Mini Review:
THE CAINE MUTINY (1954)
STARRING: HUMPHREY BOGART, VAN JOHNSON, and JOSE FERRER
DIRECTED BY:EDWARD DYMYTRYK

The story of a naval captain with insubordination issues is naturally an appealing one, since it involves 'captive' persons under obvious stress. This movie handles the subject in an interesting way, telling the tale principally from the perspective of the crew.

When the 'Caine' is put under the authority of a new captain, Commander Francis Queeg (impeccably portrayed by Bogart in what is probably his best performance), all involved are initially pleased. But their pleasure quickly turns to dismay when the new captain proves to me far more demanding and meticulous than they anticipated. What is at first thought to be simply unfairness and strict adherence to rules soon becomes outright paranoia, in the opinion of the crew. Influenced by his shipmates, 2nd in command Lt Maryk (Van Johnson) takes it upon himself to commandeer the ship when Queeg's seemingly unbalanced orders during a dangerous storm at sea threaten the lives of the men. The story soon turns from exciting maritime adventure to courtroom drama as the instigators of the mutiny must face the consequences of their actions.

Bogart is brilliant in this role, which requires that he not only show salty stoicism but also manic frustration. His final scenes are especially memorable. As for the rest of the case, Jose Ferrer provides a standout performance as Lt Greenwald, a man with a tortured conscience. The direction is well done, though I felt that the film had difficulty deciding at times whether it wanted to be a comedy or a drama. The look of the thing will remind you of other films of the era (think Father Goose, Mr Roberts, or even South Pacific)-the seamen taking on that standard 1950's appearance of so many buttered rolls. Attractive, shiny, and shrowded in clean blue cotton, they don't necessarily bring the realism of their life at sea home to the viewer. That's fine with me since I don't necessarily go into these films for a true to life experience. It's a satisfying movie with one very important performance.

My rating: 8/10