. Running into a typhoon in July 1944, Queeg endangers the ship and is relieved of his command. On return to harbour two of the officers, Lt. Maryk and Ens. Keith, are then court-martialled for mutiny.

Related Topics:
Minesweeper - Pearl Harbor

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Lieutenant Commander Philip Francis Queeg was Humphrey Bogart's last great film role, earning him his third Best Actor Academy Award nomination (one of the film's seven nominations). The film received six other nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Tom Tully), Best Screenplay, Best Sound Recording, Best Film Editing, and Best Dramatic Score (Max Steiner). None of the nominations won; Bogart lost to Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront.

Related Topics:
Humphrey Bogart - Academy Award - Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront

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The other main actors were José Ferrer, Robert Francis, Van Johnson, and Fred MacMurray who was cast against type as the unlikeable coward and liar Lieutenant Tom Keefer. The title role, USS Caine, was played by USS Thompson (DMS-38).

Related Topics:
José Ferrer - Robert Francis - Van Johnson - Fred MacMurray - USS ''Thompson'' (DMS-38)

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The US Navy Department initially objected to the film's depiction of a mentally unbalanced man as the captain of a naval vessel and the word "mutiny" in the film's title. After the script was altered, the Navy cooperated with Columbia Pictures by providing ships, planes, combat boats, and access to Pearl Harbor and the San Francisco port. Following the credits, the epigraph claims that the film's story is non-factual. No ship named USS Caine ever existed, and no Navy captain has been relieved of command at sea under Articles 184-186 and "There has never been a mutiny in a ship of the United States Navy. The truths of this film lie not in its incidents but in the way a few men meet the crisis of their lives."

Related Topics:
US Navy Department - Columbia Pictures - Pearl Harbor - San Francisco

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