The Caine Mutiny (1954)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

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 | Court Martial | Naval | Marriage Proposal | Singer

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

Editorial Department
Francis Cugat	....	color consultant: Technicolor

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

Other crew
Commander James C. Shaw	....	technical advisor (as Comdr. James C.Shaw)
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 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:

Producer Stanley Kramer and director Edward Dmytryk cast Lee Marvin as one of the USS Caine's supporting sailors, not only for his knowledge of ships at sea but for his acting talent. Throughout the production, Marvin served as an unofficial technical advisor to the filmmakers. Sometimes a shot would be set up, only to be criticized by Marvin as being inauthentic.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the trial, part of a calendar is visible on the back wall. It shows April beginning on a Wednesday, August on a Saturday, and December on a Tuesday. The trial is taking place presumably in 1944 or early 1945. These dates did not fall on these days of the week in either of these years; the last time this had happened was in 1942. The next time it happened was 1953 - the year the film was shot.

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:

Featured in Armed and Dangerous (1986)

Soundtrack:

YELLOW STAIN BLUES

Outstanding film

The Caine Mutiny works well on so many levels. It is a great insight into navy life, a first rate legal drama, and an unforgettable character study. Jose Ferrer and Fred MacMurray are superb, and indeed so is the entire cast, but the film clearly belongs to Humphrey Bogart's Captain Queeg. It's a real treat to see 'Bogie' in a film where he isn't a gangster or a romantic with a gruff exterior. Bogart spectacularly conveys the sheer complexity of his character: the quirks, the devotion to duty, the demand for perfection, the refusal to accept his own fallibility. It is a truly exceptional performance. Strongly recommended, 9/10.