Film Review
A must-see film for any fan of Humphrey Bogart - a taut, thoroughly
compelling wartime drama in which the legendary actor gives what many
consider to be his finest performance, I kid you not. The neurotic Commander
Queeg is a far cry from the kind of role that earned Bogart his
reputation - sadistic gangsters and hardboiled detectives - but he
makes the part one of his most convincing and poignant. If
anyone doubts whether Bogart is a truly great actor, these doubts
should be instantly dispelled by the courtroom sequence near the end of
the film where Queeg's professional reserve suddenly breaks down to
reveal a solitary man racked by deep-seated insecurities.
The Caine Mutiny was based on
the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same title, which had also been
adapted by its author, Herman Wouk, as a stage play, performed on
Broadway in 1954. The film was directed by Edward Dmytryk, a
distinguished Hollywood filmmaker who fell foul of the McCarthy
anti-communist witch-hunts of the early 1950s. Dmytryk's
experiences at this time are reflected in the film - notably his
traumatic trials before the House Committee on Un-American Activities
(HUAC) and betrayal by supposedly loyal friends. Dmytryk was
jailed and later blacklisted for his association with the Communist
Party and his unwillingness to testify against others.
The Caine Mutiny is the film that
rebuilt his reputation in Hollywood and allowed him to resume his
career.
As well as giving an accurate and insightful depiction of life in the
U.S. Navy during WWII,
The Caine
Mutiny makes some powerful statements on professional and
personal loyalty, showing the devastation that may result from blind
prejudice and petty personal vendettas. On its initial release,
the film was an immense commercial and critical success. It was
nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay,
Best Score and Best Actor (Bogart), but won none. Bogart lost out
to Marlon Brando for
On the Waterfront.
In addition to Bogart, the film features three other big name actors,
José Ferrer, Van Johnson and Fred MacMurray, as well as a
promising unknown talent named Robert Francis, making his screen
début as Ensign Willie Keith. With his striking good looks
and charming persona, Francis was set to become a major star in
Hollywood, with a great career ahead of him. But it was not
to be. He died within a year of this film's release -
killed outright at the age of 25 when he accidentally crashed a private
plane.
© James Travers 2008
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Next Edward Dmytryk film:
The End of the Affair (1955)
Film Synopsis
In 1943, naval college graduate Willie Keith is eager to begin his
service in the U.S. Navy, even if it means leaving behind his anxious
mother and his girlfriend. His first assignment is
Ensign on the Destroyer-Mine Sweeper Caine, and he is dismayed by what
he first sees. The ship's commander DeVriess has a relaxed view
on navy discipline, so his crew are slovenly and the ship a mess.
Despite this, DeVriess runs an effective ship, and his men like and
respect him. Shortly after Keith's arrival. DeVriess retires and
is replaced by Queeg, an experienced navy captain with an impressive
record of service. From the outset, Queeg makes it clear that he
is a stickler for discipline, but his mania for detail soon makes him
unpopular. After a few bungles, Queeg loses the confidence and
respect of his crew, and Keith allies himself with two of his fellow
officers - Lieutenant Maryk and Lieutenant Keefer - in thinking that he
is unfit to command the ship. During a violent sea storm
that threatens to sink the ship, Maryk and Keith relieve Queeg of his
command. Safely back on shore, Queeg brings a charge of
mutiny against the two men and they are brought before a court
martial. If found guilty, both are likely to be executed...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.