 The military is, at least on the surface, built upon foundations of rigid discipline and adherence to a strict chain of command. Break that chain of command or act against the dictates of your superior officer, and the house of cards designed to keep young men functioning in the ultimate crisis – war – falls apart. And that is how people die.
So what to do when a vital link in that chain of command is faulty? When the man issuing orders is unstable, unreliable and potentially a danger to the hundreds at his command?
This is the question explored by The Caine Mutiny, the classic 1954 military drama featuring the legendary Humphrey Bogart. The U.S.S. Caine is a dilapidated, run down World War II minesweeper operating during the height of the war in the Pacific. When Ens. Willis Seward Keith (Robert Francis) joins the crew, it is run by a tired old captain, manned by rule-breaking slobs of a crew, and is seen by most as a floating punchline. In the words of its captain, “the Caine is a beaten-up tub. After 18 months of combat it takes 24 hours a day just to keep her in one piece.”
Enter Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg (Humphrey Bogart), the ship’s new captain and a man devoted to strict adherence to military rules of order. He immediately begins the monumental task of trying to clean up the Caine. He’s hard-nosed, makes no apologies for refusing to budge on the rules, and is not afraid to take his crew to task. Queeg may be too consumed with the rules, however, as becomes evident when one of his tirades distracts him from issuing key orders during a training exercise. A mishap results, Navy equipment is lost, and Queeg does what he can to cover up his error.
Things only get worse from there. His iron-fist commanding style gives way to paranoia, and soon his officers are thinking the unthinkable: mutiny.
 The mutiny upon which the entire film hinges comes quite late in the narrative, and the resolution relatively quickly. That is because the central element here is not as much the mutiny itself, but rather the psychology of all those involved in said mutiny. The events leading up to that monumental decision, the state of mind of the captain and his crew, and the inherent rightness (or wrongness, as we’re told in the failed attempt at moral ambiguity that closes the film) are the key factors at play. Were the crew justified in what they did? Could Queeg’s failing mental health have been handled differently, or were these simply men forced to make a difficult decision during a time of crisis? Questions with no easy answers.
 The Caine Mutiny sails along with a great cast, Jose Ferrer (Lawrence of Arabia), Van Johnson (State of the Union), and Fred MacMurray (Double Indemnity, My Three Sons), along with Francis, all turning in memorable roles. Yet The Caine Mutiny’s wonderful cast begins and ends with Bogart (Casablanca) - not simply because he’s Bogart, but because his performance is truly stellar. He was nominated for an Academy Award, and rightfully so, losing out only because one of cinema’s great performances – Marlon Brando’s turn in On The Waterfront – was nominated the same year. Bogart proves for all time that he was more than a distinctive face and voice; he was an actor, with skills to match (and exceed) any of his peers. His Queeg is both over the top and subtle, painted with an array of mannerisms, gestures, glances and quiet body language that amount to a deep, rich character. We loathe Queeg and disdain his actions, yet so, too, do we pity him. This is quite simply one of the very best performances by one of the biggest stars in motion picture history.
 The film itself is not quite as focused as Bogart. An entirely unnecessary and out of place love story was inserted into the script, giving the audience night club and vacation sequences that do not forward the narrative, but rather distract from the issues that should be the focus of the screenplay. Had this entire subplot been dropped, maybe the moral ambiguity aimed for at the film’s close (taken from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and play upon which the film is based) would have been more effective. Alas! This final piece of the puzzle sadly falls short, nearly wasting Ferrer’s excellent, if all too brief, role.
Yet these flaws do not sour the overall experience that is The Caine Mutiny. Pre-dating A Few Good Men and other military courtroom dramas, Caine gives us an excellent cast of characters, a compelling story, and one of Bogart’s very best performances. It’s hard to say no to that.
 Disc Presentation
Columbia’s Collector’s Edition re-release of The Caine Mutiny is less than impressive on the visual front. Film grain is obvious, and in certain early scenes the film is badly in need of color correction. This is especially evident during the nightclub sequence. The box art claims this has been “digitally remastered for best possible picture and sound,” but I’d balk at “best possible.” When the film looks good – the typhoon sequence, for instance – it looks very good. Crisp, clear picture with eye-popping Technicolor. But when it doesn’t, well, the effect is jarring.
Audio fares much better, however. The score is big and robust, yet never steps on the extensive dialogue. Even at lower volumes, every word is easy to understand and never obscured by the sound effects or score. Excellent job here.
Disc Extras
DVD buyers have often been spoiled with stellar releases of classic films. When you hear “Collector’s Edition,” you instantly think of a two-disc presentation stuffed with extras. Well, not here. This Collector’s Edition is a single disc with just two special features – but those features are easily good enough so that quality trumps quantity. I’ll take two strong extras such as these over a half-dozen items of pure fluff any day of the week, thanks.
 Commentary by Richard Pena and Ken Bowser – This DVD commentary by a film historian and film maker, respectively, is an informative, instructional, and entertaining track. The pair offer some historical context, tidbits of trivia, and observations about the film. Far from nothing but praise, they are sometimes critical of what they see on screen, though never so much so as to detract from the viewer’s enjoyment of the film. That level of frankness was nice to hear. There are a few stretches of silence, and “lively” is not a word I’d use to describe them, but overall this track makes for a great listen.
Documentary: Inside The Caine Mutiny – A very nice 40-minute feature (split into two parts) takes us from start to finish, dealing heavily with the film’s strong political messages, the production problems with the military, and much more. More than a “making of,” this is an examination of the themes, characters and real life politics surrounding the film. Again, this is far from fluff. Rather, this is a deep, informative documentary with plenty of meat on its bones. Worth the price of admission, it totally wipes away any misgivings about calling this single-disc release a “Collector’s Edition.”
The Bottom Line
Nominated for seven Academy Awards and the winner of none, The Caine Mutiny is only a step or two short of being one of cinema’s all-time great films. A step or two short, yes – it’s about 25 minutes too long, all of that love story and “mother” issues – but still fantastic nonetheless, featuring a stellar ensemble cast, compelling script and Bogart as good as you’ll ever see him. A must-see for fans of classic cinema.
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