The Caine Mutiny (1954)

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Herman Wouk (novel)
Stanley Roberts (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

24 June 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

As big as the ocean!

Plot:

When a US Naval captain shows signs of mental instability that jeopardizes the ship, the first officer relieves him of command and faces court martial for mutiny.

Plot Keywords:

Mutiny | Naval | Court Martial | Yosemite California | Paranoid Psychosis

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg
José Ferrer	...	Lt. Barney Greenwald (as Jose Ferrer)
Van Johnson	...	Lt. Steve Maryk
Fred MacMurray	...	Lt. Thomas 'Tom' Keefer
Robert Francis	...	Ens. Willis Seward 'Willie' Keith
May Wynn	...	May Wynn
Tom Tully	...	Comdr. DeVriess
E.G. Marshall	...	Lt. Comdr. Challee
Arthur Franz	...	Lt. JG H. Paynter Jr.
Lee Marvin	...	Meatball
Warner Anderson	...	Capt. Blakely
Claude Akins	...	Horrible
Katherine Warren	...	Mrs. Keith (as Katharine Warren)
Jerry Paris	...	Ens. Barney Harding
Steve Brodie	...	Chief Budge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Alpert	...	Engstrand (uncredited)
Don Anderson	...	Radarman (uncredited)
Herbert Anderson	...	Ens. Rabbit (uncredited)
James Best	...	Lt. JG Jorgensen (uncredited)
Whit Bissell	...	Lt. Comdr. Dickson M.D. (uncredited)
Robert Bray	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
Ted Cooper	...	Sergeant-at-Arms (uncredited)
Don Dillaway	...	George - Chauffeur (uncredited)
Don Dubbins	...	Seaman 1st Class Urban (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan	...	Sailor (uncredited)
James Edwards	...	Whittaker (uncredited)
Joe Haworth	...	Ens. Carmody (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Todd Karns	...	Petty Officer 1st Class Stillwell (uncredited)
Don Keefer	...	Court Stenographer - Yeoman 1st Class (uncredited)
Edward Laguna	...	Winston (uncredited)
Frank Losee Jr.	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis	...	Uncle Lloyd (uncredited)
Kenneth MacDonald	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
Paul McGuire	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
Tyler McVey	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
Patrick Miller	...	Movie Operator (uncredited)
Richard Norris	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
Steve Pendleton	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
Jay Richards	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Gene Starns	...	Bosun's Mate (uncredited)
James Todd	...	Comdr. Kelvey (uncredited)
John Tomeck	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Dmytryk

Writing credits
Herman Wouk		(novel)
Stanley Roberts		(screenplay)
Michael Blankfort		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Stanley Kramer	....	producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Franz Planer		(as Frank Planer)

Film Editing by
Henry Batista
William A. Lyon

Production Design by
Rudolph Sternad

Art Direction by
Cary Odell

Set Decoration by
Frank Tuttle

Costume Design by
Jean Louis		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Clay Campbell	....	makeup artist
Helen Hunt	....	hair stylist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carter De Haven Jr.	....	assistant director (as Carter DeHaven Jr.)
Irving J. Moore	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lambert E. Day	....	sound engineer (as Lambert Day)

Special Effects by
Lawrence W. Butler	....	special effects

Stunts
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Hennesy	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Cory	....	photographer: second unit

Music Department
Murray Cutter	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jo Ann Greer	....	singing voice: May Wynn (uncredited)

Other crew
Francis Cugat	....	technicolor color consultant
Commander James C. Shaw	....	technical advisor (as Comdr. James C.Shaw)
Frank Coghlan Jr.	....	naval liaison (uncredited)
Sally Hamilton	....	executive secretary (uncredited)
Lee Marvin	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Walter Shenson	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Stanley Kramer Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1954) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia Films (1955) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1954) (France) (theatrical) (as Columbia Films S. A.)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1991) (Finland) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1969) (1970) (1996) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Authority and Rebellion (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

124 min | Spain:125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:15 (2003) | Finland:K-11 (2007) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 (1955) | Ireland:G | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #16627) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Stanley Kramer Productions

Trivia:

While there never was a "Caine" in the US Navy, there WAS a DMS-18 (the hull number of the Caine). It was the Hamilton, converted from a destroyer in 1942.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At the Navy administration building in San Francisco, post-war Chevies are seen. They look like '51-2 models.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Admiral: And so today you are full-fledged ensigns. Three short months ago you assembled here from all parts of the nation, from all walks of life: field, factory, office and college campus. Each of you knew what the fighting was about, or you wouldn't have volunteered...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

YELLOW STAIN BLUES

Bogie loses his marbles...the strawberries are missing!

Humphrey Bogart received an Oscar nomination for 'The Caine Mutiny' as the eccentric Captain Queeg who finally collapses under pressure. The story leading up to his downfall is an engrossing one--and more complex than any surface description can convey. That's what makes this such a fascinating movie. Nothing is what it seems. No character is painted in black or white strokes--but beneath the surface lies deception, especially in Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray). Usually a lightweight actor, MacMurray delivers one of the film's craftiest performances. So does Van Johnson as the decent executive officer who takes over the controls when Queeg snaps. As many have pointed out, the only true weakness of the film is the attention given to a budding romance between Robert Francis and May Wynn which does nothing to advance the plot. The complex drama ends with a stunning courtroom scene in which Jose Ferrer gets a chance to do some heavy emoting. Max Steiner's score includes a jaunty, catchy main theme but is otherwise not one of his most interesting scores. An excellent film that makes you think how things might have been if--if only...but then there would have been no story. All in all, quite an achievement, well worth your time. The book by Herman Wouk was worth reading too.