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The basic story involves the mutiny of Navy
officers, Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray) Ensign Willie Keith (Robert
Francis) and Lieutenant Steve Maryk (Van Johnson), aboard Captain
Queeg's (Bogart) ship, and their subsequent gripping court-martial
trial. When the Captain shows signs of mental instability in
the form of paranoia, the first mate, Lieutenant Steve Maryk,
takes over the command, supported by other officers. They all
fear that this Captain, who is definitely not playing with a
full deck, will endanger them as his grip on reality continues
to deteriorate until he totally snaps under pressure. This act
of relieving the Captain of command, lands them all in hot water
with the Navy.
The film is a classic because of its exciting
storm sequence, plot twists, gripping court room scenes, that
climax with the stunning concluding courtroom scene, and the
fantastic collection of acting talent picked to tell the story
in this stellar screenplay, under the direction of Edward Dmytryk.
The end product offers a film of outstanding quality.
The gripping, complex script, by Stanley Roberts, who got an
oscar nomination for it, was adapted from Herman Wouk's Pulitzer
prize winning novel, which keeps the audience at the edge of
their seats, wondering what is going to happen on this rust
bucket minesweeper ship with this crazy Captain, and what the
verdict will be for these men. The audience is surprised with
the plot contradictions. The creative writing in the storyline
leads the audience to believe that the truths in various situations
appear to be one way, when in reality they turn out to be something
else.The lines between good and bad are blurred, offering multidimensional
characters. The screenplay has incisive dialogue, particularly
as delivered in strong performances by Bogart, Ferrer, and MacMurray.
Humphrey Bogart won an oscar nomination for his flawless portrayal
of Captain Queeg, as a "neurotic, paranoid fool,"
a character type that was not the typical Bogart role. Bogart
stretched himself artistically, showing the depth of his acting
alert. Particularly noteworthy is Bogart's performance, as his
character in the climatic court room scene where Captain Queeg
suffers a mental meltdown and becomes unglued on the witness
stand. Only his head and shoulders are shot in the scene, making
the audience feel pity for this man who obviously was badly
in need of a mental health professional.
Jose Ferrer gives a convincing, powerful performance
as the defendants' lawyer, Greenwald, a real career -making
effort, that shines brightly, enhancing the storyline and drama
quality greatly. He is the outsider who can hold everyone accountable
for their behavior, like a mirror, which can make the characters
in the movie, and the audience as well feel really squirmy and
uncomfortable.
Fred MacMurray, as the "supercilious but
ultimately cowardly" Lt. Keefer, the "manipulative"
communications officer, gives a riveting performance. His glib,
cynical character is fascinating to watch. Those who are only
familiar with MacMurray from his Disney films and TV's, "My
Three Sons," will be particularly impressed to see one
of MacMurray's finest dramatic performances, holding his own
in scenes with Humphrey Bogart, producing dynamite cinematic
moments.
The up-beat conclusion to this film is a crowd-pleaser,
ending with the ongoing theme of the film that "it takes
enormous personal courage to carry out one's duty, although
this duty is not always clear-cut nor particularly heroic."
A must see for classic movie enthusiasts!
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