MPAA Rating: NR/ Genre: War Drama/ Stars: Humphrey Bogart, José Ferrer, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray, Robert Francis, May Wynn, Tom Tully, E. G. Marshall, Arthur Franz, Lee Marvin, Warner Anderson, Claude Akins, Katherine Warren, Jerry Paris, Steve Brodie/ Runtime: 125 minutes

I think it is safe to say that it is not quite often when you get a film comprised of such a basic narrative in the form of “a completely disheveled crew on a naval ship finds itself having to shape up for a new commanding officer who, in addition to being quite strict, might not be all there for lack of a better word” that also manages to be this incredible on quite a few levels. Yet somehow I think it is remarkable to note that The Caine Mutiny manages to be comprised of no less than phenomenal movie magic in action. Indeed here is a film that shows what value a rock-solid narrative and powerhouse performances can bring to a movie with special regard to when they are working in spot-on synchronicity because then they take the film to a level most films can only dream to reach. Not to mention, but this is also the type of film that manages to be so magnetic that you truly cannot help, but find yourself so caught up in it that it almost feels like it’s you who is doing duties aboard the Caine, crowded in amongst the other officers in the mess, standing steadfast and resolutely on the bridge as the crew is faced with a quite stunning and shocking transfer-of-power, and finally holding your breath as you watch every word of testimony unfold in the trial that follows. Suffice it to say then dear reader that this film manages to be among the top when it comes to the genre of film known as war dramas right up there alongside such dignitaries as A Few Good Men and The Patriot. Indeed there is no shorting on the energy from a pathos perspective or just chaos within the military structure that is conjured up as the story in the film unfurls itself out for the viewer to behold. Perhaps most spectacular though is how both the action beats seems to issue out from some unknown canyon deep within the watcher’s being while the movie itself takes on your nerves and manages to conjure up a deep sense of unease and tension as the narrative hurtles toward a riveting climax. Indeed even though where the film is headed wouldn’t be listed under “best kept movie secrets” anytime soon, a fact made easily apparent due to the title telegraphing more than any other element in the film, The Caine Mutiny regardless is still able to accumulate its fair share of thrills amidst powerful work on both sides of the camera and even as it continues to boldly march with a degree of brilliance, and effortlessness towards an inevitable resolution.

The plot is as follows: The Caine Mutiny starts as we witness a newly christened ensign in the US Navy by the name of Willie Keith as he discovers that he has orders to report to the U.S.S. Caine. The Caine we quickly are able to ascertain is a mine-sweeping vessel that is barely able to fit whatever definition the US Navy came up with all those years ago for the concept of “seaworthy”. In fact I think the phrase of “beat-up old rust bucket tub which could sink at any moment” is a more apt description for this vessel that has seen more exercises than actual combat. Suffice it to say that Keith is extremely astonished at the sense of little to no discipline that is present onboard this vessel. Indeed to a young naval officer with such an impressive background, this is hardly a ship worthy of his caliber or skill to be onboard. Indeed it is only when he is offered a comfy job behind a desk serving under a certain Admiral of some renown upon the completion of his tour does Keith decide to stick it out. Soon enough however, the ship finds itself in the middle of a massive transition when the relaxed captain of the boat finds himself ousted and replaced by a career Naval officer by the rank and name of Lt. Commander Philip Francis Queeg. A man, it should also be known, whose experience and no-nonsense way of doing things are highly known amongst the sailors in the Navy. The reason this, among other reasons, is so significant is because we soon see Queeg assign our ambitious young Mr. Keith to serve as the vessel’s “morale officer” or if you would like plain and simple English, the “enforcer of all disciplinary matters on board the boat”. However it isn’t long before Queeg’s, at least when it comes to the U.S. military, understandable demand for a sense of heightened discipline when a sailor during a time of combat and out of a overwhelming respect for both the rules and just the hierarchy in the US Navy slowly transforms into more questionable actions complete with both deceit and head-scratching decision making, it isn’t long before Keith and the others in the group of officers on the Caine finally start pondering the most horrific solution possible: mutiny, but only one that is as defined as such by Naval code and potentially defensible by military law. Thus the question soon arises: can the officers come together on whether or not Queeg is suitable enough to continue to be in command of the ship, and if they choose to usurp him from being in charge, will their decision be validated in a court of law? Before too long dear reader you, along with the men, will know the answers….

Now when a movie is plain and simply this fantastic, there are always a distinct number of ingredients that are working to make sure that a film is able to achieve said greatness. Indeed to truly put one over the other however in this case would be a decent size slap in the face to just how seamlessly this film manages to work and the greatness that it manages to showcase in the process. The only reason I say this dear reader is because it is safe to guess that every praise you read in the remainder of this review is equal across the board since the aspects discussed are all detrimental to the ultimate triumph that this movie manages to be. Having said that, one of the key strengths that this film readily possesses is its astonishing skill in right from the get-go giving the audience the feeling that they are both a key part of the crew itself, but also a key witness and part of what ultimately develops in the movie. Despite that however, it is my steadfast belief that anyone who watches this movie will honestly most closely relate to the newly christened Ensign Keith. I say this because I feel it is the experiences he has onboard with both the relaxed yet also accountable and reasonably demanding Captain DeVriess and, of course Captain Queeg which are what take the movie’s audience through the vast majority of the movie. Indeed he is most definitely not naive or unaware of just what is going onboard the Caine, but through him the audience gets to experience everything for the first time. Indeed Kane’s initial embarkation of the Caine manages to bring a wonderful sense of amazement even IF the vessel is a rusty mess and most definitely not a large or prominent ship by any means. Yet this amazement and awe ultimately finds itself giving way to a unnerving atmosphere of both uncertainty as well as tension-filled anxiety not exactly because Capt. Queeg is more demanding, but because he and reality aren’t best buddies, he’s not quick in decision making, and fast to point the finger all while commanding a vessel that can’t afford to have those errors onboard. Indeed in that respect, Keith’s perspective manages to serve as a conduit of sorts for the audience that is not something that is easy to do in movies, particularly when the vast majority of films are satisfied with simply showing the audience what is going on rather than letting them feel like they are part of the narrative.

It should also be noted that another significant element which manages to raise this film to the level of iconic is how the film chooses to rely on its narrative instead of on potent and frenzied action. Indeed this is a movie which chooses to operate under a quite understated and utilizes a tempo that is much slower than even films which operate with a similar plot for example the just as phenomenal Crimson Tide from 1995. Yet even though, like this film, Crimson Tide also relies more on narrative and performances, the key difference is that film is significantly more polished and refined than this film. Yet even those additional ingredients don’t exactly make Crimson Tide the better movie, though there is little doubt that both are truly incredible movies in their own rights. Yet, despite the addition of polish and smooth in Crimson Tide, there really is no desire on the part of The Caine Mutiny to have any of that. Indeed this is because not only are the narrative and the performances exquisite, but because they are at such a high-caliber level that you and anyone else who watches the final film will become quite absorbed in those ingredients to care one way or the other that the aspect usually used to distract the audience from the plot is absent. At any rate it should be pointed out that this film’s narrative revolves more around psychological and pathos since this is a narrative about a group of men who find themselves having to quickly adjust to a extreme switch-up at a time when things are already stressful to the max and to then have this stress greatly increased when evidence begins to mount that their new commander might not be all there thus making his duties that much more difficult to fulfill. Indeed this film takes an engrossing look at the part that discipline plays in the military hierarchy. Yet it is worth noting that in this instance the idea of discipline isn’t just defined by tucking a shirt in or doing everything you can to keep from heisting some delicious strawberries. Rather in the context of this film, it means taking charge and throwing things for a loop when evidence starts popping up that there is no more and no less than the crew’s lives which are at stake due to unforeseen and undeserved jeopardy rather than a calamity that is due to their collective bad attitude and an allowed lack of military discipline across the board.

This of course brings us then to the acting that is responsible for bringing this vivid and potent story to life. Yet even though, in all fairness, The Caine Mutiny doesn’t exactly have the most top-caliber name-worthy cast to its name and I am quite positive there are other movies out there which possess, in some people’s eyes, “better caliber” turns this one does from its actors, but I would still at the very least argue that this film does deserve to be on both of those lists in some capacity. Indeed this starts with absolute legend of the silver screen Humphrey Bogart who manages to provide a performance that is a genuine and riveting example of a complete performance. I say this because I definitely feel that the character of Queeg is extremely three-dimensional plus one who is not definable by the fact that he is a staunch advocate for discipline, that he has a wee bit of an ego, or the fact that he might just be mentally incompetent. Instead he is more defined for us in the audience by the significantly less yet way more important subtleties which result in him being an individual who is a challenge to get a fix on, hard to figure out if he is likable or loathsome, and extremely reserved in regards to the things which set him off thus bringing about the actions of his crew. Indeed it is no closely guarded secret that Bogie had a truly phenomenal ability to, for all intents and purposes, become truly complex characters with a skill that was absolutely incredible. Yet even for an actor of the stature that he had in the world of movie magic, and who also is usually recognizable to mostly everyone at least remotely familiar with the history of film, he still manages to become the character to the point that the audience literally is able to see only the incredible character that this iconic thespian has brought to life rather than the thespian himself. Now as for the movie’s other phenomenal performance, it comes from a young man by the name of Robert Francis in the role of Ensign Keith. Indeed as brought up earlier in the review, the fact that Francis does an incredible job at simultaneously being both the surrogate for the audience whilst also being his own character is one of the key arenas in which this film manages to distinguish itself. Looking past that however, Francis nevertheless manages to contribute a wonderfully dependable effort that involves him brilliantly, but never in a way that hinges on the comical or the absurd, navigate through the various challenges he faces on his time aboard the Caine both before and after the arrival of Capt. Queeg. As for the rest of the cast we see that from powerful performances from such gifted thespians as Fred MacMurray and Jose Ferrer to wonderful work in smaller roles as is the case with E.G. Marshall and Lee Marvin, everyone manages to do a fantastic job at bringing this intriguing tale as vividly to life as possible with the material that they are given.

All in all it is without a doubt in my mind that The Caine Mutiny is a phenomenally powerful movie that is not lacking in any single ingredient in its terrific mixture. Indeed be it the powerful work from its powerhouse cast, its riveting narrative, and steady yet strong work from its helmer that strengthens the already mentioned ingredients which make this film a genuine iconic entry in the war drama genre to say nothing of being one of the best films to ever comb the depths of the intriguing dynamics at play involving how we as people interact with one another as well as just what effects the concepts of constraint as well as unpredictability can have when spread throughout the military’s chain of command and most assuredly when viewed through the prism of any hierarchical structure in life. Suffice it to say then that The Caine Mutiny, through powerful acting and incredible work behind the camera, makes for a true must-see movie through and through and is still just as powerful in the world of cinema today as it was when it was first released over 6 decades ago. On a scale of 1-5 I give The Caine Mutiny a solid 4 out of 5.