Rent The Caine Mutiny (1954)
3.7 of 5 from 92 ratings
2h 0min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
'The Caine Mutiny' is a classic film about the unstable Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) and his tumultuous command of an old minesweeper and her weary crew. On the high seas during the dramatic battles of World War II, Queeg's by-the-book approach pushes his crew and his popular second-in-command, Lt. Maryk (Van Johnson), to the breaking point. After a series of questionable orders, Maryk confronts Queeg when he orders the ship directly into the path of a deadly typhoon. Maryk invokes naval code and relieves Queeg of his command, forcing the crew to mutiny. Once safely back in port, Maryk is court-martialed for treason, setting off a tense trial that exposes the true state of Queeg's mind. Nominated for Best Actor, Humphrey Bogart gives a searing performance as he is systematically broken down in this classic tale of military conduct in a time of war. - Actors:
- 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
- Directors:
- Edward Dmytryk
- Producers:
- Stanley Kramer
- Writers:
- Stanley Roberts, Michael Blankfort, Herman Wouk
- Others:
- William A. Lyon, John P. Livadary, Max Steiner, Henry Batista
- Aka:
- El motín del Caine
- Studio:
- Columbia Tristar
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch Next If You Liked White Christmas, A Brief History of Ships in Film: From Sailing to , Award Winners, Cinema Paradiso's 2025 Centenary Club: July - September, Drama Films & TV, Films to Watch If You Like..., Oscar Nominations Competition 2026, The Biggest Oscar Snubs: Part 1, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Robert Altman, WWII Films: Beaches, Oceans and Camps
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 04/06/2012
- Run Time:
- 124 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French Dolby Digital 1.0, German Dolby Digital 1.0, Italian Dolby Digital 1.0, Portuguese Dolby Digital 1.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 1.0
- Subtitles:
- Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, English Hard of Hearing, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Turkish
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Commentary by Richard Pena and Ken Bowser
- Behind "The Caine Mutiny" Featurette
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Reviews (2) of The Caine Mutiny
Naval Gazing. - The Caine Mutiny review by Steve
What happens when a US warship in combat is skippered by a dangerous psychotic, if the crew has no practical means of challenging his authority? It's a fascinating premise, at least until the Production Code intervenes in the final scene. Ironically, it also proves awkward for Hollywood to challenge the sanctity of military hierarchy.
This adaptation of Herman Wouk's bestseller doesn't broaden its scope to take on social hierarchies generally; this was the era of the blacklist and director Edward Dmytryk had already been to jail once! It is an analysis of the improvised, unchecked power of command under the impact of war.
The seagoing psychodrama is lifted by Humphrey Bogart's landmark portrayal as the erratic Captain Queeg. His performance is hugely overstated, but the final courtroom scene wouldn't work otherwise. Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray and Robert Francis are the officers who mutiny and are put on trial.
We get Technicolor and a rousing score from Max Steiner. The action at sea is exciting and realistic and builds to a powerhouse climax during the court-martial. The social dynamics are scrutinised in some depth. This is more about the interpersonal warfare than WWII; like an update of Mutiny on the Bounty (1935).
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Balls of Steel, Nerves of Nothing - The Caine Mutiny review by griggs
Humphrey Bogart is the reason you’re here, and he delivers: Queeg starts brittle and officious, then slowly comes apart. Bogart’s got balls of steel — he just forgot to bring any of the other kind. Fred MacMurray might be even better. Keefer’s smart enough to spot what’s wrong with his captain, persuasive enough to push Maryk into acting on it, then suddenly allergic to responsibility once the consequences arrive. Deliciously slippery.
Van Johnson gives Maryk real decency, so relieving Queeg mid-typhoon feels less like a power grab and more like a man out of options. José Ferrer turns up late as Greenwald and nearly steals the film outright — his cross-examination of Queeg is the best stretch in it.
The trouble is Willie Keith, who gets a decent stretch as the apparent lead before the film realises everyone else is more interesting. The Yosemite romance can sink with the ship for all I care.
Still: tight interiors, real moral mess, and a captain who talks himself right off the bridge.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.